Glen “Road Warrior” Johnson - A Testament to Will


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Glen “Road Warrior” Johnson - A Testament to Will

By Jason Petock (Mar 18, 2009) Doghouse Boxing

Glen “Road Warrior” Johnson 49-12-2 (33) is everything that is still good about the discipline of boxing. Polite, humble, with blue collared dedication, and a fighter’s fighter if there ever was one, Glen demonstrates an uncanny and veteran earned ability inside of the ring, a place of comfort and effectuality established by his presence. He dwells in a realm of consistency and productivity inside of the ring ropes. Johnson is a natural mystic of sorts, flowing through the air with the momentum of a freight train full speed ahead. If ever there should be an example made of what a fighter’s mettle is

made up of, one would only have to look at Glen Johnson, the pugilist. He is the calm before the storm. The man is boxing.

Yet the spotlight still eludes him. So too does the incessant adoration, fawning and hero worship by the media and fans nationwide, who reserve their applause and idolatry for flashier fighters with more sparkle but far less skill. Part of this can be clearly attributed to the often jaded and spectacle driven mirage that big names in boxing who pull all the strings have wanted to turn the beloved sport into for years. They have been doing so while lining their pockets off of the backs of men very much like Glen Johnson. Fighters who fight whoever, wherever, however. Mind you, fighters like Johnson’s caliber are very rare these days in boxing, which is why many times when a fighter fights his heart out and works every minute of every round like it’s his last, like Johnson does, they’re often referred to as “old school” or “throwback”. “The Road Warrior” is more than deserving of this title.

This is a boxer who doesn’t fit into their molds, classifications, or boxes. He does his thing in the ring and does it well. Why is it that no one else seems to be more aware of this fact, especially those in control of the purse strings? Men like Glen Johnson and Bernard Hopkins have reinvigorated the sport time and time again with their solid, consistent efforts as the rest of you continue to try and sweep them out the door. It is the old men who all of you say cannot fight. You predict them to lose and fall and yet they shine gloriously and even outwork your younger, less skilled spoilers. The only thing your spoilers are consistent in doing is just what their names suggest, and that is to rot. Opponents lose to Glen Johnson because he is a real fighter doing real things in the ring. There is no flash to his persona, he doesn’t need it. No swagger or braggadocio, just a prize fighter letting his fists and nobility speak for themselves.

In his recent victory over Daniel Judah 23-4-3 (10), Johnson not only starched Judah in the opening round with a hammering right that dropped Judah like a bad habit, but he went on to completely and utterly dominate the entire evening, pinpointing crisp left hooks to Judah’s body and showing once again that he still is of Champion caliber and still deserves far more recognition and respect than he’s been getting by the public. Of 183 body shots that Johnson threw against Judah, 122 landed. Johnson’s work rate is never in question and some of the lazier and less focused younger fighters who are skating along on elementary boxing skills and lucky mistakes could learn a thing or too from this game and astounding veteran, who earns every pay day he gets and fights every round as if it’s his last. That, and only that, is the definition of a true fighter. That is Glen Johnson.

Glen, I can honestly say that I have appreciated the privilege of seeing you fight during my lifetime. You always come to fight, never complain and take on all comers. You are a testament to the will of a fighter and a real Champion, and you deserve the same respect and honor that far lesser men who have donned the gloves before you have received, often in haste. At 40, you are an inspiration to us all and an example of what can be done when you put your head down and just go forward. Thank you.

Comments/disputes/questions?
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Jason at:
boxingwarrior@hotmail.com