11/30/06 - By: Matt Yanofsky www.brickcityboxing.com  Today I had the pleasure to speak with former two division world champion Reggie “Sweet” Johnson. Reggie retired 43-7-1 with 25 KO’s. Johnson fought many top superstars during his prolific career. He fought the likes of Roy Jones, Antonio Tarver, Steve Collins, and James Toney. Reggie can be reached at ReggieSweetJohnson.com MY: Reggie hows it going? Since your retirement from the ring last year, what have you been up to? RJ: Well first off I have not retired. I just have had problems getting a fight. I just consider this a long layoff. My last fight was a bittersweet win. Since then it has been hard to get a fight. I still want to fight a top 10 guy, no bums. MY: During your career you were the victim of four split decision losses. One was to the great James Toney, one against Former Light Heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver and twice to Jorge Fernando Castro. Did you ever become frustrated, after being on the bad end multiple times of such a close fight? RJ: The Toney fight, both of the Castro fights and the Tarver fight. A real fighter knows where he is at. I honestly felt Tarver won that fight. The other three fights I felt I was robbed, as well as my loss to John David Jackson. These seemed like political decisions against me! [More:] MY: Reggie, you had two victories I considered career defining. You defeated long time champion Steve Collins and also gave former Light Heavyweight king William Guthrie his first defeat. Which victory meant more to you? RJ: Well, both were important but I’d say my victory over Guthrie. He was bigger because I moved up two weight classes and worked so hard. Initially, he was an 18-1 favorite which dropped to 7-1. I surprised a lot people and knocked him out in the 5th round. MY: After your second fight with Jorge Fernando Castro, you decided it was time to move up. You made a very interesting move by going from Middleweight to Light Heavyweight which is a fifteen pound difference. Why did you decide to skip right over Super Middleweight {168 lbs}. RJ: It wasn’t planned, I wanted to come back at 168 but I had the Guthrie fight right away for a title and I jumped on the opportunity and won. I trained with Guthrie before so I had a chance to defeat a guy that I knew a lot about. MY: After winning the Light Heavyweight Championship and defending it twice, you went against my all time favorite fighter and pound for pound superstar Roy Jones Jr. You ended up dropping a Unanimous Decision. How did it feel to be in the ring and compete with the fighter who was known as the best in the world pound for pound at that time? RJ: As a fighter you go in there saying he was just as much ready as me. I had sparred with Roy, right before the Collins fight. I felt good about that fight, because you can’t determine anything. I did go 12 rounds with the best. I am proud of that fight, even though I lost. MY: After the Jones fight, you had two more victories then you faced off with another superstar in Antonio Tarver. You dropped a majority decision. After fighting Tarver, did you ever think he would have accomplished what he did? RJ: I knew he was a great amateur. Tarver was looking for somewhere to go. I gave him the opportunity and after he defeated me he campaigned for a fight with Roy. He is talented and tall and I don’t know how makes 175. Honestly I don’t know how he did what he did to Roy, but styles makes fights and I guess he just had Roy’s number. My: After the loss to Tarver, you had a three year lay off before coming back for one final fight in August 2005. You came back successfully knocking Fred Moore out in the 9th round. What made you come back for another fight? Was it the fact you wanted to retire with a win in your last fight? RJ: I NEVER retired. When you have promotional problems and such you can have long layoffs, this happens in boxing especially with contracts and everything. People just assumed I retired. I still want to fight! I want top guys. I am not retired. I am currently in talks with Glen Johnson for a fight. Our careers are about parallel. I still believe Johnson is the toughest guy in the light heavyweight division. If I go in there and knock out Glen, I did what Roy and Tarver couldn’t do. MY: Reggie thanks for your time. What do you have to say to all your fans and the readers at BrickCityBoxing.com? RJ: I’m still alive and kicking! I am not your average 40 year old boxer. I am in great shape and have never been ko’ed in 51 pro fights. I want to be considered the new old school king. I have been around for almost 22 years. I want the best and to be the best you have to beat the best! |
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