“It’s going to be an easy fight for Roy Jones Jr.”; “Pacquiao is my favorite fighter” -- Glenn Johnson
Straight From DSource:
I recently spoke to former Light Heavyweight champion Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson on his thoughts about his career and upcoming mega fights between Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar De la Hoya and Roy Jones Jr. vs. Joe Calzaghe.
Glen has fought the best of the best fighters in the business in the likes of Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson. He beat Antonio Tarver in 2005 and knocked out Roy Jones Jr. when they fought in 2004.
I have never seen a boxer who has been handed the shorter end of the stick in terms of fight decisions. Here Glen also discusses how he feels about being pushed back so many times throughout his career and the politics of boxing. He also shares something he feels that he and Manny Pacquiao have in common. Definitely still one of the best Light Heavyweights in the game, hear what one of the best and realest boxers has to say about the biggest fights of the year and even a future fantasy rematch between Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins.
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BOXING HERALD – Boxing Herald.com is here with former Light Heavyweight champion “The Road Warrior” Glen Johnson. Glen thanks for taking time out to do this interview.
GLEN JOHNSON – Thanks for having me man, I appreciate it.
BOXING HERALD – First of, how are you doing Glen and what’s keeping you busy these days?
GLEN JOHNSON – I’m doing good, and I’m not as busy as I would like to be.
BOXING HERALD – I want to know your opinion on a few upcoming fights. Let’s talk about Roy Jones Jr. - who you knocked out when you saw each other in the ring- versus Calzaghe on November 8. Do you think Roy can score an upset?
GLEN JOHNSON – I definitely believe Roy Jones will win this fight. I have no doubt in my mind he’s going to win. Joe Calzaghe is a limited fighter. He throws a lot of slapping punches. He really doesn’t throw a lot of punches that are meaningful. He looked good against a guy like Jeff Lacey because Jeff Lacey is a little more robotic than anything else. He’s stepping up against Roy Jones, a guy that’s faster than he is, has better footwork and better athleticism. I just see it being an easy fight for Roy Jones.
BOXING HERALD – I’m pretty sure you want a rematch against Roy Jones huh?
GLEN JOHNSON – That’s something I’ve been looking forward to happen. I want to fight all of these guys. I want to fight Roy Jones again. I want to fight Joe Calzaghe no matter if he wins or loses. Bernard Hopkins… these are people I want to fight again. Chad Dawson, if he has the nerves, and the heart, the will, I want to step in the ring with him again. Any one of these major fighters, I want to fight all these guys. It’s just a matter of do they want to fight me? Do they want to step to the plate and take on a real challenge, and it doesn’t seem that way.
BOXING HERALD – Exactly, and you do deserve those fights.
GLEN JOHNSON – I believe I’ve sacrificed enough in boxing and I’ve been patient. I took my ups and downs like anyone can and stayed with it. I believe I’ve paid my dues and I should be able to get these fights. I should be able to get these breaks, but nobody’s throwing it my way. In the mean time I’m still a part of the game and I’m still waiting to see what happens.
BOXING HERALD – I tell you this much though, we still want to see you in the ring against these top fighters too. We’re just going to hope and pray I guess that they’d take that challenge to face Glen Johnson.
GLEN JOHNSON – I thank you man. I hope and pray the same thing. Keep the faith and believe at some point it will happen.
BOXING HERALD – How about Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar De la Hoya on December 6. Who do you think is going to win that one?
GLEN JOHNSON – That fight is a toss-up man. I’m a big Pacquiao fan. Pacquiao is my favorite fighter and Andre Berto is my second favorite fighter that I really like to watch get in the ring and do what they do. I see Pacquiao as a guy who if he keeps the pace that he normally fights with and don’t put extra weight on that’s going to prevent him from doing what he normally does. If he puts the weight on and not be able to do what he normally would does then I think he’s going to end up losing the fight. I think he just needs to be strong where if he gets caught with a De la Hoya punch, he can take it and not get knocked out. Once he is able to get that much weight on and not any excess weight, just enough weight where he can maintain and take any shots that might slip through cause you’re going to get hit no matter how good you are defensively- but when you get hit, can you take it? I think that’s all the weight he needs, just enough weight to take a blow when he gets caught and not pack on extra weight thinking I need to be so much stronger and bigger or anything like that cause that’s going to injure him from doing what he normally does. And if he does that and does it properly I give him a good chance of winning the fight. And that’s his only chance I think.
BOXING HERALD – Awesome. I’m sure a lot of Manny Pacquiao fans will appreciate your feedback on that.
GLEN JOHNSON – Well, I think I’m leading the crew of the Manny Pacquiao fans. I’m a major Pacquiao fan. I just love the way the guy steps in the ring and just leave it there. We come out and we leave it all in the ring, and I feel like I do the same thing so there’s a connection there with me.
BOXING HERALD – Definitely! “Real recognize Real.” Glen, we appreciate you as a fighter. You’re the blue collar lunch pail type of guy who never quits and just keep coming also. Does that have to do anything with how you grew up and tell me how you got into boxing?
GLEN JOHNSON – It definitely has a lot to do with how I grew up. I’m a guy that worked all my life. I’ve been working since I was 14 years old. I found boxing when I was 20 because I was overweight and looking for a way to lose weight and walked into the local gym and the Miami Police athletic program and realized it was a free program. As I was talking to the guy there he said if you live in the community it’s a free program for you to come in and train. It worked with my budget so I started going in there and training and started losing weight and the guy started showing me how to box. I didn’t feel like I was catching on but he thought I was catching on and he showed me special attention and started helping me out and stuff and asked me if I wanted to try the amateur boxing and I said yes we can definitely give it a shot. That’s where it started man, and the rest is history as they say.
BOXING HERALD – As tough as you are, can you tell me who was the toughest boxer you ever fought in the ring?
GLEN JOHNSON – I would say Bernard Hopkins is the toughest guy I’ve fought. At the time that I fought him I was lacking experience so that’s the toughest that set in my mind. Since that I’ve never been through anything like that because I had gotten experience because of that fight and made me a lot better since that fight. That would be my toughest experience and the second I would say would be Merqui Sosa.
BOXING HERALD – If Roy Jones Jr. was to face Bernard Hopkins again, who do you think is going to win that one?
GLEN JOHNSON – Umm… I would say Roy Jones. I would give Roy Jones the edge because I think Bernard Hopkins has problems with guys that move fast. Bernard Hopkins is very good with big, slow, guys that are mechanical. Guys like Antonio Tarver, guys like this guy he just fought- Kelly Pavlik. These are big, tall guys but they’re slow. They don’t have hand speed, they don’t have footwork to make any difficult situation for Bernard Hopkins. These are guys that Bernard would beat 99% of the time. If they fought 100 times, Bernard would beat these guys 99 times. But when you talk about guys with hand speed and foot speed that moves and kind of throw him off his game a little bit, I think he has a little bit more problem with those guys. That’s why a guy like Jermaine Taylor would give him some trouble. Even though he fought a competitive fight with Joe Calzaghe, Joe Calzaghe gives him troubles because Joe Calzaghe moves, he throws a lot of sloppy punches and he’s hard to read and study. Those types of things will give Bernard trouble but as far as guys that are straight up and throw a 1-2-3, Bernard will have a field day with those guys all day.
BOXING HERALD – I don’t know any guy who’s gone through so many bad breaks in terms of decisions in their whole career. You’re last fight with Chad Dawson was controversial as well. Doesn’t it frustrate you? And what keeps you motivated to keep on fighting?
GLEN JOHNSON – Well you know the thing of it is that I have to do something to survive… to live, and it’s what I’m good at. I do feel deterred sometimes but again I don’t have any choice but to go on. It’s painful to see these guys move on and fight for major money. I feel like they’re fighting and making the money I should be making while I get pushed back making this low Mickey mouse pay days.
BOXING HERALD – What advice can you give other boxers out there who are in your similar situation?
GLEN JOHNSON - You know what man? I really don’t have advice for them because I need advice myself. Because every thought that they have, I have those same thoughts. I have pondered with a lot of different things that’s gone through my head and in my heart and everything else. For me I just know that tomorrow is another day. It’s another day for me to find a way to survive in. It’s all that just simple for me. Nobody can get Glen Johnson to give up. Boxing will still go on long after I’m gone and they’ve already shown me that they don’t really need me and want me so…
BOXING HERALD – Oh, we need you.
GLEN JOHNSON – O well, they keep on taking my victories from me so that’s sending me the message loud and clear right there. The fans might want to see me fight but the politics of boxing is hard to beat.
BOXING HERALD – Yea, I understand. Well don’t worry Glen. We’re going to rally to see you again fight one of these top fighters. We want to see you fight the Calzaghes also and the Kelly Pavliks, because you’re in that elite level together with the Roy Jones’ and the Bernard Hopkins. So man, just keep at it. And lastly do you have anything to say to your fans out there?
GLEN JOHNSON – Well I thank you and I thank my fans for being patient and loyal to me. You are the greatest fans out there. I’ve never seen people that stuck with a guy that get pushed back so many times and you guys have proven time and time again to be sticking bandage and I just pray to God everyday that you guys continue to hold on because I’m coming back.
BOXING HERALD – You’ll always be a champion in our eyes man and we’ll look forward to see you again fight in the ring.
GLEN JOHNSON – Hey thank you man, take care. I appreciate the interview brother.
BOXING HERALD – Thanks Glen, I appreciate it. Stay healthy.
