Oxford's Geoffrey Esper looks to upset Joey Chestnut at July 4 Nathan's hot dog contest

OXFORD – Are you going to eat a hot dog on July 4? It’s a fair question since the frankfurter is considered an American staple on Independence Day. Will you down one dog? Two? Maybe three?

How about 50? Sounds impossible, right?

Well, Geoffrey Esper plans to eat that many. In fact, he wants to eat more than 50 when he competes in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York. The 48-year-old Esper expressed that goal recently while interviewed in front of the public library on Main Street in his hometown of Oxford.

Realistic goal

Stuffing down more than 50 dogs is a realistic mark to shoot for because Esper is the second-ranked competitive eater in the world. Want proof? It’s right there on the Major League Eating website.

The man holding the world’s top spot goes by the nickname of “Jaws.” His real name is Joey Chestnut and he’s an eating machine. Chestnut won the Nathan’s contest 14 of the past 15 years including a world record after he scarfed down a humongous total of 76 dogs in 2021 — all in 10 minutes before the buzzer sounded.

Esper finished second to Jaws the past two years at Coney Island and it wasn’t even close. Last year, Jaws inhaled 63 dogs to Esper’s 47.5. Esper said the gap would have been much wider if Chestnut wasn’t dealing with a leg injury. Jaws also lost valuable time fending off an unruly spectator who rushed the stage in the middle of the competition.

The year before that in 2021, Esper wolfed down 50 of the meat tubes, but that was the year Jaws set his world record of 76.

Can he beat Chestnut this July 4?

When asked that question, Esper said, “Only if he doesn’t show up.”

Wait a minute. How can the second-ranked eater in the world, only one spot behind Jaws, give in like that? Tom Brady would never go into a Super Bowl with that defeatist attitude. Neither would any athlete worth their salt.

Esper doesn’t see it that way and he’s OK with it. He’s content to be the second-banana or should we say runner-up dog. There’s no animosity here or jealousy felt toward Chestnut. They're friends and Esper knows what he can and can't do, including besting Jaws in the hot dog arena.

“It’s Joey’s day. I already know he’s going to win,” he said.

Local news, more important than ever:$1 per month for first year (new subscribers)

Chestnut's hot dog superiority

Esper laid out all the reasons nobody is better at eating wieners than Chestnut.

First off, Jaws doesn’t have a 9-to-5 job. He can practice any time, while Esper has a day job, teaching electronics at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton.

Most competitive eaters have jobs, but Esper said Jaws doesn't need to punch the clock because he makes more money in endorsements from companies like Hostess, Hooters and the stomach-taming Pepto Bismol than he does from competitions. Plus, Chestnut brings in additional cash from his YouTube channel and his own product lines of condiments.

Chestnut’s net worth is reportedly $2.5 million, compared to Esper’s $157,300 in career winnings, per eatfeats.com.

A world of talent

Esper pointed out that Chestnut has it including being a very strong “rhythm eater," perfect for the Nathan’s event where most competitors go with the “two-meat, two- bun” strategy. Simply put, wolf down two dogs, then two buns after dunking them in liquid. Then repeat – many times.

Age difference could also be a factor. Jaws is 39, nearly 10 years younger than Esper, and youth generally comes with superior reflexes and stamina. Esper also thinks Chestnut’s height at 6-feet-1, taller than Esper, gives him more area to stretch his stomach, providing a larger cavity to hold wieners.

Showmanship is also at play. Many competitors seek the spotlight at Coney Island, including Jaws, but not Esper. He prefers to fly under the radar. Get in, do his hot dog work and then get out.

“I don’t like the hype,” said Esper, who prefers competitions in small towns, compared to the hoopla and bright lights in Coney Island.

Esper has beaten Chestnut

It happened four years ago, when Esper devoured 235 mini-donuts to Chestnut’s 200. But mini-donuts are a whole different ballgame compared to the All-American hot dog, and Esper is the first to admit it.

He’s shooting for second place July 4 and knows it’s not a given since several competitors fall in Esper's range of 40 to 50 dogs shoveled down the hatch in 10 minutes.

Esper will train just like he always does. A few practice sessions of 50 dogs or more. Then its protein shakes July 3 and a light breakfast July 4, hours before it’s time to focus in front of thousands of screaming fans and a live, worldwide audience on ESPN2.

“Just go with it. There’s no time to get nervous,” he said.

What if he wins?

Esper admitted it would be nice to take home the $10,000 first prize and championship Mustard Belt. He might consider retiring from competitive eating if the impossible happened, but no way is he counting on it.

He’s shooting for second place, followed by drinking lots of water – his normal routine after any competition. It’s a finish that would satisfy the Leicester-born Esper, who has bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from Clark University and got into competitive eating after suffering injuries as a powerlifter.

Esper still looks like he can lift heavy weight, with muscles bulging from his shoulders and biceps, not the look one would expect from someone deep in the world of competitive eating.

Meant to be?

Maybe competitive eating was meant to be for Esper, since he remembers always being the first to clean his plate at the family dinner table, and feeling just fine after hitting up all-you-can-eat-buffets, while others in his family groaned from overeating.

Plus, he remembers watching the Nathan's contest every July 4 on TV.

“I guess I’ve always been interested in competitive eating. I wish I had started when I was younger. I might have been better," he said.

Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter: @henrytelegram.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Oxford's Esper looks to upset Chestnut July 4 Nathan's hot dog contest