BoxRec

The term, that is, anybody know when it was first applied?

At the Hunt's factory.

I hear that you will be headlining at the Comedy Store this week, and in Las Vegas the week after.

Anyway according to Wikpedia: The phrase originates in the childhood pastime of kicking a can down the street—a boxer is advancing his career with minimal effort by defeating a "tomato can" and notching a win. "Tomato" refers to blood: "knock a tomato can over, and red stuff spills out.

I wonder when it first appeared in print, against a particular fighter. Who was the first "tomato can".

It's another derogatory term for a mediocre to really terrible boxer… Bum, creampuff, pushover, 2nd banana, ham-n-egger, leather pusher, swinger, punching bag, Palooka, tomato can etc... Somebody made the name up and it caught on.

There’s more names for boxers who can’t fight than for boxers who can fight really well... For the same reason there’s more critics than there are people who ever boxed... It's human nature to be highly critical of others and make up derogatory names for them... It implies that you hold yourself to a higher standard than the person you're critiquing.

Probably Tom Atocan Welter weight fought between 1917 and 1923 Record: 3-32-5

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 17:47 I wonder when it first appeared in print, against a particular fighter. Who was the first "tomato can".

Probably Tom Atocan Welter weight fought between 1917 and 1923 Record: 3-32-5

Yeah...that's fake news.

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 17:47 I wonder when it first appeared in print, against a particular fighter. Who was the first "tomato can".

It was Kid Rubberfoot...

He was recruited as a white hope out of Baltimore... He managed a draw in his pro debut--but maybe they were in a hurry to move him up... They matched him with Herman Miller who had 88 fights for his next fistic effort....so his career lasted 2 fights... He said he didn't enjoy being kicked around like a tomato can by a guy half his size... That was it for him.

Kalan wrote: ↑25 Apr 2018, 15:53

HomicideHenry wrote: ↑23 Apr 2018, 17:47 I wonder when it first appeared in print, against a particular fighter. Who was the first "tomato can".

It was Kid Rubberfoot...

He was recruited as a white hope out of Baltimore... He managed a draw in his pro debut--but maybe they were in a hurry to move him up... They matched him with Herman Miller who had 88 fights for his next fistic effort....so his career lasted 2 fights... He said he didn't enjoy being kicked around like a tomato can by a guy half his size... That was it for him.

Hell I thought you were joshing me, but there it is... 1911.... Herman Miller beats 0-0-1 Kid Rubberfoot... http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/149098

It wouldn't surprise me if the term was used heavily in connection with heavyweight "Two Ton" Tony Galento who was a heavyweight contender during the Joe Louis "bum of the month" era.

I'm sure it comes from shooting tomato cans as target practice.