Boxing vs IB/PE/S&T/HF Career

Boxing vs IB/PE/S&T/HF Career

Calling all the boxing fans on this one.

Im a solid fan and have recently been thinking about how financial careers would look from a boxing point of view. I came out with the below ranking system.

Weight classes:

Linked to the general attractivity of the field/employer, if you can only go lateral or down, you are heavyweight. Assuming here that highest ranking for both top IB/S&T is light heavyweight (leaving cruiserweight out for simplicity) as most peeps in those firms would still go to the buyside if provided with a great opportunity (enough $$$).

• Top MM/SM HF, Mega PE is heavyweight
• Lower MM/SM HF, mid PE, top EB, top BB IB desks and top S&T desks is light heavyweight
• Lower PE, weak EB, BB IB/S&T desks, solid IB/S&T desks at tier 2 banks is middleweight
• Tier 3 banks IB/S&T desks and boutiques is welterweight
• Big 4 audit is lightweight
• Left VC, LO AM, WM and Corp banking out as more subjective to classify, might elaborate later
• For the rest, may god help you lol

Rulling:

• You are awarded a win for each year you stay at your company. The win is deemed by KO if you receive great reviews or if you leave for a better role, otherwise it’s a unanimous decision win. If you are passed over for a promotion (considered as a knockdown) or if you receive a blame/PIP (considered as two knockdowns), then it is ruled as win by split decision.
• If you leave your company at the end of a fixed term contract, it is ruled as a draw (you didn’t get pushed out, so not a loss, but they didn’t keep you or actively tried to have you stay, so not a win).
• If you leave your company against your will it is a loss. If you get fired, it’s a loss by KO. If you get let go for restructuring/strategic initiate or whatever bs they had in mind, it’s a stoppage.

Championship:

• If you have more than USD 250k total comp or a direct PnL linkage, you are a mandatory contender.
• If you have more than USD 1mio total comp, you are a champ.
• If you make more than USD 2mio, you are considered a unified champ (a lot less peeps than expected are making those figures). If you make more than USD 20mio, you are an undisputed champ (no need to elaborate).
• If you are a champ with direct PnL linkage (trader with own book, PM, analyst with individual subsleeve, senior sales, IB MD with own clients), you have a regular belt. If you have some PnL linkage (trader part of a desk with PnL assessed at Desk level, analyst with trades in the book, IB VP printing on firm franchise…) you have a junior belt. First year gives you the belt, each year after is a title defense.
• If you are making more than USD 1mio without PnL exposure whatsoever, you are a GOAT.

Example:

A Tier 1 bank trader on the HY credit desk, 7 YOE, with a background as HY analyst for 2Y at another Tier 1 bank before and a total comp of USD 1.2mio. No other info.

Record : 9-0-0 (9 KOs, no draw, no loss), S&T light heavyweight, champ

My record:

3-1-1 (2 K0s, 1 win by unanimous decision, 1 draw, 1 loss by stoppage), S&T welterweight, some PnL linkage

Some peeps I know/know about in the game:

12-0-0, (7 KOs), AM middleweight, mandatory contender, got knockdown 3 times but never lost

5-0-0, (5 KOs), MM heavyweight, mandatory contender, belt might come this year.

6-0-0, (6 KOs), S&T light heavyweight, mandatory contender.

6-0-0, (6 KOs), S&T welterweight, mandatory contender.

5-0-0, (5 KOs), SM heavyweight, mandatory contender, high chance of belt coming this year.

26-0-0, (25 KOs), S&T former light heavyweight, former unified champ, multiple successful defenses

12-0-0, (12 KOs), S&T welterweight, unified champ, multiple defenses

8-0-0, (8 KOs), SM heavyweight, unified champ, multiple defenses

Now, whats your boxing record?