Kristian Laight

I totally understand your point, Without these guys shows don't go on sadly. It's a means to a end in a way. I think the board could tighten up a bit on people with extremely lengthy runs of losses and people who just simply are not looking good but the fact is lot of these guys and people around the small halls will tell you there's a fair amount of fights on record that they didn't lose they won and were robbed.

I think also restriction of trade comes into effect if you pull a boxer without valid reasoning (ban/health issues).

But i do see your point though i feel same when i see mismatches etc. I mean i've looked at some lads who've entered the rings up and down country and thought ''it's hard to be proud to say you could of been a professional when someone that poor in skill and fitness is in the ring'' (although i respect there courage). I think to become a professional boxer you should earn it but i think the fact Boxing needs boxers doesn't help the sport become tougher in criteria.

Respect to Kristian though he does what he can and is a good servant to the sport IMHO.

Edit: I think personally it's harder to become a world class boxer then footballer IMO. I think these guys show how hard it is and how vast quality is.

 

Some guys with these kind of records deserve credit imo, and are a big part of British boxing. The guys who genuinely give it a go even on short notice.

But guys like this do need removing from the sport imo, I understand the need for young fighters to learn but when a fighter comes to the ring with the intention of losing and doing nothing more than trying to not get stopped it's just not acceptable, especially when they're doing it 10+ times a year.

 

Because he fights every week with little or no notice on away shows. These guys exist purely for tv reasons. Kristian is a very decent fighter at his level.

 

I think each case is different, depending on whether the fighter actually tries, but boxing needs journeyman

 

Don't want to post the link as not sure if its okay to do so but there's a good piece wrote over on the scene on Kristian Laight and being a journey man. Gives a great insight to to why they do it. Just type 'Kristian Laight journeyman' into Google and its the 1st thing that comes up.

 

Seen him fight at Aintree a while ago Laight, decent enough fighter.

Doesn't get caught a lot.

 

boxing needs guys like this, its not like he is getting put out cold every fight

 

The thing is he is actually a very good fighter. In a particular way. Been in with Kevin Mitchell Derry Matthews, Gary Sykes, Jeff Thomas Lee purdy and loads of future British-Euro level guys and not been stopped by any of them.

He is a master of going the distance is always in supreme shape. He isnt a defensive master per say but has mastered a particular style of fighting. I bet he would do well in a journeyman PF type of format if he was let off the leash.

Its obvious looking at this record that yes in the majority he loses but picks up a token win every year or so to prove he still can. I dont blame Laight he probably make a decent packet doing it. Its just unfortunate that the way boxing works is that there is a market for a professional loser. He plays that role well. If he was that way inclined im sure he could fight in a much more competitive standard matched properly. He is however filling a gap in the market

 

Rather have fighters like Laight than those Eastern Europeans who get KO'd in a round, the ones Maloney used to use a lot for example.

 

Agreed Joe.

 

I went to the Coldewell show at the Magna Centre, Rotherham on Friday night and Johnny Greaves fought and went the distance but he has no desire to win the fight and he basically just covered up and defended for all 4 rounds. I have no problem with these journey men fighting and without them then boxing wouldn't be able to exist but they need to show a little bit of adventure and at least attempt to win the fight instead of trying to survive for the distance of the fight. It doesn't make it interesting for the fans.

 

I actually don't think journeyman are necessary at all. I have lots of journeyman friends but I wish there was no requirement for them to fill that roll. Boxing should be about beating other guys who have the ability and desire to win. All this experience of the occasion stuff is largely bollocks.

It's a terrible spectacle and ruins shows. My record might have been worse had I not boxed journeyman but who cares it's more important to have proper fights instead of glorified spars.

 

Hes not there to win, he's there to step them up. Some journeymen are better than others but most of them have a role to play, whether they cover up all night or come to fight, there job is to teach the novice something and bring them on.

I've seen journeymen paste prospects a few times and it shows they have more talent than there record suggests but yeah, they should be kept an eye on and if they aren't even competitive then they should have their license revoked.

The guys who just shell up are showing the boxers how to set an offense, if they can't hit hit then they obviously need to break him down more as an example. Some do alright though and get robbed out, Youssef Al Hamidi beat John Murray for me, in fact he boxed his head off but he was never going to get a decision.

I think they have a purpose but some promoters have prospects fighting them for 14-20 fights and it it becomes detrimental to them. They should be around for the first 5-8 fights and then the boxer should be fighting other prospects and guys ranked next to him imo.

And from those 5-8 fights you want at least three journeymen who are going to go for the win.