CHRIS LOVEJOY is the unbeaten heavyweight with a 100 per cent knockout ratio – yet no one has seen him fight.
The American, 19-0 since his 2016 debut, has boxed only in Mexico, with little to NO footage of his action.
Lovejoy did not even have an amateur career, instead heading to Floyd Mayweather’s Las Vegas gym with only a mean reputation on the streets.
He was trained by Mayweather’s uncle Roger and dad Floyd Sr, but without a promoter or amateur credentials he was unable to get fights.
It led to him instead taking his business to Mexico, where he had to PAY to box, leaving him ultimately out of pocket.
Lovejoy, 37 – who takes on Manuel Charr for the WBA ‘Regular’ title in Cologne, Germany on Saturday – told Sky Sports: “It was the only route I had. It was on-the-job training. I was learning how to fight.”
The heavyweight has since beaten only journeyman with losing records, but insisted he would have to win by KO to ensure he was not robbed.
He said: “There are good fighters with bad records. And terrible fighters with good records.
“They come to fight because they have a lot of pride. I know people who went down there and lost.
“I know a heavyweight who went down to Mexico and lost by disqualification.
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“In Mexico, you’d better go for the knockout because you’re in their country. The judges don’t care about you.”
Lovejoy’s talent still remains a mystery, having never boxed on televised shows.
Perhaps his biggest tests have come in the gym, sparring the likes of Tyson Fury, 32, and Luis Ortiz, 42.
But, as has been the theme of his career, Lovejoy is tight-lipped about those secret sparring sessions, only adding to his mystique.
He said: “There is a secret society in gyms. ‘Tyson Fury knocked him out! Or he knocked out Tyson Fury?’
“It is a mystery and you don’t know unless you were there. These are the rules of our brotherhood.
“If I had a good day against one of the top guys, I would never say.”
Lovejoy was finally set to prove whether he was the real deal or not last October, as he was lined up to face Dave Allen.
That was until legendary promoter Don King – who famously guided Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson – got involved just ONE day before the bout.
King claimed Lovejoy did not have his permission to box, and phone calls until 4am failed to resolve the matter and the fight was cancelled.
Lovejoy has since split with the veteran matchmaker, after he ruined his biggest showcase and forced him to file for bankruptcy.
He said: “It’s to my advantage. They can’t strategise to any weaknesses or flaws that I might have.”
Lovejoy will at last graduate out of Mexico when he travels to Europe to face Charr this weekend.
Charr, 36, himself has not fought in four years and has also become some what of a forgotten man in the heavyweight division.
Lovejoy, determined to do things on his own, has travelled without a trainer, cut-man or anybody at all for that matter.
He said: “I’m here to shock the world. This has never been done before. I’ve travelled into No Man’s Land, this guy’s back yard, by myself.”
Lovejoy confesses to not caring about the secondary belt on the line, instead prioritising a world ranking.
And having failed to capitalise on the intrigue surrounding his deadly-looking yet unproven record, he is targeting the big boys this year.
He said: “Once I beat him, that catapults me onto the next level with the top guys.
“The top two guys, Joshua and Fury, won’t be available. After that there is Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Alexander Povetkin and Andy Ruiz Jr.
“Preferably the fights I want? Joe Joyce or Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller. I saw flaws in those guys a long time ago.
“Maybe Filip Hrgovic, he needs a fight too. Immediately after this fight I will say: ‘Who’s next?'”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
