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

Did an article at the start of the year where I picked my favourite fighters that have fought Irish prospects recently and suggested other Irish guys they could face - 3 of which actually happened.

http://www.irish-boxing.com/the-10-best-journeymen-opponents-we-want-to-see-fight-in-ireland-again/

The picks from it for the .500 club would be:

Jordan Ellison
Lightweight
[8(1)-12(3)]
Has beaten fighters who were 4-0, 8-0, 5-0, 6-0-1, 6-1, and 7-0. Very unfortunate to be adjudged to have lost to George Jupp over 8 rounds.

Kamil Sokolowski
Heavyweight
[4(1)-12(2)-2]
Has wins over guys who were 4-0, 8-2, and 9-0 as well as draws with a 2-0 and a 4-0. Unlucky to lose to David Price last time out.

Alec Bazza
Light Welter
[0-32(4)-2]
A winless wonder. One of the most honest journeymen about. While most are technically talented and probably could win a lot of their fights if they wanted to, Bazza actually tries to win, throws huge shots, and has been robbed a number of times. Did an interview with him earlier this year, great guy.
http://www.irish-boxing.com/alec-bazza-aiming-to-grab-vital-first-win-on-saturday-night/

Rafael Castillo
Super Feather
[14(6)-39(14)-3]
Probably the best of the stable of Nicaraguans based in Barcelona. While he has no wins since relocating, he is fighting way above his best weight but still gives a good account of himself and tests prospects.

Adam Jones
Middleweight
[6(1)-29(0)-5]
Him and Ellison are some of the few journeymen in Britain who fight to win every time. Has only lost every round on the cards 5 times. Always gives it a go and has shocked a few.

Innocent Anyanwu
Light Welter
[25(15)-26(5)-3]
Only recently joined the club. Like most, way above his best weight [was actually a decent super feather]. Has decent power and finishes fights like a train.

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A few others have caught my eye this year:

Iago Barros
Lightweight
[2(1)-8(0)]
Spanish away fighters are generally great. Fit, strong, but technically limited - so any prospect with a bit of talent and a good camp in the bank should prevail but will be made work. Barros on another level though, covered in tattoos, wings in huge hooks, and laughs off any shots coming back. Scored a great stoppage win over former Swiss amateur champ Julien Calvete last month and then was unlucky to be beaten in Dublin by Martin Quinn, deserved a draw.

Ross Jameson
Light Welter
[2(0)-10(2)-1]
Gave Conor Benn a good fight last year and was in one of the Irish Small Hall Fights of the Year against Tony Nellins back in March. Was a good amateur as a kid and loves a fight.

Donte Bryant
Lightweight
[1(1)-5(1)]
Knocked down Ray Moylette in a six rounder which he lost on a split (Close, but right call). x2 Michigan Golden Gloves winner, good fighter.

Dai Davies
Featherweight
[14(2)-26(12)-2]
Current Welsh champion and a very talented fighter, very smart too, has just been the 'away fighter' for most of his career. A glance at his record shows he has been the 'A' side just six times. Has wins over Robbie Turley x2 and Andy Townend as well as a draw with Jamie McDonnell.

Damian Lawniczak
Super Feather
[4(0)-26(3)-1]
The little Pole has been over here 3 times in the last few months, giving very tough tests each time. The sort of fighter who, if you want to box, he'll stand off and collect his pay cheque but if you want to brawl - as most debutants and young fighters do - he will meet you head on.

 

Boone. gatekeeper goat?

 

Sad part is Augustus could have been a champion if he'd taken the game seriously As it was you could reverse half his "losses" due to robberies & blatant home town decisions

 

He is also likable outside of the ring. A real dude.

 

Sokolski and Boone are the two who come to mind. I also like Renald Garrido, he's not quite -500 yet but he's a character, never been stopped and always comes to fight.

 

Moses Matovu is another one

 

Tyan Booth is another one who is not quite -500 that I like.

 

Peter McDonagh 28 28 1

On a 9 fight win streak. Excellent win recently v Shayne Singleton

 

Hate to bring up a lighting rod for Wilder people, but Harold Sconiers was a real tough out. Fought top fighters hard and got wins over Jameel Mccline and Ray Austin.

 

For the ultimate win in this category, I present...

Francisco Quiroz.

After an auspicious 6-0 start, the Dominican's pro career hit the skids after he dropped a couple of decisions Puerto Rican Ramon Perez. These fights began what ultimately was a nine fight streak of futility, interrupted only by a no contest and followed by yet another loss. It should be noted that the vast majority of these losses came to championship caliber fighters (Sugar Baby Rojas, Isreal Contreras, Rafael Orono and future challenger Ramon Nery), but the fact remains is that he was 6-10-1 NC at that point.

He then righted the ship with a four fight undefeated streak, avenging losses to previous conquerors Jose R. Becerra (who had previously extended HOF jr. fly Hilario Zapata to a MD in a title challenge) and Oscar Bolivar along the way. The streak also included a win over Rodolfo Rodriguez, who had been a mainstay at Flyweight through the 70's and early 80's and an incongruous draw to the winless Orlando Maestre-though I suspect the latter's record is probably incomplete.

That streak brought him to 9-10-1-1 NC, but wins over rated fighters like Becerra and Rodriguez allowed him to gain his own entry into the rankings, and put him in position to challenge WBA lt flyweight kingpin Lupe Madera, who finally come out ahead in a tetralogy against the quite respectable Katsuo Tokashiki to fully gain control over the belt. The smaller Madera boxed his way to a lead but Quiroz remained competitive and composed and in the ninth round finally was able to drill Madera with a massive right, which send Lupe to the mat for the 10 count and into retirement.

Quiroz defended successfully once, a KO of an opponent in the latter's backyard, and then lost a very close UD to another respectable jr fly, Joey Olivo. But then his career went downhill once more, and he lost his last four fights before retiring in 1985. Sadly, he was killed in a bar room brawl several years later.

But, at 11-16-1-1, he remains to my knowledge, the only fighter to have won a major world title with a losing record, as well as the only champion to retire with a losing record.

It may not be an accomplishment that anyone wants when they start their career, but being a champ is an accomplishment in its own right.

 

I personally like a heavyweight Daniil Peretyatko - during the collapse of the Soviet Union he went from Russia to Norway to work on a fish factory, and took boxing as a hobby to travel to multiple countries. Very open and interesting person, likes to give interviews and tell about specifics of a journeyman life. He knows he's just a journeyman, but still has a pride to try hard in the ring to entertain the public. Moreover, when you lose a UD, you are allowed to fight more often, contrary to TKO/KO losses.

Although he doesn't have any notable wins on record, he has a lot of big names in his resume, and went full rounds with Wach, Chisora and David Price. But to me it is more of an idea that, when you live a rather boring life in the north, you can still train and have a possibility to see the world and earn some additional money. And I always wanted to have the possibility to travel with purpose, not just as a regular tourist, myself.

Record: 17 (7 KO) -33 (11 KO).