Reggie Johnson (Boxer)
Reggie Dwayne Johnson ( born August 28, 1966 in Houston, Texas ) is a retired American professional boxer. He was WBA champion in the middleweight division, and IBF world champion in the light heavyweight division.
Amateur career
He started at the age of twelve years with the sport of boxing, was a member of the U.S. national team and won 96 of 108 amateur fights. In March 1984 he won the light middleweight as by then the youngest boxer, the international King's Cup in Bangkok.
In June 1984, he participated in the half- middleweight on the national selection to participate in the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in part, but lost in the quarterfinals on points against the eventual Olympic gold medalist Frank Tate. He then became a professional.
Professional career
In his first 22 fights he went out 20 times as a winner, a fight ended in a draw, against Adam George (12-1 ) lost on points. On September 12, 1989, he defeated Israel Cole ( 10-5) on points and thus became Intercontinental champion of the WBA middleweight. Following a title defense by whacked in the second round against Víctor Fernández (16-1 ), he won on February 4, 1990 by TKO against Ismael Negron ( 14-5 ) in addition, the U.S. middleweight championship. These he defended on points against Sander Line Williams ( 24-10 ) and by TKO against Greg Dickson (22-1 ).
By subsequent knockout victories against Ohio State Champion Eddie Hall ( 20-5 ), Ralph Ward ( 13-4 ) in New Jersey, the former South American champion José Carlos da Silva ( 8-5) and the California champions Al Long ( 22 - 7), he received on June 29, 1991 in Las Vegas a world title opportunity the IBF Middleweight title against the unbeaten winner James Toney ( 26-0 ). Johnson had the defending champion in the second round at the bottom, lost to the full twelve rounds, however, scarce and controversial by split decision on points.
Through a knockout win against Melvin Wynn ( 12-6 ), he received on April 22, 1992 in East Rutherford a new world title chance at middleweight. He boxed for the vacant WBA championship against Steve Collins ( 21-1 ) and won on points over twelve rounds. In his first defense of the title he won by unanimous decision against undefeated favorites Lamar Park ( 22-0 ), and three months later by TKO against the South Koreans Ki- Yun Song ( 7-2). Then he should defend his title against the Argentine Jorge Fernando Castro defend but it said the fight a few days earlier for medical reasons, which is why Wayne Harris ( 19-5 ) has been committed as a replacement opponent. This defeated Johnson in May 1993 by unanimous decision.
However, in his fourth defense he lost on 1 October 1993 his championship belt on points to John David Jackson ( 29-0 ). After a first-round K.o. against Ramon Felix, he pushed on 12 August 1994 in Argentina against Jorge Fernando Castro ( 93-4 ) again for the vacant WBA world middleweight, but lost by narrow split decision on points. Also in the rematch in October 1995, he lost by split decision.
After a lull of 21 months and a change in the light heavyweight division, he defeated in July 1997 Robert Doyle by Ko in the first round. On February 6, 1998, he was in Uncasville by a knockout win in the fifth round against William Guthrie ( 24-0 ), champion of the IBF light heavyweight. He could then defend the title against European champion Ole Klementsen ( 33-2 ) and U.S. champion Will Taylor (15-1 ) and received by a title unification fight against WBA / WBC champion Roy Jones Jr. ( 39-1 ), the at this time Pound for pound best boxer in the world. He lost on 5 June 1999 Biloxi unanimous decision, he also went in rounds 1 and 3 to the ground.
On January 5, 2001, he won the NABF light heavyweight championship against Chris Johnson ( 26-1 ) and united the title on 25 May of the same year by winning the U.S. championship against Will Taylor ( 19-3 ). In a title eliminator for the IBF world title chance again, he lost again on 25 January 2002 by a narrow split decision against Antonio Tarver (18-1 ).
After a ring abstinence of more than three and a half years, he won in August 2005 by co in the ninth round against Fred Moore ( 30-4 ). After a further ring break from a half years, he won 23 February 2008 on points against Julio Gonzalez ( 41-4 ) and then ended his career.