Johnny Buff
Encyclopedia
John "Johnny Buff" Lesky (June 12, 1888 – January 14, 1955) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

. He was World Bantamweight Champion from 1921 to 1922.

Boxing career

In 1921, Buff won both the World Bantamweight Championship and the American Flyweight Championship. He became the flyweight champion by defeating Abe Goldstein
Abe Goldstein
Abe Goldstein was an American boxer.He was World Bantamweight Champion in 1924, and was ranked the # 5 bantamweight of all time-Boxing career:...

 in New York City on March 31, 1921. Six months later, on September 23, he won the bantamweight title by defeating Pete Herman
Pete Herman
Pete Herman was one of the all time great bantamweight world champions. An Italian-American, Herman was born Peter Gulotta in New Orleans, Louisiana, and fought from 1912 until 1922...

 in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

. He lost both titles in 1922.

He held wins over Tommy Gorman
Tommy Gorman
Thomas Patrick "T. P." Gorman was a founder of the National Hockey League , a winner of seven Stanley Cups as a general manager with four teams, and an Olympic gold medal-winning lacrosse player for Canada....

, Willie LaMorte, Midget Smith, Eddie O'Dowd, Frankie Dailey, Abe Goldstein
Abe Goldstein
Abe Goldstein was an American boxer.He was World Bantamweight Champion in 1924, and was ranked the # 5 bantamweight of all time-Boxing career:...

, "Young" Zulu Kid, Charles Ledoux
Charles Ledoux
Charles Ledoux was a French bantamweight boxer.-External links:* at BoxRec-References:...

, "Little" Jack Sharkey
Jack Sharkey
Jack Sharkey was an American heavyweight boxing champion. He was born Joseph Paul Zukauskas , the son of Lithuanian immigrants, in Binghamton, New York but moved to Boston, Massachusetts as a young man...

 and Benny Schwartz during his career.

Outside the ring

Lesky enlisted into the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. When the war arrived, he waived the family exemption, and joined the Navy for a second time. After his professional boxing career, he enlisted for a third time in the Navy, becoming a gunner's mate on the by 1928.

In the military he was known as "Gunner's Mate Spike Lisky", serving aboard the . It was said at the time that he was the only United States Navy sailor to have become a world champion.

Personal life

Lesky is the grandfather of modern-day boxing and MMA announcers Michael Buffer
Michael Buffer
Michael Buffer is an American professional ring announcer for boxing and professional wrestling matches. He is known for his trademarked catchphrase, "Let's get ready to rumble!" He is known for pioneering a distinct announcing style in which he rolls certain letters and adds other inflections to...

 and Bruce Buffer
Bruce Buffer
Bruce Anthony Buffer is the main octagon announcer for Zuffa main events. On UFC broadcasts, he is introduced as the "Veteran Voice of the Octagon." He is the half brother of the well-known boxing and wrestling ring announcer Michael Buffer, and is President and CEO of their company "The Buffer...

. He married Elizabeth Lisky with whom he had three children: Jimmy, Johnny and Theresa. There were other grandchildren: Walter Palac, Cheryl Palac, and their cousins Jimmy, Mark and Jeannie Lisky.

External links


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