Journeymen: How does it feel when they finally win?

JORDAN GRANNUM, 11-133-5

THE new professional was feeling good about himself when The Islington Gazette rang him forward of his debut.

“I believe I could be difficult for world titles in 4 or 5 years,” he advised them. “I’ve received all of the photographs to take me all the best way to the highest.”

It was September 2015, and 22-year-old Jordan Grannum appeared an excellent prospect. As an newbie with Islington and Finchley and District ABCs, he received Haringey Field Cup gold and back-to-back Growth championships throughout his 31-bout apprenticeship.

Grannum received his first two professional fights as properly – eight months aside – earlier than a 14-month break throughout which period he had a rethink. “I knew I couldn’t promote tickets,” he mentioned, “so I requested (the late) Greg (Steene): ‘What can I do?’” The reply was easy. Go on the highway.

“I’d heard the phrase ‘journeyman’ earlier than, however I hadn’t a clue what a journeyman was. So, I did analysis on folks like William Warburton and Kristian Laight.”

Grannum found how the boxing enterprise labored and in solely his third struggle, he took on 17-1 Ryan Brawley in Glasgow.

“I dropped him within the final spherical,” mentioned Grannum, “and when he received up, I helped him by means of it. As an newbie, I’d reasonably die than lose, however I settled into this function so shortly.

“They put me within the worst resort I’ve ever stayed in, and I bear in mind sitting there and taking a look at all my cash on the desk and pondering: ‘That is me.’”

On Saturday, Might 4, Grannum is pencilled in to have his one hundred and fiftieth struggle, although it might come earlier than then.

Grannum has proved lately that, when within the temper, he can struggle. He upset 5-0 Tyler Rivers final month and mentioned: “I’ve let my arms go extra this season. However I must take minimal injury and the extra you open up, the extra probability you’ve of getting caught.”

Grannum doesn’t get caught a lot. In 149 fights – 147 of them on the right-hand facet of the invoice – he says the worst accidents he’s picked up are a fractured rib and a swollen eye, placing the latter all the way down to a automobile accident he was concerned in just a few days earlier than he boxed.

He says Irish punching machine Aaron McKenna gave him one in all his hardest nights in December, 2020.

“It was throughout (the) covid (pandemic) and I hadn’t boxed for 9 months,” mentioned Grannum.

“Your physique will get conditioned to taking punches and I hadn’t taken a punch for 9 months. I took the struggle for some cash earlier than Christmas.”

He earned his cash the onerous approach, McKenna forcing him to retire after two rounds.

Solely thrice has Grannum failed to listen to the ultimate bell and, due to that sturdiness, he is aware of solely too properly that prospects “need to make a press release by stopping me.”

He says his job has been made simpler by a change in way of life.

“For my first 120-130 fights I’d flip up after being out the night time earlier than,” he mentioned. “My expertise and expertise would get me by means of, however it may very well be uncomfortable. I made it extra snug for myself by coaching more durable.

“I nonetheless really feel contemporary. I really feel like I’ve had 49 fights, reasonably than 149 fights.”

Grannum hasn’t totally given up hope of sooner or later fulfilling his potential.

“One large name may change every thing,” he mentioned. “I’ve a foot within the door and they’re all the time going to want opponents on large reveals.

“If I beat a prospect, the cellphone calls would possibly decelerate – or I would get one other probability.”

If that doesn’t occur?

“I’d fortunately struggle on small corridor reveals and choose up losses till I’ve the cash for a home,” mentioned Grannum. “I really like preventing and I really like earning profits, so that is the right job for me.”

LEE HALLETT, 2-74-4

OUTSIDE the York Corridor final month, Johnny Greaves sucked on a cigarette and puzzled the place it had all gone improper. The fighter he manages had received – and successful isn’t all the time good for enterprise.

Greaves was all the time within the enterprise of dropping fights – he misplaced 96 of 100 – and he’s passing on his information to Lee Hallett.

“There’s been many instances once I’ve thought: ‘I may flip this lad over,’” mentioned Hallett, “however then the cellphone received’t ring and I received’t get to my goal. I’ll by no means get to 100 fights if I begin successful too many…”

The goal is definitely 101, another than Greaves.

Johnny met Hallett when he was a schoolboy at East Ham ABC. “I used to be a senior and helped him out with coaching when he was a younger child,” mentioned Greaves, additionally a southpaw from Canning City.

The pair had been reunited after Hallett purchased a ticket for Greaves’ final struggle, a factors win over Dan Carr on the York Corridor in September, 2013. “I appeared as much as Johnny,” mentioned Hallett, a father of two who works in restoration. “I wished to do what he had performed. I had thought of turning professional just a few years earlier as a prospect.

“I met a supervisor once I was 25 and he advised me the way it works with promoting tickets. I used to be unbeaten within the unlicensed circuit, received a few titles. I did okay on the tickets. I’d do 100, however then the subsequent struggle it might be 30 or 40. I didn’t need to practice my coronary heart out for 2 or three months after which not promote sufficient tickets. I had a younger household to help.”

Greaves advised him: “Until you’ve Frank (Warren) or Eddie (Hearn) backing you, the one approach to earn a living is to go on the highway.”

That was how Greaves did it.

“My first 20 fights I assumed I received seven or eight and I didn’t even win a spherical (in accordance with the referee),” he remembered and that led to a rethink.

Greaves determined that if he was going to lose, he would possibly as properly preserve himself secure – as a substitute of “going residence bashed up, minimize and crushed” – and placed on a present.

“I attempted to entertain the gang greater than the opposite boys (journeymen),” he mentioned. “I’d speak to the gang, stick my tongue out, do the Ali shuffle.

“Lee will get much more concerned than I believe he ought to. We’ve got a unique mindset typically.”

Hallet mentioned: “I like to offer them a struggle. I like to offer them a take a look at.”

A professional at 30, Hallett didn’t take a look at his first opponent, nevertheless.

“I went about it utterly improper,” he mentioned of the first-round stoppage loss to Callen McAulay in Paisley in April 2018. “I used to be chubby and went out for a run at 4 o’clock on the morning of the struggle to get the burden off. By the point I got here to struggle, I had nothing within the tank. I received hit on the highest of the top and ended up on my knees.”

Hallett has been stopped solely as soon as in 79 subsequent fights. He ended a close to five-year winless streak when he outpointed Tyler Chambers on the York Corridor on March 16.

“Often once I (really feel like I) win, I get excited,” mentioned Lee. “I used to be shocked. There have been so many instances once I would get to the top and thought to myself: ‘I would get this’ after which it goes utterly the other approach.”

As was the case in Coventry final month when he fought Leicester debutant Ali Meesam.

“I assumed I had received each spherical,” mentioned Hallett of the 39-38 factors reverse. “I had my hand up after which I received robbed.”

Greaves mentioned: “Lee generally is a onerous night time’s work for anybody. He has let himself down with a scarcity of motivation typically and he doesn’t have probably the most confidence on the earth. He over thinks every thing. He wasn’t as unfastened as I used to be. He doesn’t let himself go.

“He isn’t as good defensively as I used to be, however he’s the perfect on the highway within the nation for me.”

Hallett says York Corridor is “my residence venue, however I’m all the time preventing out of the away nook.”

Lee, who has daughters Macie (15) and Darcie (8) with companion Michaela, desires to complete his profession there, as the house fighter.

“I wish to get just a few folks there and present them what I’m actually all about,” he mentioned.

GENADIJ KRAJEVSKIJ, 1-69

SOMEONE’S ‘0’ needed to go when Krajevskij confronted Ryan Broten in Oldham. Krajevskij was 0-67, Broten 0-3.

“I felt like a celebrity,” mentioned Krajevskij when remembering the aftermath of his factors win. “Everybody gave me congratulations. I can’t bear in mind the final time I felt like this. It’s onerous to get wins. If I struggle folks at my stage, it’s completely different, however I struggle individuals who have received seven or eight nationwide titles. I struggle powerful, powerful boys.”

Krajevskij is a tricky man himself.

He left Lithuania for England with two mates when he was 21 years previous.

“It was superb to begin with,” he mentioned.

“We noticed Massive Ben and we solely ever noticed Massive Ben on the telly. However we began dwelling a horrible life. It wasn’t dwelling. It was surviving. We had been dwelling in a squat with no electrical. I used to be sleeping on a grimy mattress and waking up as a result of I used to be chilly. We might go to the retailers and steal bacon as a result of we’ve no alternative.

“We had no mates, no connections, no work. My two mates gave up and went residence. I didn’t surrender. I’m a tricky man.”

He made a connection who instructed a transfer to Liverpool and Krajevskij received work on a farm in Southport.

“It was onerous work and strain,” he mentioned. “I’ve a nasty boss who say: ‘If you happen to don’t work more durable, don’t trouble coming in tomorrow.’ It was seasonal work and after two months, I used to be left with out work, with none cash.”

Krajevskij received a job at a preferred low cost retailer and rediscovered boxing.

“I did a bit bit in my nation,” he mentioned. “I had a pal who lived on my avenue who received the Lithuanian title twice. He mentioned: ‘Come to the fitness center with me.’ It was nothing severe. I used to be younger. There have been events. There have been women…”

Wayne Smith was a neighbour after Krajevskij moved to Liverpool and he planted the seed a few return to boxing.

Krajevskij went on the white-collar circuit and mentioned: “I used to be incomes £100-£150 and I received a title.

“It was Mickey Mouse, however I used to be a champion. I received 27 of 28 fights and somebody advised me I ought to strive newbie boxing.”

He received 4 of six after which ran into ex-pro Shea Neary.

He advised Krajevskij: “You’re a tricky man, newbie boxing doesn’t pay your payments. You have to be a journeyman.”

Krajevskij answered: “What’s a journeyman?”

He discovered the onerous approach.

“I used to be pondering: ‘What’s improper?’” he mentioned. “I win unlicensed fights and newbie fights and now I’m dropping.

“I understood they had been a unique stage. That they had been boxing since they had been six or seven years previous. They’ve higher abilities. If you happen to’re not match sufficient, you’ll be able to go to the fitness center and work in your health, however they had been simply higher than me.”

Krajevskij has caught at it – and received his rewards when he beat Broten.

“It’s been a protracted journey and folks say I must be happy with myself,” mentioned Krajevksij, who works for a safety agency run by ex-pro Stephen Harkin.

“I will probably be proud when I’ve a home and a mortgage. That’s my goal.”

Krajevskij in motion