By Ken Hissner: This writer has kept a 100 Loss Non-Winning Record Club for years. Historian Henry Hascup President of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame has provided 100 Wins per Boxrec.
The United Kingdom has four of the biggest losers with only one still active. Heading the list is the UK’s Kristian “Mr. Reliable” Laight, has a record of 12-279-9, of Nuneaton, Warwickshire. His last win was in September of 2016 defeating Shawn Crowley, 1-0, at welterweight. In March of 2018 he drew with Youssef Al Hamidi, 14-118-3. In March of 2017 he drew with Joe Ducker, 1-3-1. He retired in July of 2018 losing to Luke Beasley, 1-0.
The lone American is Reggie “Raglin” Strickland, 66-276-17, who is second, from Indianapolis, Indiana, who retired in October of 2005. His last win was in September of 2004 over Tyrone Roberts, 6-0. His weights went from 153 to 202 ending in at 170.
Third is the UK’s Peter “Professor” Buckley, 32-256-12, from Birmingham, West Midlands, who retired after his 300th fight in defeating Matin Mohammad, 0-0-1, on October of 2008. Fighting at welterweight he ended up at 139 ½ for his final bout.
Fourth is the lone active boxer in the top five is the UK’s Kevin McCauley, 15-209-12, from Stourbridge, West Midlands. He last won in October of 2017 defeating Jamie Carley, 4-1. Fighting at Middleweight he is scheduled August 7th against Tommy Jacobs, 1-0.
Fifth is the UK’s Jason Nesbitt, 10-198-4, from Birmingham, West Midlands retiring in September of 2016. His last win was in March of 2014 stopping Ryan Nandha, 0-0, at welterweight.
Boxing history’s biggest winners have two from UK and three from the United States on Henry Hascup’s list. Heading the list is UK’s Len Wickwar, 340-87-42, with a total of 470 fights. He is from Leicester, Leicestershire, retiring in February of 1947. In his previous fight in December of 1946 in his last win at welterweight he defeated Stan Hibbert, 12-8-1.
Second is Billy Bird, 260-73-20, from Chelsea, London, retiring in March of 1948 defeating Joe Fitzsimmons, 5-5. Third is Wildcat “The Golden Sandstorm” Monte, 231-53-30, from Wichita Falls, Kansas.
His last fight was in January of 1937, drawing with Jack Griffin, 8-10-1. In December of 1937 in his was win he defeated Dave Bungy, 25-18-6.
Fourth on the list is two-time World Featherweight champion Willie “Will o’ the Wisp” Pep, 229-11-1, from Rocky Hill, Connecticut. After retiring in 1959 he came back in 1965 winning nine straight before losing in his final bout in March of 1966 to Calvin Woodland, 8-4. In April of 1965 this writer saw him defeat Jackie Lennon, 8-10-3, at the Philadelphia Arena.
In November of 1942 Pep won the NYSAC World title defeating Chalky Wright, 143-32-17. He won his first sixty-two fights before losing to Sammy Angott, 69-17-5, in a non-title bout, who along with Pep would be inducted into the IBHOF in its first year in 1990.
In August of 1947 Pep defeated Jock Leslie, 58-9-4, listed for the World Featherweight Title fight, his fifth title bout. He had six title defenses before losing to IBHOF inductee Sandy Saddler, 86-6-2, in October of 1948. In February of 1949 Pep would re-win the title defeating Saddler. In a third fight with Saddler in September of 1950 he would again lose to Saddler and again in September of 1951.
Fifth is Young “King of the Canebreaks” Stribling, 223-13-14, from Macon, Georgia, who was inducted into the IBHOF. In June of 1926 in his lone title bout he lost to champion Paul Berlenbach, 30-2-2. In December of 1933 in Stribling’s final bout he defeated 1993 IBHOF inductee Maxie Rosenblum, 170-31-17.