Has any bum/journeyman ever developed world class skills?

I’d like to see YOU step inside the ring with any of these “bums”

 

Dennis Andries

 

The closest I can think of would be Glen Johnson. Who really seemed to turn his career around when he hooked up with Cuellar

 

Steve Robinson

 

Jersey Joe Walcott was never a bum, but due to his living conditions earlier in his career, it took him much longer to become the world class contender that he ended up as in the mid 40s.

 

You do realize how hard it is to find records of little known fights and fighters from a 100 years ago?
That´s why they are listed as debuts. Since no one really knows who they were and what their records were. Those 0 fights guys could have been complete nobodies or decent local area prizefighters.
We still have similar record keeping issues with Thailand these days. And other regions as well, of course.

 

Good post, and a fair one. I never thought of that, tbh.

 

Soldier Bartfield may have 76 losses, but he also has wins over two top ten all-time welterweights and the GOAT, Harry Greb.

 

Yeah, to me a journeyman is a guy who is not necessarily world class, but shows up to fight and gives it his all, win, lose or draw. Guys like Everett "Bigfoot" Martin, Ross Purrity or Marion Wilson typify this class in the HW division.

A "bum" is a guy who shows up to get knocked out and collect a paycheck. Think of the appropriately named Eric Crumble. They are appropriately also called "tomato cans."

And there a lot more of these types of guys than the hero-worshipers like to admit, who deserve nowhere near the respect these blind fanboys give them. They are charlatans really - con men pretending to be athletes who essentially hoodwink the paying public by getting in the ring knowing they are going to lie down. It takes some courage perhaps, but how is this kind of chicanery admirable to the degree some assert?

 

Bert Cooper

 

First one to rise/respond to your joke

 

Maskaev beat Rahman twice and won a WBC HW title after being called a bum by many.

 

Wasnt a joke........

 

Not a bum but salido was basically learning on the job

 

Were none of these fights ever logged? No reference on BoxRec