A journeyman boxer is defined as a fighter who has adequate boxing skill, but does not have the caliber of a contender or gatekeeper. Outside of boxing, a "journeyman" is a trader or crafter who has completed an apprenticeship, but is not at the level of a master craftsman. Hence, when applied to boxing, a "journeyman boxer" implies a fighter who is no longer a novice, and has the sufficient degree of boxing skill that may be expected from a professional, but who does not have the mastery possessed by the contenders.

Journeymen will often serve as opponents for young up and coming prospects and will often step in at late notice should a fight fall through. Journeymen are said to have little or no expectation of winning fights against contenders or gatekeepers

Gatekeeper (boxing)

In boxing, a gatekeeper is a skilful and well-regarded fighter, but who does not have the popularity or brilliance of a contender. They are considered to be a cut above most journeymen.-Characteristics:Gatekeepers often have the following characteristics:...

, but this does not preclude them from having a winning record against less-skilled fighters.

In testimony to the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, DeGuardia states that becoming a journeyman is the fate of many professional boxer

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

s, and that a boxer will realize that he has become a journeyman "after about 10 years" in the profession. Journeymen boxers float "from promoter to promoter, or manager to manager, hoping to get placed as opponents in fights" by promoters, and making very little money. They will "fight all the time, anywhere, in order to make enough money to get by". In earlier testimony to the committee, it had been reported that some journeymen boxers regard themselves as existing in the sport solely as "a body for better men to beat on".

History

Svinth reports that the activities of journeymen boxers changed over the course of the 20th century, with journeymen of the 1920s fighting a couple of times per week and spending little time in the gymnasium, but journeymen of the 1990s fighting a couple of times per year and sparring in the gymnasium three or four nights per week.

Quotes