RAZZ-MCFC Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Mikkel Kessler turned down the fight. Kelly Pavlik turned it down -- and the $1.35 million (minimum) payday -- as well. But not Glen Johnson. The former light heavyweight champ wants the fight badly. Just treat him fairly, he said, and he will live up to his "Road Warrior" nickname, show up in Montreal and fight his heart out against super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute. "I really want to get it done," Johnson told me about the ongoing negotiations to make a deal. "I do believe they should keep in mind that I have accomplished some things when they put an offer on the table." Bute and his promoter, Jean Bedard of InterBox, are in the market for an opponent for Bute's Nov. 5 date on Showtime, which signed Bute to a multi-fight contract late last year and so far has gotten no bang for its buck. Bute's first fight under the deal was an overpriced, seven-figure mismatch against Brian Magee in March. Bute's next fight, a blowout against undeserving mandatory challenger Jean-Paul Mendy on July 9, was so pointless that Showtime didn't want the fight. Bute fought outside of his contract and Showtime aired only a highlight package. The big carrot for Showtime is an eventual fight between Bute and the winner of the Oct. 29 Super Six World Boxing Classic between titleholders Andre Ward and Carl Froch. But before that, Bute will fight in the fall in the second bout of his Showtime deal. Understandably, Showtime wants Bute to face a premium opponent. It was supposed to be against Kessler, a former titlist and Super Six participant. They could not make a deal, although contrary to numerous reports, Kessler was never offered even close to $3 million for the fight. Then Pavlik turned down the fight because he didn't think $1.35 million was enough, even though what he should have done was get down, kiss the ground and give thanks for such a generous offer. With those guys taking themselves out of the running, Johnson is clearly the most attractive (and available) option for Bute. His co-promoters, Leon Margules and Lou DiBella, have been negotiating with Bedard, even though they've been far apart on the money. They, and Johnson, were not happy with the initial offer, which was less than $300,000 -- simply a disrespectful and laughable lowball offer for a fighter of Johnson's stature, regardless of the fact that he's coming off a (competitive) decision loss to Froch in the Super Six semifinals in June. Margules said on Monday that they were getting closer but that there is still work to be done. "We've narrowed the gap," Margules said, adding that they would probably close on a number that he and DiBella were not happy with because that's how much Johnson wants the fight. Johnson will probably wind up taking a deal worth less than $500,000. "I really believe I will give the best fight of the three names put out there," said Johnson, who is supremely conditioned at age 42. "I don't really think Kessler would necessarily win the fight, and I don't think Pavlik could win the fight. I'm going in there to win the fight and come out as IBF champion." Johnson has regularly traveled to his opponent's hometown during his career (hence his nickname). Often, he has been screwed over on hometown decisions. But he is more than willing to go to Bute's hometown of Montreal. "Ever since this fight was first discussed, I've thought about going back on the road," Johnson said. "I'm willing, as always. I'm going to put in the effort. I need this fight. I have to have this one. I'm gonna go and do everything I have to do to come out successful. [Going on the road] is a chance you have to take if you want to accomplish what I am seeking to accomplish." Perhaps one of the reasons for Johnson's confidence is because he has been in the ring with Bute -- whom he considers a friend -- before. In late 2009, when Johnson was preparing to fight Chad Dawson and Bute was getting ready for his rematch with Librado Andrade, Bute trained in the same South Florida gym as Johnson and they sparred numerous rounds together. "If I never sparred him, I would still feel the same way, that I could beat him," Johnson said. "I never go into a fight thinking I can't win the fight, because I really believe in my talent. I'm very confident about what I can do, so I'm not hanging my hat on [the sparring sessions]. We both did good work against each other. But this is for all the marbles. This won't be sparring. This is a totally different thing, a different atmosphere." Margules said he watched many of their sparring rounds and is convinced they are the reason Bedard's offer is so weak: Offer Johnson so little that there is no way he would take the fight, so the reasoning goes. "They know fighting Glen is life or death," Margules said. "That's why his people are offering to pay him so little. Glen got the better of him in sparring and they're spooked." So Johnson sits and waits for a respectful offer for the fight, one he is willing to take for short money -- but not insulting money. "I just believe that [the offer] was not right, but I am going in with the attitude that this is an opportunity for me and I am not going to do anything to let this get through my fingers." Bute is a pound-for-pound talent. He's undefeated. He's a big ticket-seller in Quebec. He has made eight defenses since winning his belt in late 2007. However, his competition level hasn't been all that impressive, to be kind. He needs someone of Johnson's level on his résumé. Frankly, Johnson would be favored to beat anybody that Bute has ever fought. Is Johnson really worth $1 million less than Pavlik, whose life and career have been a wreck? Of course not, but he is willing to take far less than that because he knows opportunities like this don't grow on trees. He does, however, deserve respect. "I was really insulted. I was a little hurt," Johnson said of the offer. "But I really want the fight." http://espn.go.com/sports/boxing/blog/_/name/rafael_dan/id/6866472/johnson-ready-bute-another-road-trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Ko Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Actually not a bad fight at all. Lets see how good Bute really is, cause Johnson will test him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamasadlittleboy Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Can Bute really win here? Win and he beat a man who is in his 40's who is 2-3 in his last 5 and 4-4 in his last 8, stop him and it's "Well those battles have taken their toll".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Ko Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Can Bute really win here? Win and he beat a man who is in his 40's who is 2-3 in his last 5 and 4-4 in his last 8, stop him and it's "Well those battles have taken their toll".... You have a point but at least it isnt Mendy, Magee type opponent, its a step in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavpowell Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Can Bute really win here? Win and he beat a man who is in his 40's who is 2-3 in his last 5 and 4-4 in his last 8, stop him and it's "Well those battles have taken their toll".... Boxing News described Johnson as "top supermiddleweight contender" the other day, which made me blink a little - he's only beaten Green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZZ-MCFC Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 I still think Johnson is a massive challenge for any Super middle. He looked decent against Froch and if he'd have landed some of those shots on any of the others in the division, they'd have gone down like a sack of shit. It was only Carl's granite chin that kept him up. I give Johnson a massive chance at beating Bute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemurphy Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 There will be some who will pooh pooh the choice of Johnson, but in Bute's position as he waits out the Super Six, it provides him about the best test we could hope for. He has a proven opponent that we all know and respect, one that will make him work (which for Bute is always the key to bringing out the best in himself) and one that shouldn't upset the apple cart for the big fight that lays ahead, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamasadlittleboy Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 There will be some who will pooh pooh the choice of Johnson, but in Bute's position as he waits out the Super Six, it provides him about the best test we could hope for. He has a proven opponent that we all know and respect, one that will make him work (which for Bute is always the key to bringing out the best in himself) and one that shouldn't upset the apple cart for the big fight that lays ahead, We could have hoped for Kessler, not a guy who has only 1 win in the division in...ow many years?...People will poo-poo who ever Bute faces (I'm a Bute fan and I genuinely see him getting slaughtered even if he stops the Road Warrior) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skav Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Johnson was beaten convincingly by Froch last time out so I don't know how much he has left. But he always gives it 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapevine241 Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 johnson will give bute all he can handle, but i expect bute to win. if he can stop johnson (like we say before every road warrior fight), then i will be very impressed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londoner Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Johnson will always be a decent test for any fighter. But i would say this is Bute's toughest fight and that says something about Bute's record. I won't take Bute seriously until he's beaten Froch, Ward or Kessler. Once he's done that i'll consider him an elite fighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZZ-MCFC Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 Johnson will always be a decent test for any fighter. But i would say this is Bute's toughest fight and that says something about Bute's record. I won't take Bute seriously until he's beaten Froch, Ward or Kessler. Once he's done that i'll consider him an elite fighter. Not even somebody like Dirrell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londoner Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Johnson will always be a decent test for any fighter. But i would say this is Bute's toughest fight and that says something about Bute's record. I won't take Bute seriously until he's beaten Froch, Ward or Kessler. Once he's done that i'll consider him an elite fighter. Not even somebody like Dirrell? To be honest, no. Simply because Dirrell is now an unknown quantity. If he comes back and gets beaten easily by Bute, he always has the excuse that he came back too soon, or that his injury against AA has changed him as a fighter. Dirrell would need to win a few fights before he can fight the elite. Bute has been IBF champion for 4 years and his reign is only just above that of a guy like Sven Ottke. He might have infinitely more skill but his opposition is pretty similar and he always has home advantage. Froch and Ward have fought between them 6 or 7 elite fighters. Bute has fought zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshDevilRob Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 When is Dirrell fighting again or isn't he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZZ-MCFC Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 When is Dirrell fighting again or isn't he? He's fit again, although he was supposedly ruled out for ages which was complete bollocks. I don't think he's pencilled in to fight anybody though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelchair Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 There's nothing showing as upcoming on his record on Boxrec either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyLeeWannabe Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Dirrell was supposed to fight Sebastien Demers in november or december I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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