The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Taureano ‘Reno’ Johnson was hoping that he would come home to enjoy the festive Christmas holiday season with his family and friends. But, as it turns out, Johnson finds himself in the gym training with his sister/coach Kayla Johnson in preparation for a big fight next year.

The 28-year-old Johnson wrapped up a string of nine consecutive victories in 2012 with a third round technical knockout victory over Jose Morla on October 2 in Gimnasio Joan Guzman, Guachupita, Dominican Republic, a week after he stopped Jonali Reyes in the first round on September 28 in Gimnasio Joan Guzman, Guachupita, Dominican Republic.

Now the middleweight, who improved his impressive win-loss record to 13-0 since he turned professional with a first round knockout over Cleoney Fuqua on March 5, 2010 at the Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia, will return to Hollywood, Florida on January 29 for his next fight at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York.

“Myself, along with a lot of the other boxers that train with her can tell you that Kayla is a phenomenal coach,” said Johnson of his sister. “She’s very strategic, but at the same time she has a strong hand on you. She understands the emotions of what it takes to be a boxer.

“In fact, I was very surprised to see the level of coaching that Kayla has been able to give myself and the other boxers around her. To me, she’s an extraordinary coach and I feel as though I am blessed to have her in my corner. I consider her to be one of the coaches in the Caribbean.”

Whenever they are not working at the National Boxing Center at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, the Johnsons are working out at the Cove with their strength and fitness conditioning. But Johnson said after getting the news just before he came home that he could be fighting for the World Boxing Organisation’s interim title, he had to step up his training.

“I was hoping to make this trip home a vacation, but after getting the news, I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to fight for a world title, so there’s no more vacation for me here,” he said. “We have set up training camp and with Kayla training me, we are taking it very seriously. We’re going at this at full force.”

So far, Johnson has taken the boxing world by storm. After making his debut as a pro on the completion of a long and storied career in the amateur ranks, having participated in every major international meet, Johnson said he was amazed at his rapid accomplishments in just two years.

“As an amateur, you fight about 12 times a year with so much protection in the ring,” he said. “As a professional fighter, it’s so much different. I’ve fought nine times for the year winning all with seven knockouts. I think that is so phenomenal. I’m so pleased. I’m so pleased. I believe this is my greatest achievement.

“In fact, I even passed up on several fights because I believed that I needed to take a break. Nine fights in a year is a bit pushing it. But we’re going to take a break right now. We have our three-month break, but we’re going to step it up because we’re getting close to fighting for a world title.”

When Johnson originally left home for the United States, he was based in Atlanta, Georgia. But he has since moved closer to the Bahamas with his family as he’s now training and fighting out of Hollywood, Florida.

“At first it wasn’t easy. Even now it isn’t easy,” he said. “You have management and you have promotions. I think I have the best promoter in Gary Shore and we have another Bahamian on our team, Kimbo Slice (Kevin Ferguson). We get along very well and we help each other out.

“So I am just grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to go to the United States to show off my ability. We are taking full advantage of it. This has been a very surprised year for me. I really didn’t know that I would have fought as many times as I did and was as successful as I’ve been.”

Unlike the other sports where athletes get the chance to participate, Johnson said boxing is totally different because it’s just two competitors in the ring and if one is not properly prepared for the challenge, it could be either an early or a long night of agony.

“This is what I love to do and to go out there and to perform and to watch my success, which young man or which athlete would not be pleased with the success that I’ve been able to achieve?” he asked. “Right now, I’m just focused on getting ready for even bigger and better things to come in 2013.”

Johnson asked the Bahamian public as well as the Bahamas Government to continue to throw their support, both morally and financially, behind him.

“I can’t forget the Almighty God who has given me the strength and ability to go out there and to perform at a level to lift his name on high,” he said. “It’s all because of him, I get to do what I do. I also want to thank my sponsors, Peter Nygard and the rest of the business companies. I ask for your prayers and your continued support.

“I can guarantee you, Taureano Johnson will be carrying the Bahamian flag once again like Elisha Obed as a world champion.”

Having spent a few weeks in Hollywood watching Meacher ‘Pain’ Major before he went to Houston, Texas, on Saturday where he got stopped in the third round by undefeated Mexican lightweight Jose Felix Jr, Johnson said his fellow Bahamian has a “very good coach and he’s focused.

“It’s just unfortunate that the outcome of the fight didn’t fall his way, but that comes with the territory of being a boxer. Like myself, I haven’t fallen in any defeats in the ring, but I have fallen to defeats. So I understand how Meacher must feel. But as a fighter and a warrior, I’m certain that he will get back on his feet again and perform to the greatest and highest level of competition that he can perform.”

As for Johnson and his impressive string of victories, he credited his success to his faith in God.

“Every morning when I wake up at 5 o’clock, I get down on bended knees, I bow my head and I pray to God to give me the strength to go on the road and push my body to the limit where I can’t withstand the pain,” he said. “I do it all in the glory of the good Lord and my country.”

While here to take a slight break from the heavy training, Johnson said he intends to enjoy the festive season as much as he can with his family and friends. He also intends to attend the junkanoo parades on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day where he will pulling for the best group, even though his family has strong ties with the Saxons Superstars and his friends are in the Valley Boys.

“I just want to see a good show,” he said.