The Tribune

CORRECTION: In the original version of this story, it was incorrectly reported that Tureano Johnson intended to change weight class. This is NOT the case.

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN boxer Tureano Johnson was recently able to maintain his status as the IBF No.1 middleweight contender and is now aiming for a title fight with Middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin.

Golovkin’s trainer Abel Sanchez said that they plan on moving up to super middleweight after one or two additional fights as a middleweight. Sanchez says Golovkin will fight in June, either against Johnson or Billy Joe Saunders.

Johnson appeared as a guest on “The Nahaja Black Show” on ZSR 103.5 yesterday and again challenged the unified champion from Kazakhstan to make the fight happen.

“That is going to be my next fight, we will know the details very soon. It will most likely take place early in the summer and it will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history because I am going to pull off the upset. The boxing world is going to be upset that this is going to happen but they’re going to have to take it for what it is,” he said.

Johnson was originally intended to face Golovkin last April. However, the fight never took place for a myriad of reasons.

“We were given a contract we signed and he chose to go elsewhere, making excuses. He called me high risk, low reward and the fight did not happen,” he said.

Johnson returned to the ring after being sidelined for nearly a year and-a-half and improved to 20-1, 14 knockouts. He scored a second round knockout over Fabiano Pena who fell to 16-7-1, 13 knockouts.

Johnson overwhelmed Pena nearly at the outset of the first round and recorded a pair of knockdowns on Pena early on. Pena’s corner stopped the fight during the second round, awarding the technical knock out victory to Johnson at the 2:38 mark.

It was his first fight under Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions stable since making the switch in September 2015, a move that was expected to send him on the fastrack to an eventual title shot and prominence in the division.

Johnson, 31 injured his shoulder in a unanimous decision win over Irishman Eamonn O’Kane on October 17, 2015. With the win, he became the mandatory number one contender. He further damaged the rotator cuff just ahead of his scheduled fight with Golovkin. That fight was set to take place on April 23, 2016 but Johnson was forced to pass on it to undergo surgery.

“I was sidelined for 17 months and it had put me in such a depressing mood but I went out last week and did what I had to do. Being out for so long I was really anxious. I didn’t care who my opponent was, I just wanted to get back in the ring,” he said. “I was pretty anxious to enter the ring after such a long absence, but I was reminded by my team that I am the IBF No.1 ranked middleweight contender. Being absent for so long for my rotator cuff was not ideal, and I know that injuries happen, but now that we got this fight out of the way, and we shook out the nerves a bit, I am ready to take on the big guys out there and demonstrate that I am still someone to fear in this division.”

In January, Johnson was initially set to make his return to the ring. However, he failed to make the weight for his scheduled 10-round middleweight bout against Antonio Gutierrez of Mexico and the fight was scratched from the undercard of Francisco Vargas-Miguel Berchelt.

Johnson came in at 161.5 pounds, just over the maximum middleweight range of 154-160 pounds. Gutierrez and his camp then decided to call off the fight.

“Unfortunately I was not prepared to make that weight. We did everything we can to try and lose that weight. I was just one pound and-a-half overweight, which was unusual,” he said. “I thank God that I was able to get another opportunity. It was a great moment standing in front of the crowd again. Although I won, I wanted to go a longer time in the ring and it was very disappointing. I hadn’t even gotten warmed up yet.”

Sanchez said Golovkin’s goal is to target Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and if that is not able to be solidified, they will move up to competing at 168 pounds.

“He [Golovkin] wants to fight in June. If it’s not Saunders, then it could be Tureano Johnson,” said Sanchez. “If the guys are bigger and can take it, better for us as fans. We get a better fight. We’ll see who it is in June.”