Favorite heavyweight journeymen

[oogiebe]

Jesse Ferguson the "The Boogieman"

He faced most everyone (talk about a ring resume, this guy lost to a lot of "names."):
{He beat some as well)

James Douglas
Carl Williams
Mike Tyson
James Smith
Orlin Norris
Oliver McCall
Bruce Seldon
Michael Dokes
Tony Tubbs
Ray Mercer (Twice)
Riddick Bowe
Frank Bruno
Larry Holmes
Jeremy Williams
Alex Stewart
Hasim Rahman
Andrew Golota

[sweetviolenturge]

Speaking of Mo Wilson, he had to have had one of boxing's great chins. He fought a who's who of the heavyweight division & I don't believe he was ever knocked down. Putting him in elite company alongside George Chuvalo & Oliver McCall.

And, while on the subject of heavyweights named Mo, Mo Harris was another fav journeyman of mine who flirted with the top 20 for a bit with some decent upset victories but returned to his journeyman ways later on in his career. His best wins came over Siarhei Liakhovich, Jimmy Thunder & Jeremy Williams. He also very nearly beat Larry Holmes in MSG but for three judges who voted dubiously. And his bout with Derrick Jefferson was a classic.

Marion Wilson's chin is a bit of a myth. He was down at least a couple of times, certainly versus Terrence Lewis and Jimmy Thunder. He generally mauled, spoiled and buried his chin on his opponent's shoulder to protect it. He isn't the Chuvalo-chin people think, just a cunning survivor who fought ugly.

Totally agree with you on Stan Ward, what a record!

Upon closer examination, yep, Jim, I have to agree with you Mo Wilson was more of great spoiler/survivor-type rather than an iron-chinned fighter ala Chuvalo & McCall. Taking a close look at his record he has to be one of the most penalized fighters that I've ever seen. Almost always for holding. So, while he certainly had to have had a good, solid beard it wasn't concrete but he was a master at holding on & nullifying his opponent's offense.

[Tony1244]

George "scrapiron" Johnson fought:

D. Bobick
LeDoux
L. Jones
Quarry (3X)
Boudreaux
Kirkman
Lyle
Blin
Spencer
A. Lincoln
H. Clark
Machen
Frazier
R. Wallace
Liston
Foreman
Bugner
Lyle

[oogiebe]

George "scrapiron" Johnson fought

OMG!! I remember that guy!!!

[Tony1244]

George "scrapiron" Johnson fought

OMG!! I remember that guy!!!

Was he on TV? I remember him as a name I read about.

I confess, I "pulled a Kalan" and looked all those names up.

To purge me of that sin, I'll list names Scott LeDoux fought with no look up and no peeking.

LeDoux

Roy "Cookie" Wallace
Rodney Bobick
Duane Bobick
Ken Norton
Leon Spinks
Frank Bruno
George Foreman
Ron Lyle
Larry Holmes
John "Dino" Dennis
Mike Weaver
Johnny Boudereaux
Pedro Soto


I feel like I'm missing some names.

[Tony1244]

I forgot Page, Coetzee, Prater, and Scrapiron Johnson for heaven's sake,

I almost put Coetzee down but wasn't sure it happened. I should have remembered the Johnson fight as it was controversial. I didn't know he fought Prater and Gordon Recette, so II won't beat myself up too badly for those.

[oogiebe]

I forgot Page, Coetzee, Prater, and Scrapiron Johnson for heaven's sake,

I almost put Coetzee down but wasn't sure it happened. I should have remembered the Johnson fight as it was controversial. I didn't know he fought Prater and Gordon Recette, so II won't beat myself up too badly for those.

If you think I remembered my list on this thread, you are sadly mistaken. I looked them up. No one remembers lists like that except Gilgamesh.

[Tony1244]

I forgot Page, Coetzee, Prater, and Scrapiron Johnson for heaven's sake,

I almost put Coetzee down but wasn't sure it happened. I should have remembered the Johnson fight as it was controversial. I didn't know he fought Prater and Gordon Recette, so II won't beat myself up too badly for those.

If you think I remembered my list on this thread, you are sadly mistaken. I looked them up. No one remembers lists like that except Gilgamesh.

I resemble that remark.

My LeDoux list was from memory, but not Scrapiron.

[Tony1244]

But you're right, the amount of boxing and music that Gilgamesh knows, amazes me.

[oogiebe]

But you're right, the amount of boxing and music that Gilgamesh knows, amazes me.

He's like rainman, but functions in life as well! LMAO! (hope he doesn't take that seriously)

[sweetviolenturge]

I forgot Page, Coetzee, Prater, and Scrapiron Johnson for heaven's sake,

I almost put Coetzee down but wasn't sure it happened. I should have remembered the Johnson fight as it was controversial. I didn't know he fought Prater and Gordon Recette, so II won't beat myself up too badly for those.

If you think I remembered my list on this thread, you are sadly mistaken. I looked them up. No one remembers lists like that except Gilgamesh.

Off the top of my head, the only "names" that I can think of who you forgot are his D10 with Bill Sharkey & W10 over Marty Monroe which earned him his title shot vs Holmes.

[sweetviolenturge]

I forgot Page, Coetzee, Prater, and Scrapiron Johnson for heaven's sake,

I almost put Coetzee down but wasn't sure it happened. I should have remembered the Johnson fight as it was controversial. I didn't know he fought Prater and Gordon Recette, so II won't beat myself up too badly for those.

If you think I remembered my list on this thread, you are sadly mistaken. I looked them up. No one remembers lists like that except Gilgamesh.

Off the top of my head, the only "names" that I can think of who you forgot are his D10 with Bill Sharkey & W10 over Marty Monroe which earned him his title shot vs Holmes.

Oh, man, I just thought about some more notable names that Ledoux beat. Namely Larry Middleton, Terry Daniels & Ron Stander.

[SenorPipino]

Pudgy Scapiron Johnson was one of my favorites as well. A childhood pleasure.

I remember the little jig he did in the ring after he finished taking a 10 round pummeling from Joe Frazier at the Olympic Auditorium, circa '67.

He was simply delighted to go the distance with a guy who had been knocking everyone out.

I also liked his contemporary, Amos "The Big Train" Lincoln.

Actually Lincoln was at one time considered a contender with a couple wins over Thad Spencer. He also beat Scrapiron Johnson and another Liston conqueror Marty Marshall.

It wasn't until the late 60s when he was stopped by Mildenberger and finally Spencer that his fortunes plummeted and he became a true journeyman.

But Scrapiron and Big Train were nevertheless two remarkable journeymen.

Sadly, both have passed.

[Tony1244]

If you think I remembered my list on this thread, you are sadly mistaken. I looked them up. No one remembers lists like that except Gilgamesh.

Off the top of my head, the only "names" that I can think of who you forgot are his D10 with Bill Sharkey & W10 over Marty Monroe which earned him his title shot vs Holmes.

Oh, man, I just thought about some more notable names that Ledoux beat. Namely Larry Middleton, Terry Daniels & Ron Stander.

LeDoux really fought just about everyone.

I had tickets for LeDoux-Jeff Simms, but LeDoux got injured so it was Jeff Simms dropping a decision to Jimmy Young.

[SenorPipino]

LeDoux.

Very fringe contender. Not a true journeyman.

Chisora-like.

[sweetviolenturge]

Off the top of my head, the only "names" that I can think of who you forgot are his D10 with Bill Sharkey & W10 over Marty Monroe which earned him his title shot vs Holmes.

Oh, man, I just thought about some more notable names that Ledoux beat. Namely Larry Middleton, Terry Daniels & Ron Stander.

LeDoux really fought just about everyone.

I had tickets for LeDoux-Jeff Simms, but LeDoux got injured so it was Jeff Simms dropping a decision to Jimmy Young.

Weren't Ledoux & Jimmy Young scheduled to fight at one time as well, Tony?

[Tony1244]

Oh, man, I just thought about some more notable names that Ledoux beat. Namely Larry Middleton, Terry Daniels & Ron Stander.

LeDoux really fought just about everyone.

I had tickets for LeDoux-Jeff Simms, but LeDoux got injured so it was Jeff Simms dropping a decision to Jimmy Young.

Weren't Ledoux & Jimmy Young scheduled to fight at one time as well, Tony?

I stand corrected. It might have been LeDoux-Young. But I really don't remember at this point.

[man]

cory sanders

[Tony1244]

LeDoux.

Very fringe contender. Not a true journeyman.

Chisora-like.

Agreed.

[HomicideHenry]

Don Steele
Butterbean
The McNeeley's
Kevin McBride
Danny Wofford
Frankie Hines
Donnie Pendelton
Reggie Strickland
Cliff Fields
Paul Sykes
Ron Stander
Bruce Strauss

[SenorPipino]

Don Steele
Butterbean
The McNeeley's
Kevin McBride
Danny Wofford
Frankie Hines
Donnie Pendelton
Reggie Strickland
Cliff Fields
Paul Sykes
Ron Stander
Bruce Strauss

Funny thing is that Butterbean had journeyman talent but was promoted like a rock star.

[Mimmy]

Michael Murray.

[sweetviolenturge]

Danny Blake of Chicago deserves a special mention as he went 12-45-6 throughout his career mixing with a plethora of top fighters from the middleweight through the heavyweight divisions. He met the likes of "Dangerous" Don Lee, Slobodan Kacar, Jeff Lampkin, Young Joe Louis, "Quick" Tillis & Shannon Briggs. Going the distance in each & every one of his losses. His best wins came over the then-fringe contender Lenny Lapaglia who he KOd twice.

Another one who always interested me was Charlie Polite. He went 18-38-3 in his career. Meeting the likes of George Foreman, Jose Luis Garcia, Floyd Patterson, Jeff Merritt, "Dino" Dennis, Chuck Wepner & Gerry Cooney among others. Foreman KOd him in their first meeting in 4 rounds but in their "rematch" held during Foreman's rather infamous "Toronto Five" exhibition event he was the first of two opponents to take "Big" George the full three-round distance ( with the other being Boone Kirkman in another "rematch" ).

[scartissue]

Scrapiron Johnson and Lou Bailey were the first ones I thought of on this subject matter. I remember back in the day picking up the magazines and invariably one of or both of their names would show up every month after dropping a 10 rounder to some fringe or top contender. They would always find work because they were slick enough to survive and promoters loved them for that. That they would give their star pupils a good 10 rounds without much chance of scoring anything crazy on the golden boy. But for me, Jesse Ferguson embodies the term journeyman. If that star pupil or hot prospect did not show up in shape, they may be looking at a good licking. He did it several times to guys like Mercer, Buster Douglas and a slew of prospects like Bobby Harris, Samson Pouha and Obed Sullivan. He was the boogey man.

[Duran1970]

Don Steele
Butterbean
The McNeeley's
Kevin McBride
Danny Wofford
Frankie Hines
Donnie Pendelton
Reggie Strickland
Cliff Fields
Paul Sykes
Ron Stander
Bruce Strauss

Strauss wasn't a heavyweight