Above: Reggie Johnson catches Steve Collins with an uppercut during their fight at Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1992. (Photo: The Ring Magazine)
Reggie Johnson fought his way out of Houston, Texas, onto the world stage with great success, claiming middleweight and light heavyweight world titles in the 1990s.
He was born and raised in the notorious Fifth Ward neighborhood in Houston on August 28, 1966.
“Growing up, I had two sisters that were twins, and my mother. My dad did a lot of time in jail,” Johnson told The Ring. “My mom had me when she was 14. I was a little kid, but I was the man of the house. I was like the bodyguard for my sisters.”
His introduction to boxing came at 12 years old.
“My late uncle took me to the Salvation Boys Club,” he said. “The head coach, the late Mr. James Carter, said, ‘Young man, you could become champion of the world.’ That was the first time I ever experienced [somebody believing in me like] that.
“Of course, I had fights in school, but I just loved [boxing] and stuck with it, and it’s all I ever wanted to do. I stopped doing football, basketball, baseball, soccer – everything – and focused on boxing.”
He thrived in the ring, and at 16 he received a life-changing opportunity.
“I remember when I got home and my mother handed me my mail. It was open, and I said, ‘Mom why did you read my mail?’ she said, ‘God damn it, I’m your mom. Just read your mail!’ (laughs) And that’s when I saw my name and I was on the USA boxing team. I went to Sweden, Germany, Denmark – that was my first tour.
“I went on another tour at 16, when I won the King’s Cup in Bangkok, Thailand. Think about that; I’m a 16-year-old traveling the world representing my country.”
James Toney (left) got the split decision victory in Johnson’s first shot at a world title, but Johnson insists that the wrong guy won. (Photo by Ken Levine/Allsport)
Johnson, who went 96-12 as an amateur, reached the quarterfinals of the Olympics Trials in 1984, losing to eventual U.S. representative and gold medalist Frank Tate in the 156-pound division.
Not wanting to hang around in the unpaid ranks, Johnson turned professional just before his 18th birthday, making around $800 for his debut.
Johnson, nicknamed “Sweet,” worked his way up on the local circuit, and though he suffered a loss and a draw (which he avenged), he found that fights were hard to come by and his activity suffered. The lack of opportunity even saw him head to South Africa during Apartheid for a fight against Thomas Oosthuizen, which he won by seventh-round stoppage.
Afterward, a friend of his, Kenny Snow, who also boxed, offered him a new path.
“[Kenny] hooked me up with these people in California,” Johnson recalled. “He said, ‘They’re signing fighters and I told them about you, and they looked you up and they want to talk to you. Are you interested?’ I said yes. And that’s how I ended up moving to California and signing with those people, a group called Dam’e. I got with them in ’88. Marty Denkin (a veteran California referee and judge at the time) was the guy; he was the guy who ran the gym, but the people were based in San Francisco.
“I tell everybody, ‘You’ve got to chase the dream; the dream will never chase you.’ If I hadn’t gone to California, I probably never would have got a chance to fight for a world title.”
Johnson initially won a WBA regional title and USBA belt, which in turn helped move him up the WBA rankings.
“… I just loved [boxing] and stuck with it, and it’s all I ever wanted to do.”
However, his first world title shot, in June 1991, came with a daunting opponent: recently minted IBF middleweight beltholder James Toney. Although Johnson boxed well and scored a second-round knockdown, he lost a 12-round split decision.
A second chance soon arose when Mike McCallum abdicated the WBA title and Johnson was matched with Steve Collins for the vacant belt. This time, he took command of the hard-charging Irishman and did enough to annex the crown by 12-round majority decision.
After three successful defenses, Johnson yielded the title to John David Jackson (UD 12) in Argentina in October 1993.
Johnson won a world title in his second attempt, besting Steve Collins for the vacant WBA middleweight belt in 1992. (Photo: The Ring Magazine)
Jackson decided to vacate rather than go back to Argentina to face Jorge Castro. That presented another opportunity for Johnson.
In his next two fights, however, the skilled southpaw dropped a pair of controversial split decisions to Castro, first for the vacant belt and then in Castro’s fourth defense, both in the titleholder’s home country.
Johnson adorned with the fruits of his career. (courtesy of Reggie Johnson)
Unperturbed, Johnson decided his prospects lay further up the scale, which led to an unlikely shot at IBF light heavyweight titleholder William Guthrie in February 1998.
He was widely perceived as the sacrificial lamb – a good name on which Guthrie was looking to build his own resume on the way to a unification with Roy Jones Jr.
Johnson hadn’t read the script, however, and iced Guthrie with a devastating right hook that left the defending champion on his back, out for the count. The former amateur standout from St. Louis left the ring on a stretcher.
Johnson made two defenses of the IBF belt, one in Italy against Ole Klemetsen (UD 12) and the other against Will Taylor (UD 12) in Miami before he met Jones in their 175-pound unification match in Biloxi, Mississippi, in June 1999.
Johnson was game and showed heart to get off the canvas in the first and third rounds but ultimately lost a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision to a prime version of RJ.
“My biggest fight in boxing was a fight I lost to Roy Jones Jr., who was the best fighter of our era,” he said. “It was the biggest check I received.”
Johnson wasn’t able to beat Roy Jones Jr. in 1999, but he freely admits that he lost to the best. (Photo: The Ring Magazine)
Johnson fought on and won the NABF and USBA light heavyweight titles. He lost those belts to future world champion Antonio Tarver by 12-round split decision but dropped Tarver in Round 9.
He fought twice more over an extended period, both wins, before bowing out.
“I think my proudest moment is now, because I was blessed by the best,” he said. “Even though I’m not boxing no more, I have all my facilities, all my health, got all my teeth.”
The proud Texan fought for the last time in 2008 when he beat former WBO light heavyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Gonzalez. His record stands at 44-7-1 (25 knockouts) and he was never stopped in a near-25-year professional career.
“I’ve been doing a lot of charity work, hanging out with family and friends,” he said before expanding on his endeavors. “The Salvation Boys Club, The Way Church. I go to the amateur boxing gyms, I help out the kids in the Houston area.
“I’ve got kids and grandkids, so I’ll be forever busy.”
Johnson, now 57, still lives in Houston. He has been married twice and has seven children, though he initially said with a straight face that he had 14, quipping, “It makes sense. I’m a boxer; we stick and move!”
Johnson enjoyed looking back on his career, reminiscing on six career-defining performances for the readers of The Ring.
CHARLES OOSTHUIZEN
November 14, 1988, Springs Indoor Arena, Springs, Gauteng, South Africa
“It was my first time leaving the U.S. as a professional. Before that fight [as an amateur] I was on the U.S. team and went to a lot of different places and different countries and fought.
“When I flew from Houston to New York, I was on Pan Am 103, the same plane that crashed and killed all those people (a terrorist bomb exploded in the plane while flying over Lockerbie, Scotland). I think that happened about a month, a month and a half later. Then I traded planes in New York and got on another plane and had one more stop.
“When you think in retrospect, it was difficult [because of Apartheid], but it wasn’t difficult to me. I was just a young, hungry fighter, willing to fight anybody, anywhere. Having that U.S. [amateur team] experience, traveling the world, that was pretty much second nature to me to go fight wherever.
“I was over there acting like [Muhammad] Ali. (laughs) I didn’t see anything that tied into [Apartheid]. I didn’t see racism. I saw nothing negative about South Africa when I went over there. I was so focused on getting the job done. I delivered a seventh-round stoppage with his corner throwing the towel in the ring to stop the fight.
“When I got back, quite a few people sat me down and talked to me about Apartheid, because I didn’t even know what Apartheid was, and why America and other countries weren’t doing any business with South Africa. As I got older, I understood that. I always wanted to meet Nelson Mandela and apologize, because I fought when he was locked up. [I would have loved to] share the story with him.
“Charles Oosthuizen’s son (Thomas) came over here and fought another Johnson (Marcus Johnson in 2012). He wasn’t related to me, [but Thomas Oosthuizen] beat the Johnson over here like I beat Oosthuzien over there, which is crazy.”
Result: Johnson RTD 7
JAMES TONEY
June 29, 1991, Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada • IBF middleweight title
“I was the mandatory challenger when he fought Michael Nunn and stopped Nunn and won the title. He had to fight me right out the gate because I was the No. 1 contender.
“We fought six weeks after he beat Michael Nunn. I had probably five weeks to train. I took off for the mountains in Big Bear, California.
“My chief trainer, the late Manuel ‘Chato’ Robles, and me sat down and watched quite a few of his fights, but most definitely the Michael Nunn fight, and we came up with a game plan. Fight on our terms. Why go in there and slug with a guy who loves to slug, who is real good at slugging?
“You go back and look at that fight, look at the second round. I remember throwing an overhand left hand, perfect timing the way I set him up, and I knocked James Toney down. I’ll never forget [judge] Patricia Morse-Jarman hit the desk with her hands. She was pissed off I knocked him down, and that’s the same lady that had him winning the fight.
“I don’t think you could say that guy touched me too many times with hard punches. Of course you are going to get hit, but I was never hurt; I didn’t take no punishment in that fight. It was me fighting on my terms. The only thing was, I think maybe I should have been a little bit more aggressive to make it a little bit more decisive. To this day, that’s a fight I know I won. And guess what? Not only do I know that, James Toney knows that. Whenever it’s me and him together, just the way he acts. Till this day, in my heart, I know that’s a fight I really and truly won.”
Result: Toney SD 12
STEVE COLLINS
April 22, 1992, Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey • Vacant WBA middleweight title
“Mike McCallum wouldn’t fight his mandatory [challenger] Steve Collins and they stripped him and the title was vacant. [Editor’s note: McCallum, who had already defended his belt against Collins in 1990, chose to fight then-unbeaten IBF titleholder James Toney, which led to the sanctioning body doing what sanctioning bodies do.]
via Ironbar Boxing on YouTube:
“Steve Collins was No. 1 by the WBA and I was No. 2. Keep in mind I was No. 1 with the other two sanctioning bodies. We ended up fighting. It was a great fight.
“That fight was close. The judges had it close, but I felt I was so far ahead. If you ever go to war, that’s a guy you want on your side. He’s a tough guy. I didn’t have to say it; he said it after the fight: ‘Reggie was a little smarter, technique-wise. I’m a slugger.’ He pretty much just said what happened. I outsmarted him.
“It was greatly celebrated with radio, news and many other media outlets that hosted me at their stations. We also did a lot of dinner meet-and-greets in L.A., Houston and a lot of media reached out to me and Team Johnson.”
Result: Johnson MD 12
LAMAR PARKS
October 27, 1992, The Summit, Houston, Texas • WBA middleweight title defense
“When I signed with [my] promoter, that was part of the contract, that when I won the world title, I wanted my first defense to be in my hometown of Houston, Texas. That was done by design.
“Even in that fight, I was the underdog. Lamar Parks was signed with Madison Square Garden, knocking everybody out; he was one of the faces of the middleweight division. He was my mandatory, so it was a fight that I took. I was taught by the late Curtis Cokes, who was the welterweight champion. When I turned pro at 17, [my management] hired Curtis, and I think you can look at that fight and what that man taught me the first day he trained me. I shadowboxed three rounds, and then he stopped me and he’d get in the ring; he said, ‘You go out there and win fights with your hands, but it all starts with your legs.’ Going into that fight, [what Curtis said] just kept coming to me. Not only that fight, throughout my whole career.
via T on YouTube:
“When we watched some of [Parks’] fights, we knew he was the real deal, and after watching some of his old fights we knew how to address his power and speed. He was fast with major power, and I told the media after our fight that he would become world champion. It was probably one of my top fights, no doubt about it.”
Result: Johnson UD 12
WILLIAM GUTHRIE
February 6, 1998, Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut • IBF light heavyweight title
“The fight with William Guthrie was for Frank Tate, who I lost to in the Olympic Trials in 1984. [Tate] went on to win the gold medal. He wouldn’t take the [Guthrie] fight. The guy who owned the gym [where Tate trained] was talking to the HBO people, and he said, ‘We’ve got somebody else in Houston who will fight, who is a former world champion.’ And the guy said, ‘Who you talking about?’ [The gym owner] said, ‘Reggie Johnson.’ [The guy from HBO] said, ‘God damn! Reggie is a middleweight!’ He said, ‘Yeah, but he’s getting ready to move to super middleweight.’ And [noted Houston trainer] Bill Benton spoke on my behalf and he said, ‘I think Reggie would bypass ’68 and go to ’75 for a world title.’ And he was right, and to this day, I thank him for that.
“William Guthrie was here with Lou Duva … four or five years before me and [Guthrie] fought, because Lou had a guy who was getting ready to fight a guy over in Russia. I remember flying over to Russia because I wanted to fight the guy, but he wouldn’t fight me. Then me and William ended up sparring him because we were left-handed. I showed [William] around my hometown. Then years later, we got the call to fight each other. I got to know Guthrie and we hung out – go run together, go to the gym.
via ゆうなが on YouTube:
“Just like I know [he was] watching me spar in Houston, likewise I was watching him. We’re both southpaws. William Guthrie was a lot bigger than I was and he could fight. He had a good amateur career, went on to turn pro and was undefeated. I went out and did what I was taught to do every time the bell rang: fight on my terms and win.
“If you look at my record, I do have a lot of knockouts. Why would I go in there and slug with a slugger when I’m faster and smarter than you? Most of the knockouts I got was because I positioned those people for me to hit them with whatever I needed to hit them with to get them out of there.”
Result: Johnson KO 5
ROY JONES JR.
June 5, 1999, Grand Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi • IBF/WBA/WBC middleweight titles
“I remember going to Pensacola with Murad Muhammad, my promoter. I was about 23, 24 years old, [Jones] had just turned pro. We ended up sparring three rounds, and then Roy didn’t want to spar me. I hit him two or three times with left hooks and wobbled him. I also know about the chin, but a guy with that kind of skill set – it’s hard to get to that chin when you have a guy that fast and with that ring generalship. I don’t blame him; he wasn’t the Roy Jones he became. Me sparring with him… [I thought,] ‘This guy is going to be somebody to deal with one day.’ He was the future of boxing one day.
via Solaris on YouTube:
“My mindset was to fight on my terms and do what my team had laid out, and I did it. More than a handful of people said, ‘If you weren’t so worried about Roy’s speed, if you had played chess with Roy, you probably would have had a better chance of beating him. I think you overlooked your boxing skills.’ And when I think about that in retrospect, it hit home.
“Oh, Roy was the best fighter of our era. He was the face of boxing, and he will be forever. When you speak about boxing, his name has got to come up.”
Result: Jones UD 12
Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected].
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