Meet super lightweight Kristian Laight. In his career, he compiled a pro record of 12 wins, 279 losses, and nine draws in a career that started in 2003 and ended in 2018. He never scored a knockout and holds the boxing’s all-time record for most losses in a professional career. At 39, he says he would still be fighting if he wasn’t finally forced to retire.
“It can be an easy, easy job if you keep yourself fit,” Laight told SkySports. “It can be easy money, potentially £1000 per fight. It can be a weekly wage if you have a good manager and you’re tough and fit.”
All of Laight’s fights took place in the U.K. and in 300 fights he went the distance 295 times. The BBBofC allows fighters like Laight to become professional losers to give new prospects experience and put wins on their records.
“I used the game and it uses you,” says Laight.
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There used to be guys like him in the US, who would travel the Midwest and South and fight very frequently as their full-time job. There were even a few who were good enough to do this as winners rather than losers, such as Buck Smith and Harold Brazier. The economics no longer make sense, as the popularity of boxing has declined enough that it’s no longer possible to plan a road trip hitting several boxing events in a short period of time. The UK is compact enough that a guy can still do this without burning up everything he makes on gas and hotels, so you still see guys with 100+ losses there.
Bruce the mouse Strauss is my favourite. Loved his Letterman interview. Very funny guy.
Forgot about “The Mouse”. His claim to fame was getting knocked out on every continent (except presumably Antarctica)
There was actually a movie about Bruce Strauss called “The Mouse”. Haven’t seen it personally, but it was pretty well received from what I’ve read…
Watching a little bit of a fight he does not look that unathletic he just doesn’t throw punches and no power looks like some of his flights are only two minutes long incredible to fight that many times he probably used it more like a way of working out then fighting
It takes a lot of skill to have than many fights (win or loss) and stay healthy.
These guys are indeed skilled
Peter Buckley of the UK was a very good defensive fighter and fought at least 2 divisions above his best weight. I think he could have been a British title contender with the right management
Went the distance with Naz
He broke the record of Reggie Strickland (66-276-17), who actually could fight a bit when he wanted to.
Guys like Strickland aren’t really around anymore in the US.There were a few guys with those kinds of records. In his last outing, Anthony Yarde fought a guy in The UK with a record of 4 wins 48 losses , or something ridiculous like that. Back in the day, 60 Minutes even did a piece on boxers, mostly in the south and midwest (of the United States) who were professional losers. They said they were brought in to lose and pad records and were more valued and paid more if they continued to lose. The occasional win even proved detrimental to their earnings. They would fight multiple times a month, often under aliasas in different states. Like the guys in this video, their key to survival was developing a good defense with very little offensive output. God bless them!
They need to win from time to time to keep their licenses, I suppose.
There was a situation once where Reggie Strickland had a grudge against an unbeaten prospect who was something like 17-0. Reggie seriously tried to win that time, and beat the guy. Most of the time, guys like him don’t want to upset house fighters so they’ll get invited back. Even if they’re in a situation where winning wouldn’t burn a bridge with the promoter, fighting harder and risking a knockout loss could jeopardize fights scheduled in the next few weeks. There’s a strong incentive for frequent-fighting opponent types to fight defensively and lose by decision rather than try to win, get caught with a knockout punch, and lose a month of paydays.
He should fight Conor Mcgregor. Decent money fight to finish his career and would give Conor a chance to build up his boxing record. It would have to be a four rounder though so Conor doesn’t gas
You know, if the man enjoyed what he did then hats off to him. Not every job is easy, but anyone can like what they do.
Exactly bro…
I respect these guys a ton because they just fight and fight and fight…
Honestly, the guys should be in the Hall of Fame.
We need a wing for journeymen. Without them, there really would be no sport of boxing like we know it.
Not a bad idea at all. Never thought of it, but these guys have certainly paid their dues.
Just watched a few of his fights on youtube. His fights are close. One, was clearly a robbery. As he stated in an interview, if it is a close fight, and if he was on the road, he was not going to get the nod.
The most famous I think loser of boxing was Reggie Strickland. I would love to see a movie about that mans life. But sadly our Hollywood can only make moves about pleasing the Chinese government. Someone said the Avengers had to have the Chinese in it doing something heroic for the film to be shown there. I will admit to want to go see Tenet and the next Bond film, but I almost feel we as true American ‘s should boycott it like their other lackey’s of the CCP, the NBA.
Bheki Moyo of Zimbabwe went a whopping 0-73-2. He should be in the running for biggest loser being that he hasn’t a single win in 75 fights. Simmie Black comes to mind as well. Not sure there’s anyone with the sheer number of losses as Strickland though…
Biggest Loser Reggie Strickland and it was a family affair: Reggie Strickland 66-276-17, 14Ko’s – Jerry Strickland – half brother- 13-122, 5Ko’s – Nicolyn Armstrong, Strickland’s common-law wife at the time of a 2000 HBO announcer 1-6, 1Ko –
Reggie Strickland, cousin 0-14 Ko’ed 12 times – Jay Strickland, Jerry’s son 0-9 stopped 9 times strictlybusinessboxingcom
Boxing has got to be the most accessible pro sport. No amount of practice will get most people into the NFL, NHL, NBA, etc, but a boxer who’s dedicated and works hard can be a professional at a low level. A lot of boxers with bad records have a Rudy Ruettiger level of passion for the sport.
I love boxing in its truest form, but the politics of this sport fucking suck sometimes.
This guy was basically a walking punching bag without a hope of even winning a minor title and yet he was allowed to continue fighting even into more than two hundred losses.
The BBBC knew that he didn’t have a prayer, his manager knew and deep down he probably did as well, but he was still allowed to fight and take more two hundred bouts’ worth of damage.
If he doesn’t wind up with Parkinson’s Syndrome or Early Onset Dementia then I will be extremely surprised.
Mind you, I don’t wish any of that on him.
I just wish he had people around him who would have sat him down and told him that having a day job beats the hell out of constantly getting your ass kicked and not really standing much of a chance at all.