John "Johnny Buff" Lesky (June 12, 1888 – January 14, 1955) was an American boxer. He was World Bantamweight Champion from 1921 to 1922.
In 1921, Buff won both the World Bantamweight Championship and the American Flyweight Championship. He became the flyweight champion by defeating Abe Goldstein in New York City on March 31, 1921. Six months later, on September 23, he won the bantamweight title by defeating Pete Herman in Madison Square Garden. H...
More
John "Johnny Buff" Lesky (June 12, 1888 – January 14, 1955) was an American boxer. He was World Bantamweight Champion from 1921 to 1922.
In 1921, Buff won both the World Bantamweight Championship and the American Flyweight Championship. He became the flyweight champion by defeating Abe Goldstein in New York City on March 31, 1921. Six months later, on September 23, he won the bantamweight title by defeating Pete Herman in Madison Square Garden. He lost both titles in 1922.
He held wins over Tommy Gorman, Willie LaMorte, Midget Smith, Eddie O'Dowd, Frankie Dailey, Abe Goldstein, "Young" Zulu Kid, Charles Ledoux, "Little" Jack Sharkey and Benny Schwartz during his career.
Lesky enlisted into the United States Navy prior to World War I. 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 USS Wyoming (BB-32) by 1928.
In the military he...
Less
