SOME of the best fighters in the world have run up impressive win records, from Floyd Mayweather’s perfect 50 to Rocky Marciano’s 49-0.
Yet the sport has also seen plenty of journeymen who spend much of their professional careers getting up from the floor.
Reggie Strickland had one of the worst professional records in boxingCredit: Euro Sport
Here’s our list of the top journeymen with the worst records in boxing.
Donnie Penelton: 13-166
Donnie Penelton from Mississippi competed in the light heavyweight division from 1990 to 2009.
Nicknamed the Black Battle Cat, Penelton won his first three professional fights, but but spent the rest of the nineties suffering a succession of defeats.
Donnie Penelton (L) had two impressive losing streaks of more than 30 fights during an underwhelming careerCredit: Indigo
During the decade he competed in 103 fights, winning only six.
He secured his fourth professional win in 1992, but didn’t taste victory for another four years, suffering a remarkable 32-fight losing streak.
He then beat that record with a 34-fight losing streak from 1996 to 1998.
Penelton would finish his career with just 13 wins and 167 lossesCredit: Indigo
After 19 years of boxing, Penelton finished off his career in 2009, losing his 35th consecutive fight – a TKO to Ronson Frank.
The Black Battle Cat ended his run with just 13 wins and 167 defeats.
Peter Buckley: 32-256
Nicknamed The Professor, Peter Buckley was an English boxer who competed in the welterweight division from 1989 until 2008, competing in 300 professional fights.
Buckley had a decent professional start, winning six following a draw and a defeat.
Two years into his professional career, Peter Buckley had a 17-10 record until things quickly came crashing downCredit: AFP – Getty
In 1991, Buckley boasted a 17-10 record but his career quickly declined and he failed to win two consecutive fights in a row ever again.
From 1992 to 1994, The Professor went on a 17-fight losing streak until he finally landed a win against Conn McMullen.
He wrapped up his career in 2008 with a decision victory over Matin Muhammad, ending an impressive 86-fight losing streak.
Buckley capped off his career with a win, which snapped his awful 86-fight losing streakCredit: AFP – Getty
Buckley’s professional record ended with 32 wins and 256 losses.
Robin Deakin: 2-53
Dubbed Britain’s worst boxer, Robin Deakin fought from 2006 to 2017, stinking up the lightweight division with a staggering run of defeats.
He won his debut fight against Shaun Walton via a decision, but that proved his only victory for the next nine years.
Robin Deakin (R) was dubbed Britain’s worst boxerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
From 2007 until 2015, Deakin lost an astonishing 51 consecutive fights, including 12 by knockout.
His boxing license was revoked for his own safety because authorities thought he’d never win.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Deakin stood by his boxing dreams, saying: “I’m a fighter. I’m going to fight my way back to the top – you’ll see.”
Despite his horrendous record, Deakin never gave up and won his second fight against Deniss Kornilovs in 2015.
Deakin even called out his doubters after the shock win, saying: “All those people that called me Britain’s worst boxer can eat their words, they just made me punch harder.”
Robin Deakin (red) finished his boxing career with a 2-53 professional recordCredit: Getty Images – Getty
After taking two years away from the sport, Deakin returned in 2017, losing twice that year to end his career with a 2-53 record.
Kristian Laight: 12-279
Kristian Laight was a 15-year professional who fought in the lightweight division from 2003 to 2018.
He was dubbed Mr Reliable after making his debut in 2003, losing his first five fights.
Kristian Laight (R), was dubbed Mr Reliable, although he never really lived up to the term in the ringCredit: Getty Images – Getty
He picked up his first win in 2004, when he knocked off Jaz Virdee via a decision.
It was his only win for two years, as Laight went on a 16-fight losing streak until he landed a second win in 2006.
Throughout his career, Laight never won two fights in a row.
Kristian Laight finished his career with the most losses in boxing history – a remarkable 279Credit: Getty Images – Getty
After 15 long years, he hung up the gloves after losing his 279th fight, the most in boxing history.
His historic record stands at 12-279.
Reggie Strickland: 66-276
Before Kristian Laight there was Reggie Strickland, the ultimate boxing journeyman.
Raglin’ Reggie started his career in 1987 in the middleweight division and continued until 2005.
Reggie Strickland was the ultimate journeyman of boxingCredit: Euro Sport
During a painful career, he got knocked out 26 times
He entered the ring 363 times and lost a jaw-dropping 276 times, although he did manage to win 66 fights.
Strickland was often used as a professional opponent for up-and-coming boxers.
Strickland lost a total of 276 fights throughout his careerCredit: Euro Sport
His half-brother, Jack Strickland, was also welterweight who enjoyed a similarly unfruitful career, retiring in 2000 with a record of 13-122.
Jack was knocked out an incredible 78 times.
However, Reggie Strickland did manage to win a few titles throughout his career, including the GBF Super Middleweight and the Indiana Super Middleweight title twice.
Raglin’ Reggie walked away from boxing with a 66-276 record.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
