Journeymen are to Boxing what Jobbers are to Wrestling

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/boxing/29520846

Thought provoking article on the bbc sport website about Boxing`s journeymen and how they are effectively professional losers. I saw a lot of parallels with Wrestling`s jobbers and while no one is denying Boxing is a real sport, the career of a journeymen and the culture of the sport are indeed closer to professional wrestling than some fans may want to admit.

As someone who is only a casual boxing fan, that was a bit of a shock.

Effectively boxing is no more a "real sport" than pro wrestling, if stuff like that is the norm.

Wonder how many title matches have been "decided" like that?


I'm not sure whether I respect or pity these journeymen, who effectively make a living out of getting beaten up by young up-and-coming pretty boys, whose managers want to build up impressive-looking unbeaten records...until they have to have a proper match (and a rude awakening at the same time).

Even more shocking to learn the refs are apparently in on the game as well...

I mean I've seen a fair few fights that looked like they would be one-sided (fit young kid goes up against slightly flabby-looking nobody) but I didn't think managers/coaches actively instructed their fighters to "not put too much effort in".

dyrewolfe wrote:As someone who is only a casual boxing fan, that was a bit of a shock.

Effectively boxing is no more a "real sport" than pro wrestling, if stuff like that is the norm.

Wonder how many title matches have been "decided" like that?


I'm not sure whether I respect or pity these journeymen, who effectively make a living out of getting beaten up by young up-and-coming pretty boys, whose managers want to build up impressive-looking unbeaten records...until they have to have a proper match (and a rude awakening at the same time).

Even more shocking to learn the refs are apparently in on the game as well...

I mean I've seen a fair few fights that looked like they would be one-sided (fit young kid goes up against slightly flabby-looking nobody) but I didn't think managers/coaches actively instructed their fighters to "not put too much effort in".

Exactly.

Heh.

You also have to wonder if "stunts" like the first Froch - Groves fight, when the ref ended the fight prematurely (in the eyes of many) are also deliberate, designed to stoke up the hype and demand for a rematch.

Again, very similar to when you get screwy finishes to wrestling matches that lead to re-matches.

Also, the pre-fight trash talk you normally get from both sides is scarily similar to wrestlers' promos.

dyrewolfe wrote:Heh.

You also have to wonder if "stunts" like the first Froch - Groves fight, when the ref ended the fight prematurely (in the eyes of many)

It was only premature because if the ref didnt stop it, Froch was about to.

Samo wrote:

dyrewolfe wrote:Heh.

You also have to wonder if "stunts" like the first Froch - Groves fight, when the ref ended the fight prematurely (in the eyes of many)

It was only premature because if the ref didnt stop it, Froch was about to.

That was my impression too...but opinions seemed pretty divided on it. Plus Groves seemed genuinely upset (and amazingly alert for a guy who had looked 1 punch from being KO'd).