U.K. and U.S. Journeymen: Let's talk about 'em

[dapug]

I've been around it with my mate especially, and a couple of others. They can really fight. Some great amateur guys end up going that route. I've only known one guy "make it" in 30 years of boxing! Even very seasoned pros struggle. I said in another thread, it's a ticket selling contest now. I know FOR A FACT, people are being paid a few quid more just to move about, and I don't care if anyone disagrees.

Brilliant point about it being a ticket selling contest, sad but true.

[gilgamesh]

I've been around it with my mate especially, and a couple of others. They can really fight. Some great amateur guys end up going that route. I've only known one guy "make it" in 30 years of boxing! Even very seasoned pros struggle. I said in another thread, it's a ticket selling contest now. I know FOR A FACT, people are being paid a few quid more just to move about, and I don't care if anyone disagrees.

Brilliant point about it being a ticket selling contest, sad but true.

It basically means guys that intend to be serious Professionals better not try to rush into the pro game. You'd definitely want to fight and build a reputation as an amateur to the point that you've definitely developed enough of a reputation that you could sell tickets to your Pro fights. Rushing into a Pro career and trying to sell tickets from scratch would probably be very stressful for guys and a lot of guys probably wind up losing fights early because of all the stress involved in the process of promoting their own fights.

[brilo33]

clinton woods,it might be unfair to him

[olij999]

Buck Smith's record kinda reminds me of Marty Jakubowski, both have very impressive records as far as the numbers go, but most of their wins aren't over any particularly big names. They just fought all the time apparently.

Smith had 24 no contests, now thats a lot of fights to have no contests, 2 were against Harold Brazier 1 went the full 15 rounds and the other was over 6 but went 6 and was a n/c. Many of those debutants he fought were proberly not real fights and were never proved.

I assume the reports of the results have to come from somewhere.

Jim Brady's book, "Boxing Confidential", explains how it was all done. Excellent book - one of my favourites.

[leejonesjnr]

clinton woods,it might be unfair to him

Ridiculous

[REEVE]

clinton woods,it might be unfair to him

Ridiculous

Clinton woods defo defo not a journeyman you must be joking

[Stuffs]

It's one of the best I've read.

I'd also recommend getting to a few small hall shows if the book has shocked you and you've only judged on records alone.

I don't doubt that several of the fighters in the book are better equipped to defend themselves than their records suggests. Like a guy like Kristian Laight for instance. There's no way in hell you could have as many fights as he has and been stopped so few times unless you had very sharp and clever defensive skills. At least as far as defensive skills there's probably things that even top pros could learn from these guys because you gotta know probably very few other fighters have had to absorb as many hard blows and survive as many scary moments as them.

Quite a lot of them can bang too. I feel quite lucky to have been there to see wins for the likes of Laight, Warburton, Ashmole, Derbyshire, Sharp etc.

[mickey1975]

Laight was brilliant. Warburton can turn it up when he feels like it.

[Stuffs]

Laight was brilliant. Warburton can turn it up when he feels like it.

Wasn't Warburton dangerously close (for him, financially I suppose) to a English or British title a while back? Ranking wise. I'm sure he went on a bit of a run and was in the top ten, with many others ahead of him booked up elsewhere.

He's one of my favourite journeymen though. When a kid goes in thinking it's in the bag before entering the ropes he turns it on. He's got skills.

[mickey1975]

Laight was brilliant. Warburton can turn it up when he feels like it.

Wasn't Warburton dangerously close (for him, financially I suppose) to a English or British title a while back? Ranking wise. I'm sure he went on a bit of a run and was in the top ten, with many others ahead of him booked up elsewhere.

He's one of my favourite journeymen though. When a kid goes in thinking it's in the bag before entering the ropes he turns it on. He's got skills.

I've been told Warburton doesn't even need it financially! From a decent source. He's comfortable!

[gilgamesh]

Warburton's gonna be fighting again this weekend on the Lee Haskins card in Ireland.

[boxingknockout]

Mark Turley's book on journeymen is one of the best, and most eye opening boxing books ever.... if I read it at 19, 20 I would've been shocked. I was older when I read it and thus more cynical..... but it was still fascinating and honest.

And most boxing fans have no idea this is how it works