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New Interview with Reggie Johnson

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  • New Interview with Reggie Johnson

    Q: Reggie, it is official, you are returning to the ring ?

    RJ: It was official that I was back August 27, 2005 when I beat the #15 guy Fred Moore after being away from the ring for 3 years and 8 months due to a promotional contract that went bad. The Moore fight ended up being a bitter/sweet win. The so-call Chumps, sorry... I mean Champs and future chumps sorry again... Champs don't want to fight me to show themselves approved by the boxing fans.


    Q: What's the motivation behind this comeback ? Cynics might say it's about money. At age 40, you really feel you can beat the best guys out there at 175 lbs ?
    RJ: Money is always a motivator because Money is security. On any given day I know I can beat any guy in the World in the 168lb and 175lb division.

    Q: Right now, are you targeting one fighter in particular ? ( Glen Johnson )
    RJ: Reggie Johnson is the new old school of boxing. I win my fights in the gym. In preparation I get young hungry guys like the Derail brothers, Andre & Anthony, Blake Prevost, and Larry Pryor. These guys are the future of boxing. Glen Johnson may be the toughest fight in the 175lb division and he's the #1 contender by the IBF. It took Antonio Tarver 24 rounds to beat Glen Johnson. Glen knocked Roy Jones out in round 9. So therefore if I take care of Glen by not only beating him but knocking him out then who would they consider the MAN at 175lb then, me or Bernard Hopkins. Reggie Johnson vs. Hopkins the fight that should have happen at 160lb would become a reality at 175lb.

    Q: This will be your third comeback... right ? Now, if you do fight Glen Johnson, there would be no tune-up ? Your are that kind of fighter, in a way. You won the IBF title from Guthrie fighting only one tune-up and when you you returned to boxing, the second time around, you beat Chris Johnson who was 26-1 for the NABF title.
    RJ: This will be my third Get-Back, I have never officially retired from boxing.Glen Johnson will be my tune-up for the World title.I think my resume tells the story I was away from the ring for 1 year 9 months and had one fight before moving up 2 weight classes and fighting William Guthrie. When I fought Chris Johnson I was away from the ring for over 2 years and fought him without a tuneup and beat him for the N.A.B.F. 175lb Title. Fights like this has always motivated me.

    Q: Let's go over your very illustrious career. Out of 7 losses, 4 were split decisons, 2 were razor thin verdicts and you only really lost in a lopsided fashion to Roy Jones. Do you feel that judges have given you a hard time throughout your career ? ( you can talk about losses to , Jackson ,Castro, Tarver etc.). Do you feel that you've been underrated as a fighter and is this also what this come back is all about ? A fighter always know in his heart when he's winning or losing during a fight. Roy Jones is the only man to pitch a shutout against me and that fight went 12 rounds with all the belts on the line that was a fight I loss fare and sware. I lost my 7th pro fight to Adam George in my first 8 rounder, a fighter from Louisiana. I lost that fight fare and sware. I have people today telling me I won that split decsion lost to Antonio Tarver and I had him down and out in the 9th round but in my heart I knew I lost that fight and on January 25, 2002 the right man got the decsion that night. I lost fare and sware. Those 3 fighters beat me fare and sware. On the other hand I know in my heart that James Toney, John David Jackson, and Jorge Castro in 2 fights didn't beat me. I called those 4 fights political losses and in the boxing industry they call it being robbed. When its all said and done the boxing indurstry and the fans will have their say as far as me being underrated are not and when that bell rings this go round I'll have my say.

    Q: What was sweetest, Champ, winning your first world title or the second one.. in another division.
    RJ: They both were sweet and special to me when I beat Irish Steve Collins I was still somewhat bitter about the Toney fight and then it was the pressure of fighting Steve in New Jersey which was like fighting hin in Ireland. Then there was the political lost to my now good friend John David Jackson in Argentina, two Americans fighting for the World Title in Argentina in Jorge Casto home town. So they give Jackson the Title and leave me as the number #1 contender. Jackson reniged on going back over there to fight Castro so they stripe Jackson so the #1 me fights the #2 Castro for the vacant WBA 160lb world title. castro get home cooking in his back yard in a split decsion win over me. They leave me #1 and he and I fight again in his back yard and history repeats itself in the same fashion. So when I Guthie it was a emotional night for me because I was in a PAYBACK frame of mind. If you swist my arm and made me pick I would have to say the Guthie fight because i also made history that night there has only been 5 guys go from Middleweight to Light heavyweight and win the world Title. Hopkins was the last with his win over Taver.

    Q:Now, let's talk about Roy Jones. One would think that you would be eager to avenge that pretty clear decision loss against Roy. Yet, you're talking about Glen Johnson instead.
    RJ: I would love a chance to avenge that loss but the only way for that fight to happen is for me to knock out one of the guys who knocked him out. If Roy called me tomorrow and said let's do it again that fight would be a done deal.

    Q: What about Bernard Hopkins ?
    RJ: I welcome that fight before the Jones fight. This is a fight was suppose to happen at middleweight but this will only happen if I take care of Jones or Glen Johnson.

    Q: Now, I know that you are working on a book. Can you talk to us about that ?
    RJ: "On The In Side Looking Out From A Fighters Perspective" The Reggie Johnson Biography... People here about what goes on in the boxing industry but I plan to tell all and who can better tell the story that I've lived for 22 years.

    Q: What does it take to be a world champion ?( I mean, a real world champion). Also, you have had one the best chins in the business. Is it a God-given attribute ? Alot of people tell me IM lucky and I tell them Luck is a dividend of hard work the harder you work the luckier you get..... My mind set has always been win the fight in the gym and stay true to they game will stay true to you. If you do that you may leave the game with all your teeth and your senses. The chin is a blessing from GOD. This is something you can't teach are train, you have to be born with it.

    Q: This year I interviewed Javier Castillejo who was coming back just like you; basically he said that if he didn't think that he could be a world champion again, he would hang them up. And it did happen for Javier, at age 38. Virgil Hill is also another such case. Are you inspired by these examples ? Somewhat but I know in my heart that I can do it. My fellow man Big George Foreman is my biggest inspiration he's where IM from, 5th Ward Houston Texas he told me I was still a baby and the best was yet to come from me. That came from the man with the blueprint and he's sharing it with me.

    Q: A final statement ? I know there's no other fighter in the World who has been though what I've been though as boy, man , and boxer. They say experience is the best teacher and if that's true I have a master's degree across the board. The best of me is yet to come and I will prove that every time that bell rings and if any fighter from 168lb to 175lb beg to differ let's see if we can compliment each other as businessmen and then meet in the square. I can be reached at reggjohns9@aol.com and www.reggiesweetjohnson.com

    2 World Champion

    Reggie "sweet" Johnson

  • #2
    Nice interview, Tim.

    Comment


    • #3
      Its pretty funny to me that Reggie Johnson speaks about Roy Jones now that Roy isn't at his peak anymore. Before RJJ went up to heavyweight, Reggie Johnson would have gone into epileptic shock if someone mentioned RJJ's name in the same room.

      But like most chumps, he speaks big words now that the mighty have fallen. Much in the same fashion Holyfield and Lennox Lewis sought to prove something against a shell of the former great Iron Mike Tyson.

      Tarver and Johnson's wins over Jones are the equivalent of Terry Norris' win over Sugar Ray Leonard. A case of a guy not knowing when he's done enough to retire and he beats himself. Proof of that is that neither fighter(Tarver or Johnson) can do anything since the only big win of their careers.

      Comment


      • #4
        Agreed, Uke.

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