Callum Johnson, the previous gentle heavyweight contender who misplaced a four-round shootout to Artur Beterbiev in 2018, dropping the champion within the second spherical, is now the WBO’s No. 4 cruiserweight.
Johnson, of Boston, U.Okay., is hoping for one final title run earlier than calling it a day, and now the 38-year-old banger may not be far off a possibility.
Johnson (22-1, 15 KOs) retired in 2021, however he returned on the finish of 2023 and has boxed twice in six months, scoring nondescript however essential victories.
“He’s getting little wins on the circuit,” defined his coach, Joe Gallagher. “We’re simply maintaining him energetic and we’ll look to get him out at first of September, after which we’re trying to make our transfer. He’s ranked No. 4 by the WBO. Folks have wrote him off, however he’s there, he’s busy, he’s energetic, and also you’ve received to remain busy and energetic.
“[Sanctioning] our bodies aren’t essentially taking a look at venues or did you combat on TV. They’re taking a look at fights and weights and when you’re preventing often, and infrequently you get the alternatives.”
Johnson, who stopped standard Sean Monaghan after dropping to Beterbiev, has struggled to return to phrases with the demise of his father – one in every of many points he has confronted away from the ring. However he feels he may have a title in him. A one-round win over veteran journeyman Darryl Sharp and a factors victory over Viktar Chvarkou show little, however the WBO has acknowledged his motion.
“Folks had kind of forgotten about him,” Gallagher admitted. “Clearly, it’s been nicely documented with what’s gone on with him previously, however he’s within the latter phases of his profession and he’s simply maintaining busy, maintaining common and simply making an attempt to construct some momentum. That’s what Callum Johnson wanted – some momentum – and getting him two, three, 4 fights, it doesn’t matter what they’re. He’s within the ring and preventing and he’s able to go, as an alternative of being thrust again into the primary stage.”
Johnson had additionally been scheduled for one more contest earlier this 12 months on a Gallagher-promoted invoice, however the present didn’t occur when headliner Paul Butler’s opponent Norbelto Jimenez didn’t have the right medical paperwork in place and the present was pulled on the 11th hour.
Gallagher hopes that combat, for the frivolously regarded IBO bantamweight title, will nonetheless go on within the subsequent few months. The coach’s busy roster consists of quite a few younger skills, together with Josh Holmes, a junior light-weight who’s 15-0; gentle heavyweight Billy Deniz (10-0); Mikey “The Omen” Callaghan (5-0); gentle middleweight Clark Smith (6-0); and Joe Cooper, who simply gained his debut and is signed by Frank Warren.
