By Scott Gilfoid: Former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (19-0, 14 KO’s) doesn’t think much of his opponent Kevin Johnson (28-2-1, 13 KO’s), who Fury will be fighting on Saturday night at the Odyssey Arena, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Despite Johnson having previously faced WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in a title challenge in 2009, Fury sees Johnson as little more than a journeyman level fighter for him and a stepping stone to get to the next level.
Fury said this in his recent telephone conference call: “Kevin Johnson talks about knocking people out, but he has only 13 knockouts in 30 fights. So unless I’m delusional or he is, if he does come hard and tries to get me like he says he is going to have an early out by the fists of Fury. He’s not a man of his word, he can’t come and fight Tyson Fury because it’s an early Christmas present if he does. He’s a stepping stone. He’s on the same level as the other journeyman I’ve fought. He’s no more no less. There’s no ambition to him. He just wants to get paid and go home. That’s his job and that’s what he’ll be doing with a couple of punches in the face to take with him. He’s a stepping stone for me. He talks about being the greatest heavyweight but the guys an idiot. He talks a good fight but he can’t fight. He’s not that quick. He gets hit. He’s not fighting with a heavyweight that throws 2 to 3 punches. He’s fighting with a heavyweight that throws 10 punch combinations.”
Fury talks a big game for a fighter with little power, little defense and little experience against quality opposition. Fury wants to challenger one of the Klitschkos next year, yet he’s not looked good in any of his fights. He’s likely to struggle badly on Saturday night and I expect him to lose to Johnson. However, with the fight taking place in Belfast, I think we might see Fury win by a controversial decision. I can see that happening.
I think Johnson is going to expose all of Fury’s limitations in this fight and give him a sound beating with his jab. Fury hasn’t faced anyone with a jab nearly as good as Johnson’s and it’s going to be a problem for him. Johnson is going to go old school on Fury and show how talented Americans from New Jersey know how to fight.
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