Glen "Road Warrior" Johnson
Glen Johnson Bio
• World championship fights: 2-7-1, 1 KO. • Former IBF light heavyweight world titlist, one successful title defense. • Former super middleweight world title challenger. • Former middleweight world title challenger. • “2004 Fighter of the Year” – Boxing Writers Association of America. • “2004 Fighter of the Year” – The Ring. • Former USBA light heavyweight champion. • Super Six: World Boxing Classic Semifinalist. Now 43 years old, the Jamaican-born Johnson is a 19-year pro, having turned pro on February 19, 1993. The former IBF light heavyweight world titlist, he is still one of the top fighters in the world, now campaigning as a super middleweight. In a world full of pretenders, Johnson is the real deal, a true fighter who is willing to fight anyone, anywhere, at any time. That’s why fight fans affectionately call him “The Road Warrior.” Unfortunately, that attitude led him into situations where he had to take fights on short notice and was forced to travel into his opponents’ hometowns, garnering more than his share of highly controversial and disputed decision losses and draws for reasons extending beyond his prowess in the ring. Yet he fought on, knowing that every time the fans sat down to see him, they were going to see a fight. And he knew that eventually, he would even the playing field for himself with his fists. That day came on September 25, 2004. Just seven months after he achieved his dream of winning a world championship by defeating Clinton Woods in Woods’ hometown of Sheffield, England, Johnson put his IBF light heavyweight belt on the line against modern-day legend Roy Jones Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. It was no contest. From bell to bell, Johnson put the pressure on Jones until he knocked him out in the ninth round. It was at that moment that the entire sports world knew who Glen Johnson was. Less than three months later, Johnson decisioned Antonio Tarver to cap off one of the most amazing years in recent history. It earned Johnson not only recognition as the best 175-pounder in the world, but earned him the 2004 “Fighter of the Year” award from all major media outlets. “The Road Warrior” had arrived. Discarding any ideas of sitting on his title, Johnson jumped right back into the ring with Tarver in June of 2005, and though “The Magic Man” would win a hard fought 12-round decision in the rematch, Johnson won even more fans with his classy, “no excuses” attitude after the bout. That didn’t mean that Johnson was done fighting though, and in September of 2005, Johnson earned another shot at the IBF light heavyweight crown regained by Woods by stopping hard-hitting contender George Khalid Jones in 10 impressive rounds. After turning back another stern test in former world title challenger Richard Hall via a 12-round unanimous decision on February 24, 2006, Johnson’s name was thrown around as a possible opponent for 168-pound champion Joe Calzaghe, but as was the case the first time the two were expected to fight, the Welshman decided to avoid the wrath of “The Road Warrior”. After losing a highly controversial third fight to Clinton Woods by split decision in England in September of 2006, Johnson impressively defeated Montell Griffin, Fred Moore and Hugo Pineda before losing a controversial decision to undefeated Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson on April 12, 2008. The disappointed “Road Warrior” responded by beating Aaron Norwood and Daniel Judah to earn a rematch with Dawson, who again defeated Johnson in a close decision on November 7, 2009. On February 5, 2010, Johnson reached two more milestones in his illustrious career. He knocked out Yusef Mack in the sixth round to notch his 50th win and, once again, earn a No. 1 ranking in the IBF setting the stage for a mandatory title shot, this time against undefeated Champion Tavoris Cloud. On August 7, 2010, Johnson lost a highly controversial 12-round decision to Cloud, in Cloud’s home city of St. Louis, in a bid for the IBF light heavyweight title. Rejuvenating his career once more, Johnson miraculously dropped weight to move down to the super middleweight division, something unheard of with fighters of advanced ages, to participate in SHOWTIME’s “Super Six: World Boxing Classic” tournament. Taking over for Mikkel Kessler, who withdrew from the tournament due to an eye injury, Johnson found himself in the semifinals facing friend Allan Green, another late replacement following Jermain Taylor’s withdrawal, on November 6, 2010, at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas. After seven evenly matched rounds, Johnson, who was gaining the upper hand with his pressure, backed Green against the ropes to start the eighth and fired two right hands that decked his foe. Referee Robert Byrd felt that Green was too hurt to continue and halted the contest, at the 0:36 mark of the frame. In the second round of the semifinals, Johnson faced off against WBC titlist Carl Froch, of Nottingham, England, at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, NJ, on June 4, 2011. Johnson gave a good account of himself, as usual, but Froch’s granite chin was able to withstand the punishment that Glen could dish out. Johnson acknowledged afterward that he fought Froch’s fight on the inside when he should have focused on boxing from the outside. In the end, Johnson would lose a majority decision. Johnson was in the ring five months later, this time against the Canadian-based Romanian, Lucian Bute, for the IBF title, on the champion’s home turf of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, at the Pepsi Coliseum, on November 5, 2011. Unable to find his rhythm, Johnson was outboxed by Bute over 12 rounds, en route to losing a decision. Key Fights – 2012 – On 12-15-12, Johnson was back on the road, this time returning to England where he won his IBF light heavyweight title in 2004. Facing the up-and-coming undefeated George Groves, 15-0, Johnson was game and but outworked. Withstanding the Englishman’s offense for 12 full rounds, Johnson just wasn’t able to return enough fire. The judges tallied 120-107 twice, and 119-109, all for Groves. On 7-13-12, Johnson faced hometown prospect Andrzej Fonfara, 21-2, at the UIC Pavilion, in Chicago, IL, in a bout televised on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights”. Despite starting off well early, Johnson’s 43-year-old legs began to tire. Fonfara took advantage and was the busier fighter in the later rounds. Scorecards read 97-93 twice, and 99-91, all for Fonfara. 2011 – On 11-5-11, Johnson traveled to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, to face IBF super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute, at the Pepsi Coliseum. Johnson would lose a unanimous decision with scores of 120-108 twice, and 119-109. On 6-4-11, at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, NJ, Johnson lost a majority decision to WBC super middleweight titlist Carl Froch, 27-1, with scores of 117-111, 116-112, and 114-114. 2010 – On 11-6-10, Johnson dropped down to the 168lb. weight limit to defeat Allan Green via TKO8 (0:36), at MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, NV, as part of the semifinals of SHOWTIME’s “Super Six: World Boxing Classic” super middleweight tournament. On 8-7-10, Johnson lost a controversial 12-round decision to undefeated champion Tavoris Cloud at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO. All three judges scored it 116-112 for Cloud, the 28-year-old from Tallahassee, FL. On 2-5-10, in Miami, FL, Johnson knocked out Yusef Mack in the sixth round to notch his 50th career win. 2009 - On 11-7-09, Johnson lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Chad Dawson as Dawson remained undefeated and won the interim WBC light heavyweight title. Fighting in his home state of Connecticut, the 27-year-old Dawson, who vacated his IBF title to fight Johnson for a second time, outboxed his 40-year-old opponent, who was never able to get close enough to land the hard punches that made their first fight in April 2008 so tight. Dawson, a southpaw, used his right jab to score, while keeping Johnson away. He won the early rounds with the strategy, following the jab occasionally with a hard left or a speedy combination. On 2-27-09, Johnson beat Daniel Judah at Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood, FL, via 10-round unanimous decision, with scores of 99-90 twice, and 99-89. 2008 - On 11-11-08 in Hollywood, FL, he TKO’d Aaron Norwood (26-10-2). The fight headlined at the Hard Rock Live Arena, and Johnson dominated. He pressed forward, consistently landed the harder punches and steadily wore down Norwood. The referee stopped the fight at 1:20 of the fourth round. WBC LH WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE – On 4-12-08 in Tampa, FL, he lost a 12-round decision against lefthanded defending champion Chad Dawson (25-0). The fight was on the undercard of the Antonio Tarver-Clinton Woods main event at the St. Pete Times Forum, and it was a fast-paced, exciting battle that stole the show. It was also a questionable and unpopular decision. Many rounds were close and hard to score, and the momentum shifted back and forth. Dawson boxed effectively and outworked Johnson in several rounds, but Johnson constantly pressed forward and rocked Dawson with hard right hands throughout the fight. Dawson started fast and swept the first and second rounds on all three scorecards, but Johnson stunned him with three right hands in the third and swept the round. Johnson outworked Dawson and won the 12th on two scorecards, and the crowd gave them a standing ovation at the final bell. Many also booed the announcement of the decision scored 116-112 on all three scorecards. On 1-5-08 in Atlantic City, NJ, he TKO’d 36-year-old left-handed former welterweight world title challenger Hugo Pineda (39-3-1). The fight was on the undercard of the Paulie Malignaggi-Herman Ngoudjo main event at Bally’s, and Johnson dominated. He constantly pressed forward and steadily wore down Pineda. Johnson rocked Pineda with a series of punches in the sixth round—which two judges scored 10-8 for him—then scored a knockdown with a right hand to the head-left hook to the body combination in the seventh round. He rocked Pineda with a series of punches to the body and head in the eighth, and the referee stopped the fight at 0:49. After seven rounds, Johnson led by scores of 69-62, 69-63, 68-63. 2007 - On 7-27-07 in Miami, FL, he knocked out 40-year-old left-hander Fred Moore (30-6). Moore boxed and moved effectively in the early rounds, but Johnson started to step up his pace in the third round and rocked Moore a few times with right hands in the fourth. Johnson scored a knockdown with a right late in the fifth round, and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:45. IBF LH TITLE ELIMINATOR - On 5-16-07 in Hollywood, FL, he TKO’d 36 year-old former WBC light heavyweight world champion Montell Griffin (48-6). Griffin boxed effectively in the early rounds, but Johnson constantly pressed forward and landed the harder punches. Griffin was cut over his left eye by an elbow in the fifth round. Johnson steadily wore him down as the rounds progressed and staggered Griffin with a right hand in the 11th frame. Griffin’s corner stopped the fight at 2:38. 2006 – IBF LH WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE - On 9-2-06 in Lancashire, England, he lost a 12-round split decision in his third fight against defending champion Clinton Woods (39-3-1). It was a fast-paced, exciting fight and a questionable decision. Some rounds were very close, but Johnson generally outworked Woods in the early rounds, worked the body well, and landed the sharper punches. After six rounds, the fight was scored 58-56 Woods, 57-57, 57-57. Johnson won the seventh and eighth rounds on two scorecards and swept the ninth on all three, but Woods came back and won the 10th on two scorecards then swept the 11th stanza. Woods staggered Johnson with a right hand late in the round and swept the 12th round, as well. Many ringsiders thought Johnson deserved to win, but the judges scored 115-112, 116-112 Woods, 114-112 Johnson. On 2-24-06 in Hollywood, FL, he won a 12-round unanimous decision against left-hander Richard Hall (27-5). Hall gave a good effort, but Johnson dominated most of the fight. He scored a knockdown when Hall was held up by the ropes in the second round, and consistently outworked him. Johnson staggered Hall in the 11th round, and won by scores of 119-107, 119-108, 118-109. 2005 - IBF LH ELIMINATOR - On 9-30-05 in Brooks, CA, he TKO’d left-hander George Khalid Jones (23-2-1). Johnson dominated much of the fight. He scored a knockdown with a right hand in the first round, and consistently outworked Jones and worked the body well in the following rounds. He staggered Jones with a right hand in the 10th round, then rocked him with a series of punches and the referee stopped the fight at 2:30. After nine rounds, Johnson led by scores of 89-81, 87-83, 87-83. On 6-18-05 in Memphis, TN, he lost a 12-round unanimous decision in the rematch against left-handed former WBC-IBF light heavyweight world champion Antonio Tarver (22-3). The fight headlined outworked Johnson in the early rounds, and after six rounds, led by scores of 59-55, 59-55, 58-56. Johnson rallied in the middle rounds, and won the last two rounds on two scorecards. After an exciting 11th round, Tarver won by scores of 116-112, 116-112, 115-113. 2004 - On 12-18-04 in Los Angeles, CA, he won a 12-round split decision against left-handed former WBC-WBA light heavyweight world champion Antonio Tarver (22-2). The event drew an announced crowd of 9,126, and it was a fast-paced fight with intense action. The momentum shifted back and forth, and after nine rounds, Tarver led by scores of 87-84, 86-85, 86-85. But Johnson rallied to win the last three rounds on two scorecards, and won a 12-round split decision by scores of 115-113, 115-113 Johnson, 116-112 Tarver. 1ST IBF LH WORLD TITLE DEFENSE - On 9-25-04 in Memphis, he knocked out former middleweight, super middleweight, three-time light heavyweight and heavyweight world champion Roy Jones Jr. (49-2). It was a spectacular and devastating one-punch knockout. Johnson started extremely fast and he pressured Jones against the ropes in the first round, and punched almost nonstop until the bell. Jones had his moments in the fight and scored with some sharp combinations, but Johnson consistently outworked him and staggered him with a right hand in the fifth round. Johnson scored a knockdown with a right hand in the ninth round that put Jones flat on his back, out cold, and he was counted out at 0:48. It took Jones several minutes to regain consciousness, and he was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure. After eight rounds, Johnson led by scores of 78-74, 77-75, 77-75. WON VACANT IBF LH WORLD TITLE - On 2-6-04 in Sheffield, England, he won a 12-round unanimous decision in the rematch against former European champion and hometown favorite Clinton Woods (35-2-1). Woods gave a good effort, but Johnson constantly pressed forward, staggered him in the second round, and landed the harder punches throughout the fight. It was scored 115-113, 115-113, 116-112. 2003 - VACANT IBF LH WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE - On 11-7-03 in Sheffield, he fought to a 12-round draw against Clinton Woods (35-2). It was a good fight. Johnson started fast, constantly pressed forward and landed the harder punches, but Woods boxed effectively at times and finished the fight strongly. Almost all observers thought Johnson clearly won the fight, but the judges scored 116-112 Johnson, 115-113 Woods, 114-114. WON VACANT USBA LH TITLE - On 5-18-03 in Bronx, NY, he won a 12-round unanimous decision against left-hander Eric Harding (21-2-1). It was a good, close fight. Johnson pressed forward, outworked Harding, and rallied in the middle rounds. Harding was cut over the right eye in the third round and over the left eye in the seventh by a clash of heads. Harding rallied in the late rounds, but Johnson won by scores of 116-112 on all three scorecards. On 4-4-03 in Uncasville, CT, he had a 10-round draw against Daniel Judah (17-0-1). Judah is the half-brother of undisputed welterweight world champion Zab Judah. Many rounds were close, but Johnson cut Judah over the right in the first round, and generally kept a busier pace. Many observers thought Johnson deserved to win, but the judges scored 97-93 Johnson, 97-93 Judah, 95-95. On 1-24-03 in Commerce, CA, he lost a 10-round majority decision against former world title challenger and local favorite Julio Gonzalez (31-1). Johnson started fast, rocked Gonzalez several times and built an early lead, but Gonzalez rallied in the late rounds and many observers thought that Johnson deserved to win, but the judges scored 98-92, 96-94, 95-95. 2002 – On 4-14-02 in Las Vegas, NV, he lost a 10-round unanimous decision against former world title challenger Derrick Harmon (21-2). Several rounds were close, but Harmon frustrated Johnson with constant movement and kept a busier pace. It was scored 97-93, 97-93, 98-92. 2001 - On 7-28-01 in Berlin, Germany, he knocked out previously undefeated hometown favorite Thomas Ulrich (20-0). It was Johnson’s first fight at 175 pounds, and a spectacular knockout. Ulrich was ranked No. 1 by the WBO and No. 4 by the WBC, and was a heavy favorite to win, but Johnson scored two knockdowns in the sixth round—the first with a right hand, the second with three left hooks—and Ulrich was counted out as the bell sounded. Ulrich led on all three scorecards after five rounds. The devastating knockout left everyone in the arena in shock, including Ulrich’s cornermen, who left their fighter to struggle up off the canvas and stagger back to his corner with no assistance. 2000 - On 9-23-00 in Bethnal Green, England, he TKO’d British prospect Toks Owoh (15-1). Owoh was favored to win and fought very aggressively, but Johnson rocked him in the third and fifth rounds with right hands. Johnson landed a left hook in the sixth round that left Owoh staggering from one side of the ring to the other, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:05. On 6-2-00 in Philadelphia, PA, he lost a 10-round majority decision against Omar Sheika (19-1). It was a close, exciting fight and both had their moments. Sheika scored a knockdown in the fourth round, but Johnson came back, rocked Sheika in the eighth, and cut him on the right eyelid in the ninth. It was scored 96-93, 96-93, 95-95. On 4-15-00 in Padova, IT, he lost a 12-round unanimous decision against Silvio Branco (38-4-2). Johnson took the fight on short notice, but gave a strong performance and many observers thought he deserved to win. It was scored 236-226, 237-221, 238-221, on the 20-point must system. On 1-28-00 in New Orleans, LA, he lost a 10-round unanimous decision against Syd Vanderpool (27-1). Vanderpool generally outworked Johnson, and won by scores of 98-92, 98-92, 96-94. 1999 - IBF SM WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE - On 11-27-99 in Dusseldorf, Germany, he lost a 12-round unanimous decision against defending champion Sven Ottke (16-0). It was a very close fight. Johnson constantly pressed forward, but Ottke outworked him in several rounds. Johnson rallied in the 10th round, but Ottke won by scores of 115-113, 115-113, 116-112. On 10-16-99 in Oranjestad, Aruba, he TKO’d Marcelo Zimmerman (14-2) of Curacao in the first round. On 4-22-99 in Dallas, TX, he won a 12-round unanimous decision against Troy Watson (24-16-1). 1998 - On 8-4-98 in Auburn Hills, MI, he lost a 10-round majority decision against Joseph Kiwanuka (25-3-2). It was a very close fight. Kiwanuka constantly pressed forward, but Johnson moved and counterpunched effectively at times. It was scored 96-95, 97-93, 95-95. 1997 - On 12-13-97 in North Lake, IL, he lost a 10-round decision against contender Merqui Sosa (31-5-2). IBF MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE CHALLENGE - On 7-20-97 in Indio, CA, he was TKO’d against defending champion Bernard Hopkins (31-2-1). Hopkins dominated the fight, wore down Johnson, and the referee stopped the fight at 1:23 of the 11th round. After 10 rounds, Hopkins led by scores of 100-90 on all three scorecards. He debuted at the age of 24 on 2-19-93. AMATEUR, PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Johnson was born and raised in Clarendon, Jamaica. He has one brother and four sisters. His dad was an engineer for a bauxite company in Jamaica and his family moved to Miami when he was 14. He didn’t begin boxing till age 20. “I was a fat boy when I started, 195 pounds,” he said. “That was my motivation—to lose the weight—and that’s what I started doing. It was all new guys. They would throw us in there and let us spar and stuff. I had never been in a gym before, or done anything athletic. From there, I just started going, and one day they said, ‘Hey, you want to do some amateur fights?’ I said, ‘You think I’m good enough?’ They said, ‘Certainly.’ I kept going and going, and they told me I had something. I made a career out of it.” He had 40 amateur fights (35-5), and was a two-time Florida State Golden Gloves champion at 165 and 178 pounds. In addition to boxing, Johnson held a fulltime construction job until just before his fight against Roy Jones Jr. in September 2004. STRENGTHS: Has good skills and movement...has good punching power, especially with the right hand…a good body puncher...at his best, he constantly pressures his opponents and wears them down...tough and determined, is always in top condition…has good stamina, can rally late in fights…is experienced against top opposition. WEAKNESSES: Is advancing in age…lacks speed…is not always busy enough, can let himself be outworked.
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Record:51-18-2 (35 KOS)
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DOB:2 Jan 1969
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Height:5' 11"
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Weight:Super middleweight
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Birthplace:Clarendon, JM