- FILE
Johnson: 'That challenge is something I welcome ... but I have a rematch with Tarver (Antonio), which is first and foremost.'
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA'S WORLD Boxing Organization (WBO) light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson, says American middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, widely regarded as the best fighter pound-for-pound, will have to wait his turn for a shot at his title.
On Saturday, Hopkins, the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion was quoted in an article carried in The Gleaner that he wants to fight Clarendon-born Johnson.
But in a telephone interview with The Gleaner, from his Miami-based home yesterday, Johnson said:
"Hopkins says he would step up in weight to fight me. That challenge is something I welcome when and if that happens, but I have a rematch with Tarver (Antonio), which is first and foremost."
Pertaining to a fight against Hopkins, he added: "That's not something I am concentrating on right now."
However, Johnson noted that if he and Hopkins were to win their upcoming fights "then we can talk".
Hopkins is seeking a record 20th title defence of his middleweight crown later this month against Howard Eastman, while Johnson has agreed to a rematch against Tarver whom he beat for the WBO title, in a date yet to be announced.
Both Johnson and Tarver had given up their respective titles
Johnson was ranked 10th last month by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the list of best pound for pound fighters.
CRITERIA
The list, prepared by the BBC's reporting staff on boxing, looks at a fighter's recent results as well as his/her style, resilience and punching power.
Johnson, after a tremendous year in which he won two world titles and was a nominee for Jamaica's Sportsman-of-the-Year, was described as "not as stylish as some and deserves his place after knocking out Roy Jones Jnr. (Hopkins' predecessor as pound for pound king) and Antonio Tarver in 2004".
But Johnson said all these ratings are bonuses for the hard work he put in over the years.
"All of those things are bonuses after working hard. I am finally getting to a stage where people worldwide are recognising me. I feel good about it all. If all of this is going to make me earn some money I welcome it even more. If it gives me bargaining power that's good, but if not, then it's bragging rights."
