What actually qualifies as a journeyman - and is a journeyman a bad thing?

I'm always surprised to see Glen Johnson labelled as a journeyman. True, he isn't the most stylish or talented of fighters, but he's always intended to reach the top, a feat which he has now achieved.

But is a journeyman necessarily a bad thing? Not every fighter is going to have the talent to reach world class level - if a fighter enters the sport as a profession just to make money at, say, British or European level, is that a bad thing?

People call Danny Williams a journeyman, but his attention has always been to get to the top - so is it an ability or intention thing?

The only journeyman that comes to mind is Julius Francis - he accepts pay days just to give up-and-coming fighters some round experience, and doesn't even try to win. He's only won 2 out of his last 16 bouts. Yet he used to be British & Commonwealth champ.

[elveiel]

Journeyman = a qualified craftsman who works for an employer.

But my understanding of a boxing journeyman is a guy who gets his fair share of defeat.

I thought it was someone who was content just to stay at a level, just earning a paypacket and not even caring if they won or lost... especially someone who didn't mind being paid to lose. (albeit fairly, not taking a dive).

I wonder how many people actually know what a journeyman really IS?

[jack_the_rippuh]

A boxing journeyman is a guy who excels at fighting bums and fails at uping his game, a guy who doesn't have alot of public recognition, either..

[elveiel]

A boxing journeyman is a guy who excels at fighting bums and fails at uping his game, a guy who doesn't have alot of public recognition, either..

In the UK its the fighter with 60% + defeats who get called journeymen.

I dont normally use that term because it a bit disrespectful, theres only a few boxers i dont respect for stepping though the ropes.

Name me some journeymen. As I said, only Francis comes to mind for me... taking money to advertise a newspaper on his boots, I ask you!

[elveiel]

Name me some journeymen. As I said, only Francis comes to mind for me... taking money to advertise a newspaper on his boots, I ask you!

There's a few, i cant think of there names because i dont think useless fighters should be allowed to be pro, definitely not fighters i care to remember.

Francis is a good journeyman, a test for the up and coming fighters.

[aand]

> Journeyman = a qualified craftsman who works for an employer.
> But my understanding of a boxing journeyman is a guy
> who gets his fair share of defeat.

Boxer become a journeyman when he start loosing fights and won't retire.
Box is a sport, he can win some times but he never will be one of the best. For him boxing is no longer a way to glory it is a proffesion to earn a little of money.

So Holyfield is now a journeyman?

[AintGottaClue]

i thoguth a journeyman was a guy who fights anyone anywhere for chump change hence sanders fighting wlad in germany for what 150k?