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Can Glen Johnson win the Super Six World Boxing Classic?

By Idris “Drees” Newton

What a story it would be, right?

Old Man River rolls into to Showtime’s Super Six World Boxing Classic Tournament and wins it all.

If WBA Super Middleweight Champion Andre “SOG” Ward weren’t in it, then I would be on the bandwagon as well, but he is, so I’m not. Sorry “Road Warrior”, that was a beautifully workman like performance you treated Allan Green to just over a month ago on November 6th, but you have to admit, Allan Green had proven many times before you came along that he is not on an elite level.

You’ve fought some elite fighters, even beaten some of them, whether the scorecard reflected that fact or not, so when I see you knockout such a waist of potential like “Sweetness” you’ll have to forgive me if I find myself not surprised.

Coming up, we’ll see “The Road Warrior” try to outwork a very slick Brawler in WBC Super Middleweight Champion, Carl “The Cobra” Froch, who put on a very good show of technical boxing skill against a predictably one dimensional and completely dumbfounded “King” Arthur Abraham.

So what do we have here? Two good fighters coming off victories over two highly over-rated fighters.

“King” Arthur’s most notable W’s are against a washed up Jermain “No Stamina/Bad Intentions” Taylor and a puncher with no boxing skill what so every in Edison “I talk but never back up my words/Pantera” Miranda. We won’t go on any further about Mr. “Sweetness” who hasn’t beaten anyone of note at all.

Excuse me if I’m not impressed.

Can Glen Johnson win his next fight, most definitely, will he, who knows. “The Cobra” has a beard and some deceptive hand speed and a boat load of heart, for all his very exposable flaws, you can never EVER question his heart.

We can all expect a hard fought win or loss for Glen who will put continuous pressure on “The Cobra” as he has done in many fights before against pretty much the same level of opposition. He also comes into this fight sporting a granite chin so don’t expect him to shy away from Carl’s punches to get inside to do some damage like he has done in the past to heavier fighters.

Guys like former Light Heavyweight Champion Antonio Tarver who was definitely a better/bigger puncher than Froch and “Bad” Chad Dawson who is definitely a better boxer than Froch.

All and all, it will be a really good action fight. It will be the battle of a slow but stiff jab and slightly quicker 1, 2 combos vs. continuous pressure and compacted slugging.

So, say he does pass the Froch test: who’s up next?

None other than the hands down favorite of this tournament, “SOG” himself, should he defeat Arthur Abraham.

Glen will have more than his hands full with this one. Ward has been on a tear, putting on boxing virtuoso-esque kinds of performances back to back to back.

We already knew he had high level boxing technique, now he’s displaying world class toughness and a puncher’s tenacity. This might have been a closer bout before Andre became a puncher as well as a boxer (a disciplined puncher at that).

Now “The Road Warrior” will have to figure out how to pressure what is now a pressure fighter who is equipped with better hand speed and accuracy, better foot work and defense, oh and did I mention is got a pretty nice chin?

Don’t get me wrong, Glen will put up a good fight but this disparity is skill is just too wide.

Whether you agree or disagree, I think we can all agree that Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson, 51-14-2, 35 KO’s, is a welcome addition to a field of very intriguing fighters participating in a historic and unprecedented tournament, the likes of which we may never see again.

So, if you are like me, you’ll sit back and revel in what are sure to be more knee buckling body shots, jaw rocking combinations and unbreakable wills all the way to the finish, where the world’s greatest super middleweight will be crowned.

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