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Johnson Planning Another Upset!
October 29, 2007
by Andre Courtemanche
Former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion “Sweet” Reggie Johnson will have his second fight in past five years on November 17 at the Burton Coliseum, and live on Pay-per-View, when he faces top 175-lb contender Glen Johnson.
Johnson is perceived as a heavy underdog in the 12-round battle for the IBA Championship that is being called “Johnson vs. Johnson: The Fight for Climate Change.”
Where Reggie has largely been inactive, over the past four years, Glen has repeatedly asserted himself as one of the worlds very best light heavyweights by knocking out Roy Jones Jr., beating Antonio Tarver, stopping respected contenders George Jones, Montell Griffin and Fred Moore, and going 1-1-1 in a three-fight series with current IBF King Clinton Woods.
However, “Sweet” Reggie has already proven his ability to spring an upset of similar magnitude. The Houston southpaw had logged just one round in more than two years when he knocked out then-IBF titlist William Guthrie in 1998 and went on to make two successful defenses before running into a prime Roy Jones Jr.
Rejuvenated and fully believing in his ability to do it again, Reggie Johnson says the world should be ready when he knocks out another fighter that everyone is afraid to face.
Reggie, you’ve had one fight in the past five years. After 23 years in professional boxing, why are you coming back?
(My) mindset is to fight guys that will position me to fight for the world title. I have never officially retired from the ring. I just have been working on controlling my faith in and out of the ring. I just woke up one day and realized that I was taking all the risk when the bell rung, but was leaving the table with the least of the proceeds. My return is not a come back it is a Get Back.
How do you know your body still has the sharpness that made you such a terrific fighter?
I've put my body though all the tests and I realize that I’m better physically and mentally than I was when I was 25. My sparring partners, doctors, and trainers will assure you of that.
Do you see something beatable in Glenn Johnson? Or is it just that you have that much faith in your abilities?
Yes I see a lot of holes in Glen’s game; I was at his last two fights against Montell Griffin and Fred Moore. But I also realize that my style beats Glen on November 17, 2007, because I will be at my best. I've been in 21 title fights so my experience will be the key to pulling off one the biggest upsets in the last decade. I believe in my faith and abilities like I believe in my Jesus. He didn't bring me this far to leave me.
What have you been doing the past couple years?
I've been working on being a better man of God, a better father, son, and friend, plus a better businessman outside the ring. Controlling my faith and making the sport better for the boxers has been high on my priority list. I have also been doing a lot of community work with the kids in Houston.
If you should beat Glenn Johnson, what would be your next move?
When I take care of Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods will have 120 days to fight me for the IBF World Title.
If you should lose to Glenn Johnson, what would be your next move?
Losing is not an option, my friend.
This is your second consecutive fight in Louisiana; tell me about the fans there. How are you treated in Louisiana?
Louisiana is a great state with good people, food, and die hard boxing fans. The City Of Lake Charles has been great to me and Team Johnson. They are excited to host a fight of this magnitude.
Any troubles making the weight after such a long layoff?
I will have no trouble making 175 lbs.
Can you give us any hints on how you will approach a fighter like Glenn Johnson? Have you dealt with pressure like that before?
Glen is the toughest in the division, so I will be smart early and put rounds in the bank but after the fifth or sixth round, I will do what Tarver, Jones, and a host of other fighters could not do and that is knock out Glen Johnson. How will the boxing industry welcome me back then? When I turned pro in 1984 I was 17 years old and my first big job was sparring with Wilford Scypion to get him ready for Frank Fletcher and Marvin Hagler. Wilford made you work every second of every round.
You have losses to a couple guys that are still around and still fairly big names. Tarver or Jones, who do you want revenge against more?
I would love to revenge both of those loses on my way out. So, whichever one of those fights brings the most security (MONEY) is the one that I will welcome.
What would you say to the fans considering buying a ticket to this fight?
I will say for all die hard fight fans that this is a no-brainer to want to see this fight and we have made it available to every fight fan the world over. This fight will be aired on Pay-Per-View television, Pay-Per-View Internet, and for the first time in the history of the sport, you will be able to download the fight and watch it on your cell phone. The one thing that Glen Johnson and I do agree on is that this will be Fight of the Year.
fitenooz
[IMG]http://www.*********extra.com/ac/Johnson_reggie.jpg[/IMG]
October 29, 2007
by Andre Courtemanche
Former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion “Sweet” Reggie Johnson will have his second fight in past five years on November 17 at the Burton Coliseum, and live on Pay-per-View, when he faces top 175-lb contender Glen Johnson.
Johnson is perceived as a heavy underdog in the 12-round battle for the IBA Championship that is being called “Johnson vs. Johnson: The Fight for Climate Change.”
Where Reggie has largely been inactive, over the past four years, Glen has repeatedly asserted himself as one of the worlds very best light heavyweights by knocking out Roy Jones Jr., beating Antonio Tarver, stopping respected contenders George Jones, Montell Griffin and Fred Moore, and going 1-1-1 in a three-fight series with current IBF King Clinton Woods.
However, “Sweet” Reggie has already proven his ability to spring an upset of similar magnitude. The Houston southpaw had logged just one round in more than two years when he knocked out then-IBF titlist William Guthrie in 1998 and went on to make two successful defenses before running into a prime Roy Jones Jr.
Rejuvenated and fully believing in his ability to do it again, Reggie Johnson says the world should be ready when he knocks out another fighter that everyone is afraid to face.
Reggie, you’ve had one fight in the past five years. After 23 years in professional boxing, why are you coming back?
(My) mindset is to fight guys that will position me to fight for the world title. I have never officially retired from the ring. I just have been working on controlling my faith in and out of the ring. I just woke up one day and realized that I was taking all the risk when the bell rung, but was leaving the table with the least of the proceeds. My return is not a come back it is a Get Back.
How do you know your body still has the sharpness that made you such a terrific fighter?
I've put my body though all the tests and I realize that I’m better physically and mentally than I was when I was 25. My sparring partners, doctors, and trainers will assure you of that.
Do you see something beatable in Glenn Johnson? Or is it just that you have that much faith in your abilities?
Yes I see a lot of holes in Glen’s game; I was at his last two fights against Montell Griffin and Fred Moore. But I also realize that my style beats Glen on November 17, 2007, because I will be at my best. I've been in 21 title fights so my experience will be the key to pulling off one the biggest upsets in the last decade. I believe in my faith and abilities like I believe in my Jesus. He didn't bring me this far to leave me.
What have you been doing the past couple years?
I've been working on being a better man of God, a better father, son, and friend, plus a better businessman outside the ring. Controlling my faith and making the sport better for the boxers has been high on my priority list. I have also been doing a lot of community work with the kids in Houston.
If you should beat Glenn Johnson, what would be your next move?
When I take care of Glen Johnson, Clinton Woods will have 120 days to fight me for the IBF World Title.
If you should lose to Glenn Johnson, what would be your next move?
Losing is not an option, my friend.
This is your second consecutive fight in Louisiana; tell me about the fans there. How are you treated in Louisiana?
Louisiana is a great state with good people, food, and die hard boxing fans. The City Of Lake Charles has been great to me and Team Johnson. They are excited to host a fight of this magnitude.
Any troubles making the weight after such a long layoff?
I will have no trouble making 175 lbs.
Can you give us any hints on how you will approach a fighter like Glenn Johnson? Have you dealt with pressure like that before?
Glen is the toughest in the division, so I will be smart early and put rounds in the bank but after the fifth or sixth round, I will do what Tarver, Jones, and a host of other fighters could not do and that is knock out Glen Johnson. How will the boxing industry welcome me back then? When I turned pro in 1984 I was 17 years old and my first big job was sparring with Wilford Scypion to get him ready for Frank Fletcher and Marvin Hagler. Wilford made you work every second of every round.
You have losses to a couple guys that are still around and still fairly big names. Tarver or Jones, who do you want revenge against more?
I would love to revenge both of those loses on my way out. So, whichever one of those fights brings the most security (MONEY) is the one that I will welcome.
What would you say to the fans considering buying a ticket to this fight?
I will say for all die hard fight fans that this is a no-brainer to want to see this fight and we have made it available to every fight fan the world over. This fight will be aired on Pay-Per-View television, Pay-Per-View Internet, and for the first time in the history of the sport, you will be able to download the fight and watch it on your cell phone. The one thing that Glen Johnson and I do agree on is that this will be Fight of the Year.
fitenooz
[IMG]http://www.*********extra.com/ac/Johnson_reggie.jpg[/IMG]
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