Being a B level journeyman used to kinda be prestigious. Gatekeepers were fighters report cards.

Well...I always believed JSK had the potential to be on that level, years before most fans (the ones that only tune into English-language televised cards anyway) even heard of him:

http://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/andre-berto-vs-jesus-soto-karass.71844/

Not like Selçuk was ever some mini-Golovkin or something. By that point he already had two widely questioned decisions over Jo Jo Dan. (the Ondrej Pala of welterweight - in other words, as 'true north' as it gets on the mediocrity compass)

 

I remember.

I had a few dollars on Karass over Aydin at something like 4-1. One of my favorite and most exciting fighters of the past decade, regardless of whether he maximized his "full" potential.

Man, Aydin used to get a lot of heat for those robberies, people used to hate on him like they do Canelo now, lololol

 

I think because Ionut has always just been so damn likeable. He's kind of like Firat Arslan or the aforementioned Pala in that respect. Just comes off as this really nice, humble person - and then is super average in the ring by every imaginable metric... but somehow lands themselves in bigger fights than you'd expect their abilities would destine them for and then even more surprisingly hold their own against world class opponents now and then. I think people like that are just very easy to relate to for most fans and so we get pissed when they lose.

...WHICH segues perfectly into why most of us love those high-level gatekeeper types operating a tier or two below fringe contenders like Arslan/Dan/Pala - guys like Saunders and Page who provide that bedrock upon which rests the stage for all the drama (that 1% of boxing that most people actually see involving the less than 1% of names most casuals know) to play out atop Mount Olympus.

 

I know he was a champion but Yori Boy Campas was one or is one of my favourite fighters of all time.

Excellent fighter who fought everyone win or lose and imo has had a HOF calibre career.

 

http://www.boxingforum24.com/thread...y-campas-100-career-wins-expresa-tren.289848/

 

Same!

His power was authentic, he was capable of doing damage with punches that didn't travel a foot. Check out his knockdown on Trinidad for a beautiful, short shot.

His chin was also absolutely iron. Trinidad couldn't knock him down, and he didn't knock him down despite landing several clean punches on a defenseless Yory that probably would have killed other men.

Cota stopped him standing
Roman on a right hand injury
It's been several years since I've seen the fight but Amin Asikainen stopped him standing. I believe Campas reeled back towards the ropes. He was obviously compared but the referee foolishly chose to stop the fight for the hometown Amin.
Fernando Vargas retired him between rounds.
Did Carr or Hoya stop him? Santos? Lopez?

Was Yory ever even down? Crazy.

 

This made me think of Harold Brazier

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Good breakdown willy! These guys, although journeyman of a higher caliber were still good enough to make good fights against some of the top guys in the sport. I mean look at Corley, the guy is still going today. Would have thought he would have retired a long time ago.

Javier Castillejo was a good example of a journeyman who can be a shocker on any night. Lost to Oscar, Vargas then goes on to beat Sturm for the belt, just showing you can't take these journeyman lightly, cause if you're not prepared, you might lose.

Who remembers Vernon Phillips? Lost to some lower level guys, lost to ouma, gave some tough fights to Quartey, ENGLISHMAN Jones WHO HE SHOULD HAVE BEAT, Had 10 LOSSES GOING INTO a fight against cory spinks, and won his first world title. Another example of a journeyman making it.

Glen Johnson, is another one.

Ect ect.

 

Verno Phillips last fight was being stopped against Paul Williams. Guy was around forever.

 

Yeah, and howzabout Livingstone Bramble?

 

Yeah that's a good shout IB.

 

There's a man perfectly embodying the essential aspect of being willing to hurt someone, more or less go feral. He went hard in that ring. Not too many people could have out gutted Ray Mancini in a blood and guts war, you know? Next level stuff.

 

Mayorga is a journeyman, won some titles lost to the best.

 

Yup, a world class fighter who went on too long.