BoxRec

Lets here a few names of fighters labelled journeymen but who were actually very good fighters in their own right. One fighter that always springs to mind for me was middleweight Sanderline Williams. On paper his record was a fairly average 24-15-1 but he fought the best around, coming close to winning a few and he had a rock solid chin.

He beat tough contender and hard hitting Dwight Davison

He drew with James Toney

Split decision losses to Nigel Benn, Iran Barkley and Ron Essett

Point losses to Gerald McClellan, James Toney, Herol Graham, Merqui Sosa, Joe Lipsey, Don Lee, Reggie Johnson, Frank Tate, Lonnie Beasley

Stopped just once by Lindell Holmes in 9 rounds.

So lets here some more.

Gerald Hayes.
Beat Laporte.
Went the distance with Arguello and Pintor among other top fighters.
Stopped twice--once early and once by Pedroza (BS stoppage in a fight where he gave Eusebio a very tough go).

Rover wrote: Gerald Hayes

Good call, he also lost to your mate Bernard Taylor :-)

corrie sanders

man wrote:corrie sanders

I'd call him more than a journeyman. He lost early in his career to Tubbs. He then lost only to Rahman and Vitali before being stopped in 1 by Machumana at the end. And he KO'd Wlad.
He was a top-10 contender for years.
More than a journeyman IMHO.

How about Ferguson. Lost to most of them, but fought the best and wrecked Mercer's title shot.

Controversial wrote:

Rover wrote: Gerald Hayes

Good call, he also lost to your mate Bernard Taylor :-)

Ross Purity.
Maybe a better example than Ferguson, as Jesse did fight for the title.
"Journeyman" is a term that has no exact meaning.
I wouldn't call Sanders one, for instance.

Rover wrote:

man wrote:corrie sanders

I'd call him more than a journeyman. He lost early in his career to Tubbs. He then lost only to Rahman and Vitali before being stopped in 1 by Machumana at the end. And he KO'd Wlad.
He was a top-10 contender for years.
More than a journeyman IMHO.

How about Al Cole (at heavyweight)?
Cole's unusual because he was perhaps the best cruiser in the world. But he fought Johnson to a draw and took many top heavies the distance, including Rahman very late in his career.

How about Alex Stuart? Always had that big punch and fought Evander tough twice, as well as Moorer.

Jeff Wooden.

I thought of Stewart as a level above journeyman; a fringe contender. But I guess there is no clearcut definition of these terms.

As for Corrie Sanders, "man" may have beeen referring to Corey "T-Rex" Sanders who was from the United States; not the Corrie Sanders from South Africa.

His record was horrible, but how about Marion Wilson?
Took many big names the distance; only stopped once early in his career on cuts.

Ambling Alp II wrote:I thought of Stewart as a level above journeyman; a fringe contender. But I guess there is no clearcut definition of these terms.

As for Corrie Sanders, "man" may have beeen referring to Corey "T-Rex" Sanders who was from the United States; not the Corrie Sanders from South Africa.

Good point about Sanders; didn't think of that, and T-Rex was a good journeyman.

Mike Dixon.

Rafael Williams.

Maurice Harris, though he fought in an IBF eliminator.
Gave many top heavies tough fights, but never could get the big win.

demarcus corley

Carlos Bojorquez.

Ross Purity usually went the distance but has a couple of decent scalps on his record.

Heavyweight Mike "The Bounty" Hunter beat some good names and only stopped in his last fight. Of his 7 losses 4 were by SD or MD.

Drew with up and comer and unbeaten James Pritchard, beat Oliver McCall, Dwight Mohammed Qawi, Pinklon Thomas, Jimmy Thunder, Ossie Ocasio, Tyrell Biggs and Alexander Zolkin

Billups has some decent names on his record too.

Bert Cooper

George "Scrapiron" Johnson was one of the most renowned journeymen. Angel Robinson Garcia was another. I could list a bunch more. This is a favorite topic of mine. I'll check back.