It was a major surprise late last year when it was announced that Glen Johnson 51-14-2(35) would be a late addition to the Super Six, his inclusion only came because other fighters fell out of the tournament through various injury’s. He scored a dominant win over Allen Green to progress to the Semi Finals where he will now meet Carl Froch for the Englishman’s WBC Super Middleweight title. He’ll be the underdog, but that’s nothing new to the affable Jamaican, it’s a role he’s used to and relishes the chance to shock the world again. He started his career brightly back in 1993 going an impressive 32-0(22) before he ran into a certain Bernard Hopkins and unsuccessfully challenged for Hopkins Middleweight title. After that setback he slipped into journeyman status going 7-8-1 before getting a shot at the Vacant IBF Light Heavyweight title in England against Clinton Woods. Though many believed he should of won it was declared a draw. He returned 3 months later to right the previous wrong and set up for a clash with Roy Jones Jnr. Many believed he was just cannon fodder against the unworldly talented Jones. However he shocked everyone by dominating Jones before knocking the great man out. He parlayed that win with a victory over Antonio Tarver to become The Ring magazine’s 2004 Fighter of the year. Since then he’s lost a few but only to the best whilst beating everyone else, he’s given young guns like Chad Dawson & Tavoris Cloud hell before losing decisions. When the 42 year old “Road Warrior” was offered the spot in the Super Six he jumped at it and see’s it as a new way to prove himself. Here’s what the humble Jamaican had to say.
Hello Glen, welcome to 15rounds.com
Anson Wainwright – You have the semi finals of the Super Six coming up with Carl Froch on 4 June in Atlantic City. What are your thoughts on that fight?
Glen Johnson – You know obviously the fights going to be a tremendous fight; it’s going to be a great fight. Carl Froch is a real fighter and the world already knows I am a good fighter. So we’re going to give the fans their money’s worth.
Anson Wainwright – What do you think of Froch?
Glen Johnson – Well he’s a good fighter. He fought a couple of fights I saw him in. He fights on the inside and brawls. The last fight (against Arthur Abraham) he kept his distance used his jabs. He’s an excellent brawler and he’s also an excellent boxer, so we prepare for both things. He’s coming to fight a good fight and I’m going to be ready to fight back.
Anson Wainwright – How easily do you make 168? Before the Allen Green fight it had been 10 years since you were that low in weight.
Glen Johnson – The big challenge was making it for Allen Green but I already made that weight and I did it at short notice and it wasn’t difficult it was easier than I thought. With this fight I had plenty of notice. I’m already on my weight now a month from the fight.
Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how the deal came about to enter the Super 6?
Glen Johnson – A couple of people got hurt. I believe (Mikkel) Kessler got hurt and they needed a replacement for Kessler & then Andre Dirrell got hurt and they needed a replacement for Dirrell so I believe I replaced Kessler because of the eye and then I needed to knock out Allen Green to make it into the Super Six semi finals just winning wasn’t going to be good enough and when Dirrell got hurt all I needed was just a win but I needed up knocking out Allen Green anyway. So even If I needed a knock out I’d of stayed in.
Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team; who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also where do you regularly train for fights?
Glen Johnson – My manager is Henry Foster, my trainer is Orlando Cuellar and my promoter is Warriors Promotions run by Leon Margules and also Di Bella Entertainment there partners on the promotional deal. I live in Miami and train in Miami, I don’t really go anywhere. I keep my training camp here in Miami.
Anson Wainwright – You’re now 42, what do you think are the main reason’s why you have been so successful at an advanced age for a Boxer?
Glen Johnson – I really don’t know, I could be the fact that clean living, genetics or it could be the fact that I work hard and that I take care of myself or it could be a combination of both but whatever it is I’m not questioning it. I’m not changing anything.
Anson Wainwright – How much longer do you think you can keep performing at the highest level?
Glen Johnson – You know hopefully we can find out I don’t make plans.
Anson Wainwright – Who do you think is the best fighter you have fought in your career?
Glen Johnson – The best fighter I fought was Bernard Hopkins. You know when I fought against Bernard Hopkins we were at two different levels. He was great and I didn’t feel like I knew what was going on, the guy was superior to my level at that time. Nobody has ever got in the ring with me that made me feel the way Bernard Hopkins made me feel, he just made me feel I couldn’t win. Nobody else ever made me feel like that when I’m in the fight. Bernard Hopkins let me know right off the bat from the first round that I had no chance of winning the fight.
Anson Wainwright – What is your best win in you opinion?
Glen Johnson – The Roy Jones fight that was the most popular. I would go with that fight but I would say the fight that meant most to me was the fight is Clinton Woods because that’s when I won my championship and that’s the fight that set up the Roy Jones fight was winning the fight, without winning the championship I’d not of boxed Roy Jones. Winning the IBF title meant the most to me but guess the most popular was the Roy Jones fight.
Anson Wainwright – Many years ago you were scheduled to fight Joe Calzaghe but for various reasons the fight never happened. Why was this from your point of view? What did you think of Calzaghe?
Glen Johnson – I just believe Joe Calzaghe was scared of me. I don’t see no other reason for the fight not to happen. We scheduled the fight 3 times and 3 times it didn’t happen and he had an excuse why the fight didn’t happen. What else is there to say. Maybe he could answer it different but that’s from my side.
Anson Wainwright – Tell us about growing up in Jamaica? How were things for your growing up there? Also how did you first become interested and take up Boxing?
Glen Johnson – Growing up in Jamaica was great for me. I enjoyed my childhood. I had a lot of fun as a kid. I had loving & caring people taking care of me, I had great friends and stuff around and I enjoyed their company. It was a great time for me. I love swimming and did a lot of that when I was on the Island. It was a typical childhood, I just grew up enjoying my surroundings. It was a wonderful time.
Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do when you’re not Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?
Glen Johnson – My hobbies…You know I don’t know if you can write what I like to do outside of Boxing as my hobbies! Haha But yeah spend time with my wife, lets put it like that! Haha
Anson Wainwright – Not to close to fight!
Glen Johnson – No, not at fight time. Outside of fight time it’s my favourite hobby!
Anson Wainwright – How did you start Boxing?
Glen Johnson – I started Boxing because I was overweight at age 20. I started to get overweight I had a lot of overweight people in my family and didn’t want to end up overweight so I started looking around for a gym to work out. They opened a gym in my community. If you lived in the area it was free and free fitted my budget so I went in and started working out, just exercising and the coach took a liking to me and started to teach me the technique of Boxing. He asked me if I wanted to star amateur Boxing and I said “Yeah” so we took if from there. 3 years later we turned pro.
Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the other semi final of the Super Six? Presumably you’ll be following that Ward-Abraham?
Glen Johnson – Oh yeah definitely. I’ll certainly have Interest in that fight, I’m looking to fight the winner. I’m looking to win my fight so I’ll be looking to see who I’ll end fighting. I think it’s a good fight, people aren’t giving Abraham much of chance but I think it’s a tough fight for Ward because of Abraham’s style. I believe Abraham will get off a lot easier than he was with Froch. Froch stayed on the outside away from him, Ward’s not that type of guy. He’s faster, he moves his hands faster (Ward) but I give (Abraham) a chance, a lot of people don’t. I think it’ll be a good fight.
Anson Wainwright – Do you still consider yourself part of the Light Heavyweight division?
Glen Johnson – Not right now, I see myself as a Super Middleweight right now. I don’t think I’ll go back to the Light Heavyweight division there’s nothing in the Light Heavyweight division for me. One of the reason’s I was hanging around the Light Heavyweight division was hoping the guys from the Super Middleweight division would come up. But I came down so there’s no reason for me to. I already fought everyone at Light Heavyweight, there’s nobody else to fight. The Super Middleweight division has a lot of opportunities, a lot of great fighters are here. A lot of fighters I’ve never fought, It’s opened up a fresh chapter and great fights for the fans. I’m looking forward to the future in the weight class.
Anson Wainwright – After the Hopkins fight you lost several fights that many people believe you should of won. What are your thoughts on that?
Glen Johnson – You know for me even though the consensus is I was robbed and I didn’t get the decisions you know I didn’t let it take control of me. For me it was a motivating factor. Even though these fighters couldn’t beat me inside the ring, they had people outside the ring (the judges) beat me. They didn’t because they didn’t have the talent in the the ring to beat me. That was the thing for me it was a whole different factor. I kept my spirits up. Probably if I won that fight I probably wouldn’t of had that drive. It made me tough and more mentally prepared for the future.
Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans ahead of the Froch fight?
Glen Johnson – Of course, the message to my fans is their the greatest fans in the world. Most people want to jump on bandwagons of guys who are undefeated and obviously if you look around I’m far from that. So the fans that I have I cherish them. There real Boxing fans, they know what their looking at and seeing and I appreciate that. I get support around the world. So thanks for that.
Thanks for taking time out to speak to us Glen.
Thanks, I appreciate you taking time to Interview me.
Anson Wainwright