Lovable Losers: who are your favorites with overall sub-.500 records?

They can be high-test journeymen/gatekeepers to the stars, tomato cans who pop up on all your local small hall shows, or anywhere in between.

Mine that are currently active, off the top of my head:

1) Darnell Boone. You all already know what's good with Deezol. Nuff said. Record: 23-24-4 (12)

2) Eddie "Thunder" Caminero. Met him when he was an undefeated prospect years ago, really nice dude. Total glass cannon. Has a random victory over Joe Smith Jr. that looks really flukey on paper but makes total sense. Record: 7-9 (7)

3) Rasmanudin. Groomed as the protégé of Chris John to be the next Indonesian boxing superstar after The Dragon retired. Didn't quite work out that way. Turned from prospect to fodder in a hurry. Still gives an earnest, spirited effort every time out, and hasn't tucked tail and run away from the sport even after it became clear that his originally intended glory wasn't destined to come to pass. Respect. Record: 20-21-3 (10)

 

I know I'm forgetting some but these are the three for whom I have the softest spot(s).

 

All -time? Marion Wilson.

When Jeremy Williams was considered a future star and was KO'ing guys left and right in 1-2 rounds, he faced Wilson and came very, extremely agressive. Wilson was like: Ok, that's all you have? Took all that punishment, dropped Williams and almost pulled a win.

Never ever was frightened when facing hard-hitting monsters like Ibeabuchi or Briggs, gave Kirk Johnson all he could handle (Kirk Johnson could hit HARD and was one of the two fighters to drop Ross Puritty in his long career), went full distance vs Mercer, Rahman, Maskaev, Golota, Samuel Peter and many, many others.

Has only 12 wins (incl wins over then-prospect T. Williams, Corey Sanders, Wolfgramm, Derek Isaman, Michael Hunter. Should've got a win vs Ray Mercer) and 41 losses and 4 draws, was never stopped. Fought till 50

 

Sergey Khomitsky, comes to fight and I love his corner as well.

 

Ah I was gonna say RJJ or Danny Williams but they are not there yet!
Give it a couple more years.

 

What in blazes are you talking about? He's 31-14-3, so he would need to lose 18 more times (without winning once) to qualify.

What part of sub-.500 wasn't clear? You made me do a double take and look up his record even though I was sure there was no way his L column had snuck into the thirties on me since I last saw it.

 

Ok someone's gotta say it....Harold Sconiers 18-27-2
Jason Gavern is almost there with 27-25
Michael Gbenga 21-26

 

Gavern! He's top ten for me to be sure. Quite a character.

 

Any opinion (if any) on Levi Billups?

 

Augustus is not there, but he is almost there 38 34 6

He's a classic in this kind of threads, and it's obvious why.

 

Wonderful post. Marion Wilson is a character that I'd love to know more about, I've marveled that he went the distance with the assortment of monsters that he did, to an age usually only spoken of when Bernard Hopkin's is in the conversation.

He really did deserve to have a decision win on his resume against Ray Mercer, I remember the commentators for that one being livid and quite candid about what bull**** it was.

Certainly an exceptionally tough man, especially considering he was really a blown up cruiserweight to begin with.

 

Hey IB, no love or mention for 21-45 Zack Page? I've heard you talk about him in the past, I believe about how he was hosed against "Dimaond Boy" Charr years and years ago.

 

Max Maxwell. Used to feature on UK cards on a seemingly weekly basis. Possessed that feather-fist and iron-chin combination that meant you were going rounds, but it was usually never boring (or if so it was the other guy's fault). Defeating him was a feather in the cap of up and comers. Doing so in style meant you might actually be pretty good. Career highlights were holding the Midlands Area 154lb title, knocking out then unbeaten Brian Rose, and boxing on Prizefighter. Didn't realize until just now that he was retired (or at least has been inactive since 2014). Record: 19-47-3 (3)

Rayco Saunders. The old paycheck-collecting chessmaster, I've been president of the War Saunders fan club for years. He's slick as hell and has "sneaky power" according to many of his opponents (direct quote from Sean Monagahan, who openly admit that Saunders hurt him severely a few times). Always had a sparring partner's mentality and seemed perfectly content over the years with his role of helping develop & season younger guys with more backing and turning a buck in the process. Never complained about decisions going against him even though he might have been more often robbed than famous squeaky wheels like, say, Glen Johnson. Record: 23-31-3 (10)

I was gonna say Juan "The Fenix" Ruiz but apparently he does still have more wins than losses! I could've sworn he was in the red. Anyway, if he cruises to just four more UD losses to prospects he will be on (and on top of) my list. Many of you have seen me post extensively about Johnny for having the p4p best chin in boxing in a generation (if not more). I was never trolling. He does. Record: 24-21 (7)

 

In the first post I was just doing active guys. I'm going to have to really comb the memory banks while sinking my teeth into my all-time list.

Page is of course a first-ballot "easy to root for pro loser" ATG.

 

He was stopped in his last fight, for the first time, wasn't he? Did his fabled chin finally go or was it simply a mercy stoppage?