Exclusive Interview by James Slater – Seen by many as the best unbeaten young American heavyweight contender, Kevin “King Pin” Johnson already feels he is the best heavyweight in the world. His team at Star Boxing recently put out a press release saying the 29-year-old would risk a good friendship to land a fight with his biggest rival in terms of a heavyweight prospect from the US, in Chris Arreola.
To ask the 21-0-1(8) Johnson about this and other things, this writer called the contender with the superb left jab earlier today. However, though he kindly granted me the interview, Kevin was not his usual talkative self, often replying with one-word answers.
Here are “King Pin’s” answers to my questions.
James Slater: Just following up on the press release that Star Boxing put out, where you said you’d fight Chris Arreola, even though you are friends – is that the ideal fight for you next?
Kevin Johnson: Skip that question.
J.S: Skip it? You mean you don’t want to fight him now?
K.J: That press release was put out by accident. It wasn’t supposed to say what it did.
J.S: So there’s a change of plan, you don’t want to fight Chris, as he’s a friend of yours?
K.J: Why would two friends fight, unless the right money was there? They wouldn’t pay us what they should if we fought right now. So why even talk about it!
J.S: Do you consider it to between you and Arreola when it comes to who the best young US heavyweight is though?
K.J: We are the best. I just won’t compare my self to him. I won’t put his name in the same sentence as mine.
J.S: Is that out of respect for him, do you respect Chris?
K.J: Yes.
J.S: Who would you like next then, and is there any word on how soon you will fight again?
K.J: January, against whoever I can get. Someone good.
J.S: I know you very much wanted the fight with David Haye, but what do you think to him getting the fight with Vitali Klitschko?
K.J: He’s gonna get knocked out and then he’ll ask to fight me. But I wont fight him after he’s been knocked out.
J.S: You don’t give Haye any chance against Vitali Klitschko?
K.J: Nope!
J.S: Do you agree that Vitali is the best heavyweight in the world right now?
K.J: No.
J.S: Okay, so who is?
K.J: Me.
J.S: Some people feel Haye has rushed into this fight with Klitschko. Had you been offered that fight right now would you have taken it. Do you feel you are ready?
K.J: Yeah, I’m always ready.
J.S: What did you think to Wladimir Klitschko against Hasim Rahman recently? Some said Wladimir looked to have gotten better, do you agree? Were you impressed at all?
K.J: I’m never impressed. He [Wladimir] is beatable and it wouldn’t take superman to do it. You see, none of these other guys are like me. I train all year round. When guys like Rahman get the call to fight, that’s when they start training. I would’ve taken that fight with two week’s notice and I would have beat the hell out of him. I have speed. Whatever any fighter may or may not have, whatever he can and can’t do, he can’t afford to be too slow for me.
J.S: Everyone agrees you have speed and a great jab. Do you feel other fighters are too slow, and that you are being avoided?
K.J: Of course. I am their loss and they know it. You’ll see. But if I can’t get a championship fight I’ll continue to stay busy. The thing is, no-one talks any crap about me on the internet, because they know I’ll come and close their mouth. Nobody dares disrespect me.
J.S: Do you agree that Vitali is the better of the two Klitschko brothers?
K.J: He has a better chin.
J.S: What sort of a chance do you give Holyfield against Valuev?
K.J: Holyfield is going to put it all on the line in that fight, but he has absolutely no chance. I worked with Valuev for four years, I know the man. Holyfield will get stopped.
J.S: You’d love a fight with Valuev yourself?
K.J: Of course. He’d be way too slow for me.
J.S: It’s been great speaking with you, Kevin. Sorry if I called you at a bad time and disturbed you…
K.J: Not at all, call me any time.
J.S: Is 2009 the year, if you’re given the chance, when the heavyweight titles will be brought back to America?
K.J: Yeah. Well, I don’t know about America, but I’m gonna have one.
J.S: Thanks for your time, Kevin.
K.J: Okay, bye.