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In all the years I've been following the sport, few fighters have captured my interest the way the Road Warrior did. They say the likes of Bernard Hopkins and Marvin Hagler had a tough road to the top, but it doesn't compare to what Glencoffe Johnson had to go through before he finally became champion of the world. In his first world title fight, an inexperienced and under prepared Glen came up against the legendary Bernard Hopkins who was at the absolute peak of his powers, Johnson was stopped in the 11th round, having been completely outclassed.
After that, Glen would have to fight lesser known fighters for years in their backyards, often suffering at the wrong end of some terrible decisions (Branco, Ottke, Gonzalez fights all come to mind). After toiling away in obscurity for years, Glen stepped up to 175 and got a shot at the IBF title against a solid fighter Clinton Woods, in the first fight, it looked to me and many others that Glen had done enough to finally become champ, and the bout was ruled a draw. Glen left no question marks in the rematch, and decisively outpointed Woods to become the IBF LHW Champ
This all led up to the greatest point in Glen's career, the night he faced 'Superman' Roy Jones. Jones was at the top of his game, and in great form coming into this fight, having recently beaten John Ruiz and Antonio Tarver, whilst being rated as the P4P number 1 fighter on the planet for the best part of a decade. It's no wonder the little known Glen Johnson was a 5 to 1 underdog, this was seen as another demonstration of Roy Jones at the top of his game, but Glen clearly did not read the script. He went on to attack Jones like a bull in a china shop, he gave Jones no room to breathe, and pretty much executed the perfect blue print to beat Jones, who up to this point had looked close to unbeatable. Knowing the fight was close, Glen who knew what it was like to fall on the wrong end of a robbery had to up the tempo and finish the fight quickly, in the 9th he set Jones up for a ******* like right hand that was felt around the world
GIFSoup
on this night, Glen got everything he deserved, recognition as the best light heavyweight on the planet, and after this he would go on to beat Antonio Tarver and become Ring Magazine's fighter of the year 2004.
After losing his title to Tarver in the rematch, unfortunately Glen never quite recaptured his best form, and was unlucky to become champion against Clinton Woods in the rubber match and against Chad Dawson. But Glen's legacy lies with those fights against Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver, and he proved he was one of the best Light heavyweights of recent years.
Does anyone else have any memories of watching Glen's fights? Have any of you met Glen, or seen him fight live? Share it with us in this thread
After that, Glen would have to fight lesser known fighters for years in their backyards, often suffering at the wrong end of some terrible decisions (Branco, Ottke, Gonzalez fights all come to mind). After toiling away in obscurity for years, Glen stepped up to 175 and got a shot at the IBF title against a solid fighter Clinton Woods, in the first fight, it looked to me and many others that Glen had done enough to finally become champ, and the bout was ruled a draw. Glen left no question marks in the rematch, and decisively outpointed Woods to become the IBF LHW Champ
This all led up to the greatest point in Glen's career, the night he faced 'Superman' Roy Jones. Jones was at the top of his game, and in great form coming into this fight, having recently beaten John Ruiz and Antonio Tarver, whilst being rated as the P4P number 1 fighter on the planet for the best part of a decade. It's no wonder the little known Glen Johnson was a 5 to 1 underdog, this was seen as another demonstration of Roy Jones at the top of his game, but Glen clearly did not read the script. He went on to attack Jones like a bull in a china shop, he gave Jones no room to breathe, and pretty much executed the perfect blue print to beat Jones, who up to this point had looked close to unbeatable. Knowing the fight was close, Glen who knew what it was like to fall on the wrong end of a robbery had to up the tempo and finish the fight quickly, in the 9th he set Jones up for a ******* like right hand that was felt around the world
GIFSoupon this night, Glen got everything he deserved, recognition as the best light heavyweight on the planet, and after this he would go on to beat Antonio Tarver and become Ring Magazine's fighter of the year 2004.
After losing his title to Tarver in the rematch, unfortunately Glen never quite recaptured his best form, and was unlucky to become champion against Clinton Woods in the rubber match and against Chad Dawson. But Glen's legacy lies with those fights against Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver, and he proved he was one of the best Light heavyweights of recent years.
Does anyone else have any memories of watching Glen's fights? Have any of you met Glen, or seen him fight live? Share it with us in this thread
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