Journeywoman Claudia Ferenczi, The Female Peter Buckley of Boxing
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
When a veteran boxing trial horse, shows up to test and lose, to varying different degrees, we call such a professional boxer a journeyman. Among the best known ringer examples is the now retired super bantamweight Peter Buckley, whose 300 bout record of 32-256-12 with eight knockouts (stopped only ten times) between 1989 and 2008 is the stuff of legend. Buckley, who won his last bout by decision easily, incurred his final loss by decision in 2008 to 1-0 Lee Selby, who went on to win the British, European, and International Boxing Federation World Featherweight titles.
Other great examples of professional boxing losers in the United Kingdom include: 23-113-3 lightweight Daniel Thorpe, who won a six round decision over Peter Buckley in 2006; and 12-279-9 super lightweight Kristian Laight, known as “Mr. Reliable” for his ability to lose 274 or 286 bouts which went to a decision between 2010 and 2018; “super lightweight “Rockin Robin” Deakin, whose 2-53 record included 51 loses in a row and getting stabbed in the neck with a broken bottle in a nightclub brawl.
British journeymen, while they remain licensed, remain the stuff of legend. There have been a few American journeymen, but more recent boxing regulations have reduced the American journeyman sort of fighter to the less desirable off states of the 50 states where boxing is not a major television event. Usually when a fighter loses too many fights in a row, he has to go to Mexico or the Dominican Republic to get a convenience win on his record to regain the ability to lose again in the United States or elsewhere. American light heavyweight Donnie Penelton went 13-166 between 1990 and 2009. Middleweight Reggie Strickland went 66-276-17 between 1987 and 2005. His half-brother welterweight Jerry Strickland, went 13-122 between 1974 and 2000.
So it is with a heavy heart this reporter discovered female bantamweight Claudia Ferenczi of Bratlslava, Slovakia. At age 28, her unique record of 20 wins, 81 losses and eight draws with 10 knockouts (stopped only four times) is the worst record of any professional boxing female in history to date. A loser of her last ten consecutive bouts by decisions, Ferenczi is a rare journey woman, rare because female fighters represent less than one percent of all professional boxers. This happenstance causes many outstanding female boxers to go the MMA road in their careers, which reach a fork in the road when with rare exception they cannot make any real money in boxing. All but one of Ferenczi’s 20 wins are over winless fighters, debuting fighters, or fighters with losing records. The conclusion is female boxers should not be allowed to take damage like this. The consequences of damage are long term.
Ferenczi has traveled to Britain, France, Switzerland, Spain, Morocco, Hungary, and all over Europe and Africa. She even fought for the German BDB International Flyweight title in Germany in 2019 (lost by TKO in the seventh round, a decent attempt), and won six of nine bouts at one point early in her career before she assumed the personality of professional traveling ringer. Having gone the distance 95 times in female pro bouts, and winning only ten of those decisions, a female journey woman is she.
There should be a rule preventing females with ten or more losses from continuing in pro boxing. Recognize in the long run there are differences between the genders, and in terms of boxing, female boxers were not meant for long term head and body damage. In fact, nobody really is meant for long term damage in full contact sports. Risks aside, females are at greater risk for long term damage in contact sports. Without prejudice, 81 losses by a female professional boxer, in this reporter’s view, is not a good thing. It does seem in parts of Europe, pro boxers of all levels get away with more than they do in the United States.
Claudia Ferenczi BoxRec
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