A Sweet Return: Topic to Topic with Reggie "Sweet" Johnson
 By Chris Robinson (July 30, 2005)
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Reggie "Sweet" Johnson
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In the sport of boxing some of the best action happens away from center stage. With some people still debating the Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins fight and others looking at potential fights down the road like Samuel Peter vs. Wladimir Klitschko, one man's return to the ring has gone a bit unnoticed, but not by this observer. On August 27th former Light Heavyweight Champion Reggie 'Sweet' Johnson makes his way back into the squared circle for the first time in over three and a half years in his quest towards regaining his glory as a champion. Johnson has always been a bit underrated in my opinion, and this is a move that could affect the landscape of the 175 lb. division in the near future.
Johnson is a pro's pro and has been around the fight game for well over twenty years. Through boxing Johnson has traveled the world while also realizing his potential as a fighter and as a person. The southpaw stylist has held belts in both the 160 and 175 lb. weight classes while tangling with the likes of James Toney, John David Jackson, Roy Jones Jr., and Antonio Tarver over the years. The Houston, Texas native stopped by Bragging Rights Corner to talk about his return to the ring, his love for the sport, and life in general. I found Johnson to be as classy outside of the ring as he was inside of it. This is what we discussed...
Ready to go...
'I'm not calling this a comeback, it's a get back. I feel rejuvenated. I'm starting with a clean slate and I'm ready to go. I think the division is wide open now. I think anybody can come out on top. Every time I have a layoff I come back stronger because I have a chance to be on the outside looking in. Being away makes me hungry for what I'm missing and I always come back better.
Laying his life on the line...
'It wasn't by choice that I was away from the game, it was other circumstances regarding promotional disagreements. I'm just one of those guys that has been around a long time and I just don't think it's fair that I go out and do the work, lay my life on the line, only to have my future decided by someone on the outside.
Antonio Tarver's big win against Roy Jones...
'In the first fight I thought Antonio Tarver fought a hell of a fight. Many people felt that he won that fight but I gave the fight to Roy. In the second fight he really got to Roy and did what he needed to do. Antonio is a good fighter. I think his greatest asset is his size. It's kinda hard getting in on someone who's that big. It's like he could sit on his stool in between rounds and still touch you, he's that tall and lanky.'
Looking at Glen 'The Road Warrior' Johnson...
'It was good seeing a guy like Glen get his just due. I've been watching Glen Johnson for a while and eventually thought I would face him down the road. I think he's been in a lot of fights in which he was robbed, but he's fought on and that says a lot about his character as a fighter.
Coming back focused...
'At my age I'm coming back focused. I told my agent Kerry Daigle I would be willing to meet anyone from the top 15 in the world. I've gotta do what I've got to do to get to that title shot. I'm willing to fight anybody.
A 'William Guthrie state of mind''...
'Knocking out William Guthrie (in 1998) to win the IBF belt was a great feeling because I proved a lot of people wrong. Once again I was coming off a promotional dispute. It's like history getting ready to repeat itself because I told someone that I'm in a 'William Guthrie state of mind' and I'm coming back determined.
Coming together...
'I'm not just a fighter. I'm a fan of the sport and I think now is the time for fighters to wake up and come together. We need to come together and take charge of our careers. Why should we go in there and put our lives on the line and come out the worse for it.
Brains over brawn...
'Trust me, in this business you can't be around for 21 years without being smart. I think a smart guy will beat a tough guy every time.
Family matters...
'I born in Houston, Texas. I was raised in the same area where George Foreman grew up. My dad and George both grew up together. It was rough. I also looked out for my sisters and we had it rough. I'll never forget after the 1984 Olympic trials I was begged to go another four years, but I had to turn professional because I was taking care of my family. I had to help my mother and I had to help my family. I explained to them that I couldn't live off of trophies, I had to make some money.
An introduction to the sport...
'I had an uncle who was a sponsor at the Boys and Girls Club, his name was Kenneth Walker. He would fill up sand in a sack and we would hit them like they were a heavy bag. One day he took me to the gym and introduced me to James Carter, who would go on to become my mentor. He took me under his wing and told me that one day I was going to become a champion. At that time I didn't even know what a champion was but he believed in me. He told me that if I did all the right things, stayed focused, and stayed away from drugs that I would become a champion.
Taking somebody with you...
'I remember talking to James one time and something he said stood out. He told me that if I stayed on the right path I would be successful and have a lot of great things come my way, but that none of that would matter if I wasn't able to take somebody with me.
Beyond the sport...
'Right now, of course I want to make money. Money's always a motivation because it's security. It's something to go along with all of those belts. At the same time it digs deeper than just the money and even the titles. I want something beyond the sport.
Knocking out Drugs
'In my free time I started a Knockout Drugs program, we had a big event in October and we have another one coming up. I'm very big on staying away from drugs. Where I am from, in my family and in my community, it's everywhere. I've been told it's even in nice parts of Houston, just everywhere it seems.
Controlling your own fate...
'Even before I started boxing I played football, baseball, and all kinds of other sports. It was always a situation in which you had to depend on somebody. Boxing was one on one. That's why I love the sport, because you control your own fate.
Coming through...
'Traveling the world through boxing has given me a lot of great experiences. Those experiences are part of my makeup and part of my character. All that stuff comes into play when it comes to other situations. I've been in some pretty tight situations and have gotten though them.
Like home...
'Even if it's not in the United States, I always want to go where I am from, which is the ghetto. Seeing people in poverty is something that I can relate to. In Argentina it was weird because all of the poor people were up in the mountains. I had people take me up there and it felt like home to me.
South Africa...
'Going to South Africa was special because I got to see how people lived over there. They lived in huts and didn't have a lot of possessions. I thought the ghettos that I came from where bad, but it was nothing compared to over there.
Around the States...
'I lived in California for a while and it was always a great place to fight. It's like fighting in Hollywood. And of course I have liked fighting in Vegas, Atlantic City, and other places.
Fighting James 'Lights Out' Toney in June of 91...
'I fought James after his knockout over Michael Nunn and I thought I won the fight clearly. They robbed me of the win and it was the type of fight that can bring you down, but it's when you're down that you really find out what you're made of. I came back six months later and got back on track.
The political side of things...
'One of the things I have always hated is seeing the politics of boxing change how everything was supposed to play out. I really missed out on some great fights against some great fighters. I remember being on collision courses with guys like Nigel Benn and Gerald McClellan but they never came off. I even remember one time looking towards a fight with Bernard Hopkins but it never came to surface. All this political stuff is terrible because you have another man controlling your fate. Boxing is a great sport but think how much greater it could be if you didn't have to deal with the promoters and the political side of things.
A Blessing...
'If it wasn't for boxing, who knows where I would be. Not only me, but just about every fighter out there would be the same. You can interview anybody you want to and they will probably tell you the same thing, that boxing has been a blessing.
The Old School fighters...
'Like most people I was a very big Muhammad Ali fan. George Foreman was another guy that I can really relate to because he came from where I come from. Guys like Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Marciano, and Willie Pep were also idols I looked up to. I was at the Boxing Hall of Fame and I got to meet some great people like Jake LaMotta and some of the other great throwback fighters. There's just something about the old school fighters that I like.
'Pretty Boy' Floyd Mayweather...
'I think Floyd Mayweather is the best fighter out there right now. I just like his whole get-up, the way he handles himself in the ring. I see from his last fight that he's still maturing in a lot of areas and still coming into his own.
Fan support...
'I went to the Boxing Hall of Fame and the support I received was tremendous. I talked to a guy and told him how I had been away from the sport for a few years, and he said 'Right here you are going to find out if people have forgotten you or not'. And sure enough, three days later at the parade a lot of people still recognized me. It's the fans who really inspire us to do what we do. Not only in boxing, but who doesn't want to hear about when they do a great job' Positive attention like that is always gratifying.
Last words...
'I am just happy to be back. I want to thank the Paragon Casino and Resort because they gave me a great deal and have been very helpful towards me regaining my title. I'd like to thank my agent Kerry Daigle, who has really been the one behind my return to the ring. I can't forget Termite Watkins, my trainer, because he has always been behind me through all these years. Thanks to my family as well and last but not least, David Rivas from Rivas Warrior Boxing."
Reggie Johnson makes his return to the ring on August 27th at the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, LA.
I'd like to send a special thanks to Kerry Daigle for his help with this one on one. It was greatly appreciated. I wish Reggie and his team all of the best on August 27th and in all future endeavors.
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