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The slick southpaw Johnson, who is promoted by Lou Dibella, wants a Jr. Bantamweight Super fight with the exciting IBF title holder Luis Perez, and he is asking all the major networks and Don King to make it happen.
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One cannot help but to understand Johnson's anxiousness to get a big money fight. Johnson is on his way to the boxing Hall of Fame one day, yet he has never reached a status as a mainstream major network fighter.
He was the first African American Flyweight Champion, and his dominating style led for acclaim from boxing diehards and scribes, but nothing really came from HBO or Showtime.
"I never really looked at pound for pound and things like that. I just won fights and beat the best guys. HBO and Showtime showed me no attention. Boxing gets caught up in the whole I can't fight you because we don't have the same promoter, or that we can't fight because we don't fight on the same network, and that is disrespectful to all great fighters." Johnson continued, "speaking of which, ESPN2 did not even give me a chance to commentate, they asked for me to send in a demo tape, I don't think they asked anybody else that."
When asked whether he would be willing to move up in weight if the Perez fight does not present itself, Johnson explained he is ready and willing. He stated, "I am willing to take on all comers, if the money is right.
"Rafael Marquez for instance, I won the first fight, they took that one away from me an hour after that fight. The second fight, I wasn't right, but if you look at it, he made his career off beating me and later beating Tim Austin. But I am willing to take a third fight. I have to eat, I need to make money."
Reflecting back on his career Johnson explained, "I feel I am a Hall of Fame lock. Look at what I have done in my career. I have never lost a title fight, I was the first African American Flyweight champion, and I have been on top for a long time. How many 32-year old, Jr. Bantamweights are out there doing what I am doing. None."
Johnson's tone and focus to get his defining fight; were echoed in his closing statements. He declared, "Don King, HBO, Showtime, lets get this done. I want Luis Perez. I am willing to make concessions to get this fight done, a rematch clause or whatever. Like I said I got to eat, so lets get this thing going."
