Mark Turley

Mark Turley's book takes a look at a familiar character for boxing fans: the Journeyman (specifically the British kind; an American journeyman is a slightly different character), that most noble of pugilists who can show up on a few hours' notice to drop a 4-round points decision to some up-and-coming prospect, and make it look good while doing so. The book consists of an introduction and a closing wrapped around chapters that consist of the life and career of one particular journeyman. As such, it has no real narrative arc as whole (other than that which the boxers may provide themselves; most don't). The beauty is in is in Turley giving space to allow these men to tell their stories and explain their actions and discuss *why* they became journeymen, or sometimes why they chose to become journeymen (it isn't always an active choice), and explaining what their role in the British boxing ecosystem is. Most of the guys were pretty honest (if slightly bitter) about what their job was.

As a boxing hardcore, I learned a lot about some guys I had previously taken lightly, and gained a lot of respect for them. I would highly recommend it for any fan of boxing or combat sports; even more normie sports fan would benefit from learning about this very odd creature of the sports world, the man whose job is to lose.… (mer)