Unnofficial Boxing Classifications

[keithmoonhangover]

I know it's different in different countries and we all have our own interpretations, but boxers seem to get categorised. Here are a few, can you think of any others......

P4P
World class
Contender
Fringe Contender
Trialhorse
Prospect
Opponent
Journeyman
*I'm not a fan of the below.
Road sweeper
Bum

[stujones]

European Level - although that is around fringe contender - someone who can win (or be really competitive) for the EBU title but not likely to win a world title, but no major shame if he fights for it.

Derek Chisora is probably the dictionary definition of this level.

Fighter does not have to be eligable to fight for the EBU title to have this accolade.

Stepping stone would be another - a step up but not one you expect the prospect to lose.

[Ruthless-RKO]

European Level - although that is around fringe contender - someone who can win (or be really competitive) for the EBU title but not likely to win a world title, but no major shame if he fights for it.

David Ava too

[maverick23]

Lineal

[keithmoonhangover]

Lineal

So, Lennox Lewis?

[Boxerbeetle]

Tomato can

[Ruthless-RKO]

Road sweeper

I guess taxi driver, doorman/bouncer and bin man go with this.

[Boxerbeetle]

Teak tough (only applicable to boxers from Ghana)

[maverick23]

Lineal

So, Lennox Lewis?

Great champion. But lineal is made up/unofficial.

[keithmoonhangover]

Lineal

So, Lennox Lewis?

Great champion. But lineal is made up/unofficial.

Before the WBC, WBA, NYSAC etc, there wasn't anything official. There was just the man, who beat the man etc. So are you saying that once the man retires, he is no longer champion? What happens if he comes back like Fury?

[margaret thatcher]

lineal is mainly the obsession of fanbois who are insecure with their man not having all the gold or having beaten the other big dawg out there, so they worship and grovel at the lineal belt like it's the be all end all. oh ya they worship the ring belt too as long as their man has it

[margaret thatcher]

terms like bum, tomato can etc are harsh.....but they do refer to a specific type of fighter and we all know what they mean, so they still have use. i guess we could simply call them awful instead, but there's really no making up an endearing term for them

[margaret thatcher]

European Level - although that is around fringe contender - someone who can win (or be really competitive) for the EBU title but not likely to win a world title, but no major shame if he fights for it.

David Ava too

ava is the perfect example of being able to establish a good euro title run without being able to beat world level opposition

sergio garcia too

pure euro level fighters...they can still be classified as contenders, but not world class for me


you also get paper champs who have a world title but cant actually beat world class guys. liam smith could be one of these- he's won the wbo, but loses to every world level guy he faces. paul butler is a 2x champ yet hasnt won a round vs his 3 world level opponents (rodriguez, tete, inoue).

[keithmoonhangover]

terms like bum, tomato can etc are harsh.....but they do refer to a specific type of fighter and we all know what they mean, so they still have use. i guess we could simply call them awful instead, but there's really no making up an endearing term for them

In the States, what we call a journeyman would have a much less flattering title. I think bum is incredibly disrespectful, especially from non-boxers.

[chinarich]

We use “domestic level” a lot here I don’t know how prevalent that is outside U.K. Also, I regularly see “club fighter” used in American boxing…

[dookus]

Gatekeeper is one I like, also works for different levels of the sport

[mickey1975]

Dinner lady is a new one.

[orbtastic]

A lot of those American terms seem dated

Bum
Chump
Tomato can
Puffed up/blown up
Palooka
Ham and egger
Rookie
Putz
Pug

[orbtastic]

Pot washer

[maverick23]

So, Lennox Lewis?

Great champion. But lineal is made up/unofficial.

Before the WBC, WBA, NYSAC etc, there wasn't anything official. There was just the man, who beat the man etc. So are you saying that once the man retires, he is no longer champion? What happens if he comes back like Fury?

Yeah - I get the man who beat the man narrative. That’s fine when there’s no belts around and there’s nothing better to use.

Lewis was a great champ and was pretty much universally considered number 1.

Yes - I agree that once someone retires they’re no longer champ. If Lennox comes back then it’d be sad but I certainly wouldn’t be saying he’s still linear champ or anything like that. Same I wasn’t thinking that when Fury came back after several years out of the ring. Just an ex champ (albeit a great one) that’s coming back.

[keithmoonhangover]

Great champion. But lineal is made up/unofficial.

Before the WBC, WBA, NYSAC etc, there wasn't anything official. There was just the man, who beat the man etc. So are you saying that once the man retires, he is no longer champion? What happens if he comes back like Fury?

Yeah - I get the man who beat the man narrative. That’s fine when there’s no belts around and there’s nothing better to use.

Lewis was a great champ and was pretty much universally considered number 1.

Yes - I agree that once someone retires they’re no longer champ. If Lennox comes back then it’d be sad but I certainly wouldn’t be saying he’s still linear champ or anything like that. Same I wasn’t thinking that when Fury came back after several years out of the ring. Just an ex champ (albeit a great one) that’s coming back.

Fair play.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Great champion. But lineal is made up/unofficial.

Before the WBC, WBA, NYSAC etc, there wasn't anything official. There was just the man, who beat the man etc. So are you saying that once the man retires, he is no longer champion? What happens if he comes back like Fury?

Yeah - I get the man who beat the man narrative. That’s fine when there’s no belts around and there’s nothing better to use.

Lewis was a great champ and was pretty much universally considered number 1.

Yes - I agree that once someone retires they’re no longer champ. If Lennox comes back then it’d be sad but I certainly wouldn’t be saying he’s still linear champ or anything like that. Same I wasn’t thinking that when Fury came back after several years out of the ring. Just an ex champ (albeit a great one) that’s coming back.

Couldn’t have put it any better.

[KiwiRider]

I used 'Railyard Hobos' to describe Wilder's first 25 opponents

[keithmoonhangover]

I used 'Railyard Hobos' to describe Wilder's first 25 opponents

I prefer to call Dustin Nichols a salad dodger.