Glen Johnson retires: 'Road Warrior' calls an end to his fantastic career

True Warrior: That was Glen Johnson

By Peter Wells: At 5'9 he was never the biggest of Light Heavyweights, in fact he wasn't a big Super Middleweight but this Jamaican born fighter never has gone about things the way they should be. With a record of 51-17-2(35) the 'Road Warrior' Glengoffe Johnson - known as Glen - was one of the most feared fighters of his generation. Johnson could easily have been called the 'tax man' - any fighter at world class level avoiding the big fights would be sought out by Johnson.

Despite his record he never stooped down a level. He was a world class fighter and stayed there till the end of his career last Friday even at the age of 43 and having been a pro for 19 years. Two years ago Andrzej Fonfara would have been exposed by Johnson much like Allan Green but the 'Road Warrior's' tank was empty, and the Polish fighter took full advantage to take a clear 10 round decision.

Glen Johnson probably won't be talked about in the years to come, not as much as the man he knocked out in 9 rounds in 2004, Roy Jones Jr, but for those of us who were lucky enough to watch Glen Johnson fight we will remember his fights fondly. To mention all his fights at world class level would take up too many pages to think about. After being stopped for the first and only time in his career back in 1997 to legendary boxer Bernard Hopkins he has rarely fought in an easy fight. Simply put, easy fights weren't in Johnson's nature.

There was nothing to seperate Woods and Johnson in there three wars

British fight fans will remember him for his trilogy with former IBF Light Heavyweight champion Clinton Woods. In the first the fighters had to settle for a split draw when contesting the vacant IBF crown. Three months later they were back in the ring together where Johnson took a close points decision. In the third fight of the trilogy Clinton Woods took his revenge taking a split decision in a back and forth brawl. Woods described Johnson as a "great champion" a quote many more fighters said of the Miami based fighter.

In between the Woods trilogy he knocked out the sensational Roy Jones Jr in 9 rounds before beating Antonio Tarver. 'The Magic Man' Tarver avenged the defeat in an instant rematch on points.

Career defining: Johnson will always be remembered for
his knockout of Roy Jones Jr

Montell Griffin, Fred Moore and Hugo Pineda all failed the Johnson test, before he gave a tough fight to current WBC Light Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson. The decision was debated and Johnson was rightly given a rematch a year later but this time was beaten more convincingly by his young rival. At 40 years old the media started to question whether Johnson should retire but he silenced his critics once again with a 6th round knockout of Yusuf Mack. Johnson outlasted the 30 year old in a brutal fight, showing once again that age was no barrier. Later that year he was back fighting for world honours, but was once again on the wrong end of a close decision to unbeaten IBF champion Tavoris Cloud.

Surely that was it for the 'Road Warrior', wasn't it? No! Johnson dropped down to Super Middleweight to replace Mikkel Kessler in the Super Six tournament. His first opponent was Allen Green who had just lasted the 12 rounds with the young American star, Andre Ward. Green though was taken out in 8 rounds by the age defying Johnson.

Still got it: Even into his 40's Johnson was still knocking top fighters out

That though proved to be his last hooray. He was beaten by three time Super Middleweight world champion Carl Froch in the semi-finals of the competition, despite giving 'The Cobra' a very hard night. Then he was dominated by IBF Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute over 12 rounds, before his final defeat at the hands of Fonfara.

It was a sad end to such a great career but despite those 17 defeats, very few of those were convincing ones. The question now is does he deserve a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame? Well, if you look at what he's done throughout his career, I can only think of one answer. Yes!