By James Slater – We keep waiting for 41-year-old marvel Glen Johnson to show his age and run out of amazing performances. Saturday night, in the latest stage of the “Super Six” tournament, it was fellow replacement fighter Allan Green’s turn. But guess what, the previously unstopped Green became the latest fighter to fall victim to the ageless wonder..
Before the fight, many people wondered how “The Road Warrior” would cope boxing at 168-pounds. Johnson had not boxed as a super-middle for ten long years, and some felt his strength and overall performance might be affected in the fight with the speedy Green. Instead, the Jamaican wonder looked better than ever. Fast, with his right hand especially, and full of stamina, Johnson’s fine showing made some people ask how effective he might have been had he elected to stay at 168-pounds in 2001, instead of going up to light-heavyweight.
And Johnson’s 8th-round stoppage win over Green was all the more astonishing considering how it came after his gruelling points loss to the much younger Tavoris Cloud (in a fight that was very close, in the opinion of many people, if not on the cards). Now sporting a 51-14-2(35) record, Johnson looked unfathomably fresh and full of zest against a man ten years his junior.
Okay, Saturday night’s fight was close on the cards at the time of the somewhat controversial stoppage (Johnson hit a leaning Green with a right hand to the back of the head), and against a more experienced fighter, Johnson may have lost a decision. But whatever you think about Johnson’s future prospects in “Super Six,” in which he will now advance to the semi-finals, you have to hand it to the veteran for scoring yet another big win.
Johnson, a definite Hall of Famer of the future, even if he decided to quit the sport tomorrow, has to also be recognised as one of the most outstanding fighters of our era. Stopped just once, by the also remarkable Bernard Hopkins (how interesting would a return match between those two warhorses be?!), “The Road Warrior” has given fans so many great nights and uplifting wins. The Green victory probably won’t be the last big win for Johnson, either.
No, we can’t get too carried away and say he will defeat (likely “Super Six” winner) Andre Ward, but as good, as crafty and as remarkably well preserved as he is, we CAN say Johnson has an excellent chance at giving Ward his toughest test yet if and when he meets him in the ring.
Johnson jumped at the chance when he was offered the opportunity to replace the injured Mikkel Kessler in “Super Six,” even though some good judges suggested he would be weakened and depleted at his lowest weight in a decade. Johnson proved once again last night that he knows what he’s doing. Glen also made a case that he just might be 2010’s answer to the late, great Archie Moore!
Even if the remainder of the soon-to-be 42-year-old’s jaw dropping career may play out at super-middleweight, not light-heavyweight.