Willie Pep and Bill wondering: What is the difference between a Gate Keeper and a Journeyman? Where does the term "Gate Keeper" in boxing come from?

[kara]

that is a great post. Thanks as I wandered about these unwritten ranks. Now I know more cheers!

Agreed, good stuff here.

[Ivich]

I agree about the other two, but idk that I'd throw Otto in there YET lol. His career has been defined by his one L to Tyson, but since he lost to such a quality guy thats a very forgivable L imho. Granted he has like 1 or 2 wins worth mentioning at all, outside of him beating Gassiev this weekend, but to me he still feels like a guy I'd classify as a fringe contender than a gate keeper (again YET lol cuz he does feel like that type of guy eventually).

Yes I am probably bring premature classifying Wallin in that way,it was late and I wanted to name a slightly more contemporary fighter,

I suppose we could put Helenius in his place?

[Eff Pandas]

Yes I am probably bring premature classifying Wallin in that way,it was late and I wanted to name a slightly more contemporary fighter,

I suppose we could put Helenius in his place?

Yea I'd agree Helenius is a gatekeeper type.

[Willie Pep 229]

Yes I am probably bring premature classifying Wallin in that way,it was late and I wanted to name a slightly more contemporary fighter,

I suppose we could put Helenius in his place?

But for right now, in another sense, . . . You don't think Otto will ever have what it takes to get to the top?

Extending Fury 12 rounds is something. I don't recognize the other names. But after 2016 he has fought mostly 'experienced fighters' usually for 10 or 12 rounds.

His next fight, Murat Gassiev (30-1-0), maybe the fight that decides who gets to be the contender and who is the gatekeeper.

25-1 vs. 30-1

One guy lost to Fury, the other Uysk. Both by decision.

I think your premature decision isn't so premature, I think it is about to be answered tomorrow night.

These two guys are both positioned to be remembered as gatekeepers. With a good performance, the winner should come out of this fight as a contender. The loser, the gatekeeper. IMHO

[billeau2]

Yes I am probably bring premature classifying Wallin in that way,it was late and I wanted to name a slightly more contemporary fighter,

I suppose we could put Helenius in his place?

I could see it either way... Wallin had a legit chance to take risks and either lose more convincingly to Fury, or win by stopping him with the cut... Even if Wallin had made a better effort... This effort made him no longer a contender. So the next fight he has: depending on whom it is with, could make him a gate keeper, or give him another crack at the apple. This is the relational thing at work: So lets say he fights Dubois... In this case Wallin and Dubois present as fairly equal fighters... two guys who are still relatively young, both working up the ladder. Now, on the other hand, lets say Wallin fights someone like Charr... a veteran journeyman like fighter who has fought at a high level for these times... I would call Wallin the contender and Charr the gatekeeper. Now lets say Wallin fights Ruiz. At this point, Ruiz is a contender by virtue of his past... I would call Wallin the gatekeeper.

[billeau2]

Yes I am probably bring premature classifying Wallin in that way,it was late and I wanted to name a slightly more contemporary fighter,

I suppose we could put Helenius in his place?

I would say that in so far as we can personify a gate keeper, Helenius and Chisora, for the heavyweights, both are great examples. Chisora might be one of the most successful gate keepers ever, he parlayed the role plenty of times into a contender position. With all the cracks Chisora got at the apple, he will never have to go see a doctor lol...

[Slugfester]

Man, this seems like much ado about nothing.

"Journeyman," speaks directly to a level of ability. A journeyman is reliable but not outstanding, and that is by definition. He cannot be a gatekeeper, unless the field is absolutely rotten.

"Gatekeepers," by designation are more important and better, the last guy you have to go through for a title shot.

Today almost every gatekeeper is a journeyman.