Glen Johnson – “The Road Warrior” Looking For One More World Title Chance

by James Slater – Super-tough light-heavyweight Glen Johnson will engage in his first fight since turning the age of 40 this coming Friday night, when he meets the man he formerly drew with in Daniel Judah. Now possessing a hard-earned pro record of 48-12-2(33), “The Road Warrior” will be hoping to both set the record straight against Zab’s brother, while also earning himself one more, possibly final, crack at a version of the world’s light-heavyweight title..

Nothing has ever come easy to the Jamaican-born Johnson, and that looks unlikely to change any time soon. Coming up even with Judah back in April of 2003, Johnson now needs to beat the guy who has never been stopped at 175-pounds and who in his last fight beat Jaffa Ballogou (who goes in with Shaun George later tonight). Yes, Johnson is the favourite to this time beat Judah, but the fight does not figure to be in any way easy. And at age 40, how much can the 62-fight veteran have left?

What Johnson wants more than anything else is a rematch with reigning IBF light-heavyweight boss Chad Dawson. The 40-year-old, along with a large number of other people, is convinced he beat “Bad Chad” when he went toe-to-toe with him in April of last year, and he wants the chance to set the record straight. The April 12th battle was a great fight indeed, and it seems practically everyone but Dawson himself would join Johnson in welcoming a part-two. But first the man who has wins over Antonio Tarver, Roy Jones Junior, Eric Harding and Clinton Woods must get past Judah in their return meeting.

While the 31-year-old has never been stopped as a light-heavyweight, neither has the teak-tough Johnson. Only the all-time great that is Bernard Hopkins, in his middleweight days, has ever beaten Johnson inside the distance – therefore it’s likely the Feb. 27th rematch between Johnson and Judah has a good chance of going the limit. Neither guy is a huge puncher (although Johnson did put Roy Jones’ ageing lights out about five years ago), and both men have good chins – Johnson especially.

“The Road Warrior” has won one fight since the disappointment he felt after the Dawson fight, while Judah has also won his last fight after suffering a points defeat. It’s unlikely the younger man’s southpaw stance will bother Johnson unduly – after his long career and all the experience he’s picked up during it, it would take more than that to upset the Floridian – and thus far there have been no obvious signs of Glen’s reflexes fading at all.

The fans in attendance can look forward to a good, competitive distance fight in Hollywood, Florida this coming Friday – they can also expect the amazingly well preserved and still ferociously determined Johnson to win it. Look for the 40-year-old to pound out a UD this time around.

Then, maybe, “Gentleman” Glen will find himself getting one concluding shot at a world title.