| 9/13/06 - article by Rich Bergeron Reggie Johnson is back...!! Any takers?  I asked Johnson who he wants to fight next, and he replied, "Glen Johnson, because he is likewise a warrior, and our careers are similar. He and I both were underdogs who fought guys in their back yards for the most part of our careers to date. In this day he, like myself, is willing to fight anybody in the World. Glen just lost a controversial decision to Clinton Woods, the guy he beat twice in his back yard. I haven't seen the fight yet, but I can read between the lines. I refuse to fight ducks and guys from the bus station. I want to fight fights that will position me for a title fight. Glen should be the #1 or #2 rated guy by the I.B.F. in the next ratings, and I want to fight him." Johnson reports that finding opposition is more of a problem these days than getting older. "Age is not a issue with me," he said. "The issue is getting these guys to fight this so-called old man. I'm better than ever." Being a southpaw has not been an obstacle in any way for Johnson. "My style of fighting and being a left-handed fighter has worked well for me over the years," he said. "Great fighters adapt to whatever handed fighter they're fighting. I just watched tapes and found a way to beat the opposition. My right hook is my go-home-early punch." As for how long he thinks he will stick it out, he said, "It's a matter of winning title number three. That should secure me a spot in the Boxing Hall of Fame for being a three-time World Champion. I was invited to the Hall Of Fame in 2005 & 2006 and that added fuel to the fire as far as my mission. Every boxer should experience the Hall Of Fame." Johnson has fought some tough opposition over the years, and he's never been stopped. His only losses have come by decision against top-quality, world-class fighters. The first defeat he suffered came early in his career at 156 lbs. against an undefeated Adam George, who was 10-0 at the time with three knockouts. It was the first time he faced a professional opponent with any wins at all, as his first six fights had been against opponents with no records or only losses. Apparently that first loss taught him a valuable lesson, as he went undefeated over his next two-dozen fights. Then he ran into another undefeated fighter: future legend James Toney (26-0-1, 19 KO's at the time). He fought Toney for the IBF Middleweight Championship in that bout and lost the 12-round split decision. Toney won narrowly (by 4 points on the cards of the judges who picked Toney the winner), even after being knocked down in the second round by Johnson. Johnson picked up the pieces and went on to win the vacant WBA Middleweight belt in a match against Steve Collins (21-1-0 at the time) in April of 1992. His next fight was against Lamar Parks in October of the same year. Parks was undefeated with 22 wins. "I was an 8 to 5 underdog fighting in my hometown," said Johnson. "So, there was added pressure. I fought the perfect fight against a guy who was knocking everyone out." He calls that fight his favorite, and he went on to defend the title successfully two more times before he suffered his next loss. Then came Argentina. When asked what his worst moment in the sport was, he pointed to all three of his fights there. He first traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina to fight undefeated John David Jackson (29-0 at the time) in October of 1993. Jackson beat Johnson in that first fight in Argentina by unanimous decision. There was a total margin of just four points in the judges' scores after the twelve-round bout. Johnson came back to Argentina to face Jorge Fernando Castro twice. Castro had only four losses at the time of both matches. For the first fight he had 93 wins, and for the second fight he had 97 wins. Johnson still points to Castro as one of the hardest punchers he faced, an honor Castro shares with Ismael Negron. Castro fought Johnson to two 12-round split decisions in Castro's home country. Johnson felt he won both fights. He wasn't the only one. "I was in Germany when Dariusz Michalezewski fought Richard Hall. A reporter told me there that he had just recently interviewed Jorge Castro, and he said Castro had admitted to not winning either of the fights with me, " said Johnson. After Argentina, Johnson took nearly two years off, moved up to light heavyweight, and came out fighting. He racked up some impressive victories, picked up the IBF Light Heavyweight title and twice defended it successfully. To win the belt, he fought William Guthrie (24-0, 21 KO's at the time) in February of 1998. "It was my best fight of all time," said Johnson. "I was away from the ring for 2 years and moved up two weight classes. Only a hand-full of guys have done that and I'm one of them. I lost my middleweight title in Argentina to John David Jackson on what they called a split decision. Then I went back there to fight Jorge Casto twice in his back yard and gave him a boxing lesson both times, and they called those two fights split decision losses. Still, after both of those fights they left me #1 in their ratings. Then the opportunity presented itself, and against all odds I knock out the guy who was knocking everybody out at light heavy. That fight was runner up for Knock Out of the Year by KO magazine." Guthrie left the ring on a stretcher after being knocked out in the fifth round by Johnson. For his second fight in 1999, he faced Roy Jones, Jr. to try and secure the WBA and WBC Light Heavyweight titles. The June match was one of the toughest fights of his career, and he lost his first blowout unanimous decision win. "Roy wasn't a big puncher or a strong puncher, but his speed was off the radar," said Johnson about the 12-round defeat. "In the third round against Roy, I was dropped with a punch I didn't see and got up and finished the fight on my feet. My dad told me after the fight that he was more proud of me getting up and finishing that fight than he was when I had my hands raised for winning my two World titles. He told me you judge and gauge a man when he is down by how he deals with it. He told me that night that there was no other light heavyweight who would have gotten up from that punch." Since losing that match, Johnson has won four of five fights. The only loss was to Antonio Tarver in January of 2001 when Tarver's record was 18-1 with 15 knockouts. Tarver went on to snatch a long list of belts from Roy Jones, Jr. on his second try against the champion. He spent a few years off before his last fight. He devoted his time away to speaking at churches, schools, karate classes, and boxing gyms. He also said he "got heavy into doing memorabilia shows." Coming back after such a long time out of action was a tough task, but he credits his clean living for making things easier. "I never had a smoke or drink in my life," he said. Known for his intense preparation for fights, Johnson truly believes all of his fights have been won in the gym. Coming back to the sport was no exception to that rule. "I had four good solid guys to spar with: Andre Ward, Anthony Ward, Black Prevost, and Larry Pryor," he said. "All these guys are 25 years old or under and all of them had their days with me." He credits "great trainers who were boxing people" for keeping him going all these years. He lists James Carter (his amateur coach), Curtis Cokes (former 147lb champ and his trainer when he turned pro in 1984) , Manuel "Chato" Robles, Alberto Davila, Jessie Ried, Don Turner, Oscar "Skip" Davis, and a host of others. "My defense has enabled me to last as well," he said. "I've always been a sponge and those trainers I mentioned were great trainers. I took everything they gave me and stored it." "My approach is simple. The fight is won in preparation. I have a trainer that's been with me since 1989 who is a great trainer who I believe in 1,000 percent. His mind set is the fight is won in the gym. If Manuel "Chato" Robles told me to go out there and close my eyes and throw this, this, and this, I would do it in a heart-beat. That's how much I believe in and trust in this man. I have a team that specializes in getting me ready to go to war. There's a strength coach, a nutritionist, and Manuel Robles." "I train for me first and the opposition second knowing that if I'm at my best the chance of me having my hands raised at the end of the fight is 95%. That 5% is a Roy Jones, Jr. in his prime." AN EARLY START Johnson said that he knew when he was 12 he had found his future career. His uncle Kenneth Walker was a boxer at the Salvation Army Boys Club. Walker and Muhammad Ali were the earliest role models for young Johnson, who decided to pursue boxing when he discovered how naturally he adapted to the sport. "The thing that I loved most about the ultimate sport was that my faith was in my own hands and I didn't have to depend on no else when that bell rang," he said. "I chose boxing because the day my uncle took me to the gym and put me in there it was second nature to me. I found my niche at the age of 12." Once his uncle showed him the ropes, James Carter took over for his amateur career, and Johnson credits Carter with giving him the foundation of his training. "Mr. Carter told me that I would be a champion if I listened to my parents, stayed in school, stayed away from bad people, and never put drugs in my temple. He told me to always thank God and give him the Glory," said Johnson about his mentor. "He said, 'Trust me, if you do these things, you will be successful,' and then he said, 'Now let me tell you one thing about success... It don't mean anything if you can't bring anyone with you." Johnson's amateur career resulted in him being selected for the United States Olympic Boxing Team. "I was on the U.S. boxing team and lost 3-2 in a fight against Frank Tate in the trials. Tate went on to win Gold in 84,'' he recalled. "Pat Napa wanted me to stick around till '88, but I explained to him that I had to turn pro to help my mother and two younger sisters." JOHNSON'S STATE OF THE SPORT REPORT Looking at the sport's current level of popularity in the United States, Johnson knows it will take a special effort to get young kids involved and to make Boxing stronger. "Its all about reaching back," he said. "Just like Mr. Carter and my uncle Kenneth Walker were there for me, I've got be there for someone. The reputation of boxing is still in a bad state, but I must say I see a little light at the end of the tunnel. Fighters are getting smarter, starting their own promotional companies and joining forces with other fighters. That's the key for us as fighters to get our just due." Johnson has seen more than a few payday opportunities ruined by poor promoters and management in the past. "It's very frustrating when I realize all the great fights and money that was left on the table," he laments. "Bernard Hopkins (160 lbs. & 175 lbs.), Terry Norris, Julian Jackson, and a second fight with James Toney never happened because the promoters had their own agenda. I just thank God that I'm still standing to pursue what I didn't get then and then some." Johnson is all too familiar with the reality of fighters getting hoodwinked in the sport by fast-talking businessmen who sweep their earnings right out from under them without doing the real work. He sees the fighters as the ones who should be making the real money in the sport. "We have more at risk when that bell rings so therefore we should leave there with the lion's share of the money," he argues. "They say boxing is the only sport where the Rats eat the Lions. I've seen and lived the corruption for 22 years and I'm still standing, and I know God has me standing for a reason, and that reason is to share my experience with the future of boxing. The sport has made a little progress but there's a lot more work to be done to boost its popularity." Since learning his lessons the hard way, he has become his own manager and promoter. He wishes he could go back and start his career over with the current knowledge he has. "If I had the experience I have now business-wise, I would have hand picked and surrounded myself with people that had my best interests at heart," he said. "I would have not signed contracts with most of the promoters I signed with. I would have worked for myself like I'm doing now by promoting myself, speaking in the community, and just right out being hands-on in all my business affairs." "We as fighters need to start our own fighters' association with our own commissioner. Mainstream fighters are starting to wake up and start their own promotional companies, and other fighters are starting to follow their lead by doing the same thing." If there was one thing Johnson would change about the sport, it would be "the mindset of the mainstream boxer." He would start a boxing union controlled by boxers themselves. "We can hire our own commissioner and attorneys to govern our best interest," he explained. Still, despite being so imperfect, he believes boxing is healthy in the United States. "I think boxing, the ultimate sport, is doing well as far as its popularity in the U.S., because there are so many loyal fans here in America and people love the excitement and energy the sport gives them," he said. "Plus, as long as they have HBO, Showtime, Pay-Per-View, Las Vegas, and Atlantic City, boxing will always do well, because it's more than a boxing match. It's an event. Oh, and I forgot to mention the Contender. That's also given a huge boost to boxing." He calls Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (36-0, 24 KO's) the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport right now. It's easy to see why. Mayweather's commanded every single professional fight he's ever fought. He doesn't have anything less than unanimous decision wins, and he has a high percentage of knockouts in a division where knockouts are not that common. Johnson points to Mayweather's superb offense that is so effective it doubles as his defense. "He's well rounded," said Johnson. JOHNSON'S FUTURE Johnson reported that his agent, Kerry Daigle, is working on "me being in the ring before the year is out." He said he wants to fight the best and "do what real champions do." Impressed with his performance in his first fight since losing to Tarver, he has new hopes of achieving another title win. "I knocked out the fifteenth ranked guy off of a three-year, eight-month layoff, so my return was a bittersweet win," he said. "Because of the business end of the sport these guys might try to duck until I become the #1 contender. Who knows, there may be a real champion out there who realizes he must fight the best to be considered the best in the division. I would love to be in a title fight before the end of 2007. We'll see. I'm a hundred percent committed to winning title number three. The Boxing Hall of Fame is waiting on me, and this should cement me in. Any one of the major Titles will do and I've been know to travel. The fighter makes the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO the legitimate title belt. The belts don't make the champion the legitimate champion." Neither age nor a three-year hiatus has slowed him down one bit. He'll be sure to be a threat to anyone hoping to hold onto their titles in the division. OUTSIDE THE RING Johnson is not all business and brute force, though. He's also committed to life as a family man. "My passion outside the ring is to master being a champion father," he said. "For the most part, boxing has kept from doing that by keeping me on the road." He's also begun a few ventures to help his fellow fighters get a leg up in an industry where many get cheated by dishonest, scheming promoters and managers. "I've started my own promotional company I'm working on getting off the ground to aid the fighters in this crazy industry," he said. "I plan to have a boxing gym that will cater to boxers and everyday people who want to keep themselves in shape. I cater to all charities, but I'm very passionate about kids and keeping them away from drugs." I asked him where he sees himself in five years, and he replied, "Enjoying life and being a better Man of God, husband, father, son, brother, and human being period. And making the sport a better place to be by sharing my experience with the future of boxing." Please visit Reggie's official web site for more info about this great former champion OR EMAIL KERRY@KEEPPUNCHING.COM VISIT WWW.KEEPPUNCHING.COM AND WWW.REGGIESWEETJOHNSON.COM FOR MORE INFO |
|
You Are Visitor |
© 2006 Keeppunching.com |
