Jake Pollard’s 1-100 Record Proves One Thing: Boxing Needs Its Journeymen
In a sport obsessed with undefeated records and viral knockouts, Jake Pollard is a reminder of boxing’s less glamorous, but absolutely essential, foundation. With 101 professional fights and 100 losses, the Bradford-born fighter has become known not for wins, but for something much more valuable: dependability, durability, and honesty in the ring.
Pollard recently made headlines after being stopped by rising prospect Hassan Ishaq on the undercard of Joseph Parker vs. Fabio Wardley, broadcast live from London’s O2 Arena. That moment marked his 100th professional defeat and sparked global curiosity about his story. But Jake is no stranger to attention. In fact, he’s quietly built a respected career by doing what most fighters can’t: showing up week after week, testing the next generation, and surviving.
“In my eyes, I have 101 wins,” Pollard says. “I go home safe, my kid gets to see me the next morning, and I get paid. That’s a win.”
A Role Most Don’t Understand, but All Promotions Rely On
Jake Pollard is part of a brotherhood known as journeymen, the B-side boxers who take fights on short notice, give prospects rounds, and help separate contenders from pretenders. He’s faced more than a dozen debutants, traveled hundreds of miles to venues across the UK, and absorbed punishment with remarkable grace.
He isn’t just boxing for glory, he’s boxing for stability, for his son Roman, and for the structure the sport brings to his life. While promoters build stars, fighters like Jake are the true backbone of boxing.
At The Heavyweight Factory, we know that matchups like those seen in our Fists of Fury series would be impossible without journeymen like Jake Pollard. These fighters give everything, their time, their bodies, and their craft, to help shape the next wave of talent. Whether the crowd cheers for them or not, their presence gives a fight its meaning.
More Than a Fighter
When he’s not in the ring, Jake is a full-time farrier, shoeing horses in harsh conditions through Yorkshire winters. It’s grueling, dangerous work, but he shrugs it off the way he does a jab in round four. Boxing, by comparison, is “a pretty low-pressure job,” he says with a laugh.
Despite the toll of 100 defeats, Jake’s face is unmarked. He’s never been hospitalized after a bout. He’s only been stopped six times. His beard is trimmed, his voice is sharp, and his story is anything but a cautionary tale. It’s one of survival, self-awareness, and success, just not the kind mainstream fans are used to celebrating.
A Win That Broke the Internet
In 2023, Jake pulled off what some called the unthinkable. He beat debutant Louis Smithson in York Hall, notching his first and only win. Headlines mocked Smithson. Online forums compared Jake to Glass Joe, the 1-99 fictional character from Punch-Out!! But in Jake’s world, the insults meant nothing.
“I’ve been called worse. I’m still here. And I’m still getting booked.”
Jake’s job is to help boxers learn. If they’re not ready, they find out quickly. That truth is what makes him valuable, and that’s why promoters keep calling.
The Cornerstones of Combat
Jake now manages another journeyman, Nabil Ahmed (3-47-3). He guides him through contracts, weigh-in politics, and behind-the-scenes traps that only seasoned fighters know how to avoid. The way Ahmed describes it, Jake is more than a manager, he’s a mentor, a friend, and a protector.
They represent a different kind of victory. Not the kind with belts and bonuses. The kind where getting home safely is the goal. The kind where surviving Saturday night means seeing your kid on Sunday morning.
The Heavyweight Factory Salutes the Journeymen
At The Heavyweight Factory, we highlight fighters on the rise. But we also respect those who build the road to greatness. Fighters like Jake Pollard aren’t featured on the posters. They’re not the ones headlining the pay-per-view. But without them, the sport would fall apart.
Jake may never hold a championship belt, but he holds something far greater, the respect of those who know what it takes to last in boxing.
“A victory is how you frame it,” he says.
At 1-100, Jake Pollard is still winning.
