The Role of Journeymen

Good article here I think about the boxers often misunderstood:

http://news.boxrec.com/news/2011/insight-journeymen-peter-buckley-danny-thorpe-and-others

Havnt had chance to read it all yet bet never actually liked the phrase 'Journeymen'

I mean all boxers win and lose at all different level. How do you define a 'Journeymen' from a 'Non-Journeymen'

I'd say characterised by:
Late notice.
Not the ticket sellers.
Don't roll over, can test the prospects. Mostly losses but few KO losses.
Don't get the close decisions.
Fight in opponents back yard or on their promotion.

Journeymen.....are called as such because they are there to help prospects on their journey up the ranks.......

They are there to serve a purpose.....basically as a learning tool but mainly as a carton of beef to be hit but to survive long enough to produce entertainment for the public...

The article is right in essence that they have the cards against them in several respects..

1. They are no doubt told it isn't going to be there night.

2. Thay are often last minute replacements...so have little time to prepare.

3. Probably have been badly matched in the past or rushed hence their status...

Never been keen on journeymen....don't see the point in beating up trash regularly in the ring when you can have good sparring out of it......

However early on they do serve a purpose......

Being proud of being a journeyman....That's certainly a strange thing to me.

Good article though.

Thanks for sharing, Scott.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Journeymen.....are called as such because they are there to help prospects on their journey up the ranks.......

They are there to serve a purpose.....basically as a learning tool but mainly as a carton of beef to be hit but to survive long enough to produce entertainment for the public...

The article is right in essence that they have the cards against them in several respects..

1. They are no doubt told it isn't going to be there night.

2. Thay are often last minute replacements...so have little time to prepare.

3. Probably have been badly matched in the past or rushed hence their status...

Never been keen on journeymen....don't see the point in beating up trash regularly in the ring when you can have good sparring out of it......

However early on they do serve a purpose......

Being proud of being a journeyman....That's certainly a strange thing to me.

.

Aren't they called journeymen as they are of age where they should of been in their best years but are not good, so not a master. (as in a crafter)
Good article though

Being proud of being a journeyman....That's certainly a strange thing to me.
************************************************************
Not every fighter is destined to make it big, in much the same way not every footballer can play for Barcelona. This doesn't mean they can't take pride in the job they do at whatever level they do it.

As for decent sparrring, whilst there are occasions when fighters get great sparring from decent fighters, there are always going to be guys whose job it is solely to mimic the style of a future opponent.

Prior to Haye fighting Valuev, he sparred with Julius Long who at 7'2" was about as perfect as Haye was ever going to get but Long was also once blasted out in a round by Audley. Long would possibly struggle to make it as a journeyman, such is his reputation as a fighter but for Haye to spend a couple of weeks learning how to get in and out of range of guy with a 12" height advantage, he was worth his weight in gold. Chances are, Long also got paid as well, if not better, than he would on the club circuit and all this without getting badly beaten up in the process.

Never been keen on journeymen....don't see the point in beating up trash regularly in the ring when you can have good sparring out of it......

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It allows the journeyman to make a buck, they obviously love the sport, but aren't skilled enough to take it to the next level.

Should be proud in being a punchbag....

Guess my levels are set higher than yours kid....

Then again some of us strive for perfection...and self-actualisation

The guys are proud to serve their chosen sport in whatever capacity their abilities allow them to do so. If the guy loves boxing but could make more money doing a job he hates, is he really being true to himself? Maybe the guys knows he isn't going to be any more than a journeyman and accepts his lot in life. Like the waiter who'll never be a screenwriter or the guy who'll never live down his father-in-law buying his house for him.

Originality...has never been a strong point has it??

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Originality...has never been a strong point has it??

For you? You're our resident expert on churning out the same old dross...you tell me!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b012f7f9

BBC Radio Show on journeymen.

to me a journeyman is a guy who can make a living boxing but never progresses toward any belt/gold. there absolutly essential to boxing and any man tough enough to make a living inside the squared circle deserves credit.

funny how theres even different levels of journymen, maybe there should be a belt for world champion journeymen.

Journeymen enjoy it Truss, they sometimes win and sometimes lose (More losing to be fair) but they enjoy it... Main thing right? Plus they are essential to the sport... Not all of us can go on and get into the Olympic Team like you did in your amateur days can we... Oh wait...

I was picked for the Canadian Olympic team .......

Then I reverted back to being American again..

Don't mind journeymen that come to win.....but a lot just prostitute themselves for a payday....

They're the ones I don't like..Shape up or ship out..

Fair enough