Almost all boxers dream of becoming world champions, but only a few manage to reach the top of the ratings and write their name into history. Many athletes retire after several defeats and end their careers.

But there is a special caste of boxers who turn into “whipping boys”, entering the ring only to earn money. They almost always lose, but they also have miraculous victories in their careers. This is exactly what happened to the leader, who has 150 defeats under his belt.

It would be better if he didn’t!

“They call me journiman”

British boxer Lewis van Poetsch began his professional career ten years ago at the age of 21. Since then, the athlete has had a fantastic number of fights. He currently has 166 fights under his belt! But to call Lewis’s career successful does not turn the tongue. For ten years, the Briton suffered exactly 150 defeats.

At home, the athlete has a well-deserved reputation as a journeyman. Such boxers enter the ring solely for cash fees. Victory is absolutely not important for them, and they happen only on very big holidays. Van Poetsch himself is philosophical about this.

“They call me a journiman. I don’t mind that.” We enter the ring to teach young promising boxers at the start of their professional careers. By training these guys, I make them work hard tonight in the ring. This helps them progress faster. I’m just a professional with no particular ambitions,” Lewis said in a documentary about himself.

The transformation into a journeyman did not happen immediately. Poetsch originally wanted to build a big boxing career and become a champion. But after the first defeat that happened in the second battle, he revised his outlook on life. The boxer did not want to sell more tickets so that the organizers arranged a fight for him. There are practically no other ways to get into the ring in the UK if you don’t have sponsors.

Lewis van Poetsch / Photo: © Warren Little / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

The catalyst for all these thoughts was an invitation to fight in another city a week before the fight. At the same time, there was no headache about selling tickets. But boxing in the UK is designed in such a way that if you fight without your own judges, and the local boxer remains on his feet after the final gong, then nine out of ten times he will win.

When leaving for the fight, van Poetsch was well aware that he was going after defeat, but this did not bother him much. By the tenth fight, he had already come to terms with the status of a journiman and still feels great in it.

Recently, the boxer enters the ring almost every week. In October alone, Lewis plans to have five fights. At the same time, the money earned on boxing is not enough for a full life in the UK. On weekdays, Puchi works as an elevator operator. His company maintains elevators in many cities. The boxer himself often has business trips with an overnight stay, while he manages to train regularly.

“I want to fight for the WBF title”

Last week, van Poetsch had to test another novice professional boxer with a perfect record. Bradley Cousins ​​had previously held three fights in the ring and won all of them, making a serious bid for a good continuation of his career.

Lewis was supposed to be another stepping stone for Cousins. At first, it seemed that this would indeed be the case. Bradley dominated the first round and took him easily. But starting from the second segment, the course of this four-round duel turned 180 degrees. Van Poetsch took the initiative into his own hands. It was clear that Cousins ​​was simply not physically ready for such a development of the battle.

For three rounds, Lewis looked fresher than his opponent and attacked him, completely owning the initiative. As a result, the referee who made the decision in this fight gave the victory to Puig with a score of 39–37, giving him the 12th career win.

Lewis van Poetsch / Photo: © FREDRIK VARFJELL / imago sportfotodienst / Global Look Press

But winning is not the same for a journeyman as it is for a boxer striving for the top of the rankings. Each win significantly reduces the number of potential employers willing to offer him a fight. Many simply do not want to risk the perfect records of boxers, which can be good money in the future.

After winning Lewis looked joyful. Over the past two months, this is the third fight in which he has not lost. Before that, there was a win and a draw. This is huge progress for van Poetsch. Before that, there were series of several dozen fights without winnings.

But there is a logical explanation for the increase in results. Lewis is in his final season as a professional boxer. In the summer, his license ends and he plans to quit entering the ring. At the same time, recently in an interview, he jokingly said that he did not mind competing for the championship belt at the end of his career.

“I want to fight Perry Howe for the WBF heavyweight title. I think this belt would look good on my mantelpiece! — quotes the words of van Poetscha edition of The Sportsman.

Of course, it will be almost impossible for Puchu to reach the title, but his media popularity and willingness to fight any boxer will probably provide him with fights for the remaining months of his career.