Johnson-Klitschko: Kevin to try and box Vitali from the outside – News
November 27th, 2009
By Jason Kim: Unbeaten heavyweight contender Kevin Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KO’s) plans on trying to fight World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (38-2, 37 KO’s) from the outside, saying to East Side Boxing “I can stand outside and box the hell out of Klitschko.” That’ll be interesting to see, because it runs counter to the normal logic of opponents of the big 6’7 ½” Klitschko brother.
If that’s Johnson’s only plan on beating Klitschko, then he’s going to be sadly mistaken because Vitali will mix in more than enough power shots to win most, if not all, of the rounds. The lack of power for Johnson is his main problem going into their December 12th fight at the PostFinance Arena, in Berne, Switzerland.
Johnson, 30, has never been a very big puncher and outside of B level fighters, he’s never beaten a top rung heavyweight during his career. Indeed, Johnson has never even faced a top tier heavyweight before. The large part of Johnson’s fights have consisted of 2nd and 3rd tier opponents. He’s been shielded from 1st tier fighters until now.
That’s not good news for Johnson, because Vitali is perhaps the best heavyweight in the entire division bar none and he has much more experience than Johnson has against quality fighters. Not only that, but Klitschko will have a huge 4 ½” height advantage over Johnson. The weights of the two fighters are roughly the same, however, but Vitali appears to be the more solid fighter. Johnson looks to be carrying around an extra 15 to 20 pounds of fat on his frame.
Johnson has been able to stay on the outside and use his excellent jab to beat the mostly mediocre opponents that he has faced during his six year pro career. Because he hasn’t faced anyone with power or real boxing skills, Johnson hasn’t had to work hard in most of his fights to get his wins. Johnson doesn’t tend to throw a lot of punches during his fights and like to fight at a kind of lazy economical rate.
It will be a big test to see if Johnson’s body can ramp up and let him throw more punches without tiring out. Johnson is going to have to let his hands go more if he wants to beat Vitali. Johnson can’t afford to fight lazy off the ropes and expect to hurt and knock Vitali down like Johnson did with his last opponent Devin Vargas in May 2009. Johnson spent a great deal of time on the ropes in that fight, taking a lot of shots and throwing back occasionally.
Vargas ended getting hurt by Johnson’s left hooks and taken out. However, 27, was taking a big step up in that fight by facing Johnson and wasn’t ready for a fighter like Johnson. Vitali will be ready and he won’t likely be effected by Johnson’s jabs nor his occasional pot shot left hooks. The only chance that Johnson has if he tries to outwork Vitali and tire him out. It’s a near suicidal strategy, but it’s his only chance. Johnson will get out-pointed if he stays on the outside.
23 Responses to “Johnson-Klitschko: Kevin to try and box Vitali from the outside – News”
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comparing klits to mike tyson is ridiculous mike whole Carrer he never held as much as one round of klit young mike would have ko’ed both in the same night
foreman could probably do it now
when is holding going to be illegal in boxing
maybe thats why ufc is getting to be more popular
klits corner jab right, hold, wate for ref! jab, right, hold, wate for ref! , jab, right, hold, wate for ref!
i got it Emanuel
rick what are you, some sort of new breed of retards, lewis beat your hero,infact opened his head up, he is fighting a bum. david haye is going to end this klit bums career, david has learned his lesson when he was beaten by carl, dont dwell on that arse hole, he has progressed just like pacquio and khan, bums like you dwell in the past, you havent a clue mate
klit as usuall fighting bums, david haye is going to take out this palooka
Vitali Klitchco is the best heavyweight of dominence since Mike tyson. All boxing experts must objectively agree.Just ask Ariola.Just ask all who have fallen to the future legend. Vitali would have dethroned the talented Lennox Lewis if not for a gaping cut suffered by a huge right hand from Lewis;So not to take anything away from Lewis;orByrds elusiveness causing an injury from swatting at air with bad intentions. The big man would be forty and o.Thats not bad now is it.
what will the hugging brothers do when someone beats them on the outside. holding is whats wrong with boxing. Wladimir looks like hes trying to reverse hump his opponents on the inside. if holding was illegal in boxing Wladimir would not be champ. Johnson reminds me of the old timer real boxers who actually faught, not the jab right, hold, wate for ref! jab, right, hold, wate for ref! , jab, right, hold, wate for ref!
I agree with the Doctor. But remember these are heavyweights, all it takes is one good strike, and its over. Klitchko will take johnson to school,just like all the rest, including Lewis.
By the way, didn’t Lewis retire right after the klitchko fight.
hey man Vitali will most likely knock him out but it seems like its always the no body who comes along and gets the upset… but i dought it… i hope not… no way!
Smells like a keep busy fight until Vitali can seal a deal with Haye. Hats off to Vitali for taking on another top 10 ranked heavyweight this year, even if Johnson has very little chance of winning (Going by Ringtv’s rankiings).
wat kind of revenue would haye v tua make f.ck all why would haye fight tua briggs none of them would make money and after all boxing is a business and yes lewis could punch and vitali can take a punch but the difference with haye is speed and the punches you don’t see coming are the ones that hert you only have to look at hayes last fight nobody had hert the big rusian the way haye did and the punch wasn’t Evan a big punch and anyone how noes boxing noes that having to punch upwards takes a bit of sting out of your punch and everyone goes on about his chin but he has been stopped once and that was more down to him punching him self out but haye can be taged but he still gets up and wins the fight and haye didnt get ko by solis in the amateurs yes he lost by stoppage but not ko as all these Americans would have you believe in fact solis was in more trouble in the first round than haye was in the entire fight just watch the fight and see 4 your self
Johnson will be boxing on the outside al right, outside the ring as he is carried out still dreaming.
Seriously good luck to both men but Vitali is to good for this one. In fact looking round for the next year he will be simply to much for anybody.
JOHNSON WILL LOOSE,HE IS NOT THAT GOOD THAT IS WHY HE WAS CHOSEN. IT WILL BE A LATE STOPPAGE AS VITALI´S PUNCHING POWER IS VASTLY OVERATED,HE HAS TO HIT HIS OPPONENT WITH TONS OF PUNCHES BEFORE THEY GO.HE IS NOT LIKE HIS BROTHER,A ONE PUNCH KO ARTIST.
no hope for you guys …haye will get killed by either klits. its funny how you dude’s are so desperate for a hope to come along and beet one of the 2 brothers its just the way it is . and aint no way its change’n …
lets get real here. Everyone and their mom had a lot to say pre Arreola Klitschko about how Arreola is a brawler and he would bring the fight to Vitali. but i knew Vitali would slap the snot out of him.
The same will happen with Johnson, if in doubt please rewatch Klitschko vs Lewis then explain to me how you see anyone beating Vitali before he turns 45?
I see Johnson winning this one. He boxes very well on the back foot, and his style is all about letting oppenents come to him. I think it will be a bit confusing to Vitali because this will not be another angry man coming (forward) to hurt him. Vitali will definately have to take the lead, but if he is too scared then we are in for another boring fight.
Vitali is #1 heavyweight . Nobody can beat this guy . He is too strong , smart ,experienced . Wladimir, he is good too but not like his bro. Haye is a decent fighter but with a weak chin , no chance against Klitschko’s . I want to see in the future Haye vs. Adamek(this guy can fight) and Vitali/Wladimir Vs. Povetkin.
Silly matchup, he is out of shape, another arreola type challenger. david tua is the most compelling challenger, bring on the tuaman, he already been through the grinder
plus ther is no way u can write off a fighter who has knocked out almost every opponent he has faced. haye is a breath of fresh air to a tired heavyweight division
i dissagree rick. its not haye going for a big payday its haye wanting to beat the best there is around instead of the other heavyweight minions
If Lennox Lewis could not stop Vitali, how is Haye going to stop Vitali? Or wil Haye try and wait until Vitali is 40 or older – is that fair?
People give Haye too much credit. His chin is dodgy and he is open to getting hit. Those factors go against him. Haye will not last against any of the younger top 10 heavyweights let alone the Klitschko’s. Boytsov, Briggs, Tua, Povetkin, Solis and some of the other contenders would KO Haye. This is why Haye opts for the weaker fighters first. Or, Haye will just rush in for a big payday against the Klitschko’s.
Kevin Johnson has very good technique and Lennox Lewis proved that it is possible to catch him wih jabs.
I would actually give him a good chance of making it a least a competitive fight.
beat* ……….
johnson bat him in the amatuers
kevin j is just another big pudding for Vitali to beat on. david haye is the only one who can stop him, believe me people!