Why a journeyman boxer finds contentment in the art of losing

The UK boxer Lewis ‘Poochi’ Van Poetsch doesn’t try to lose, but as a career ‘journeyman’, he (very) often does. Age 31, and with a record of 10 wins, three draws and more than 140 losses, he’s settled into a career where a heavyweight title isn’t in his future, but he can still collect a pay cheque giving more talented youngsters ‘a tough night’s work’ while helping them pad their records. Tracking Van Poetsch as he prepares for yet another weekend fight, the UK director Robin Mason’s short documentary Welcome to the Pros (2022) is an affable – and to many, perhaps relatable – account of what it’s like to give up on a dream, accept limitations and, in the process, find comfort in one’s own skin.