"Tarver looked like the light heavyweight queen. Hopkins looked great. This was supposed to be his retirement fight, but he made Tarver look like a retired fighter."

BoxingTalk:  Glen, what are you thoughts of how Hopkins handled Tarver this past weekend?

Glen Johnson:  I thought the fight was better than it was going to be.  Bernard was able to hit him with single shots, hold him,  and hit him with combos in the later rounds.  Tarver looked like the light heavyweight queen.  Hopkins looked great.  This was supposed to be his retirement fight, but he made Tarver look like a retired fighter.

BoxingTalk:  Do you feel with Tarver losing to Hopkins the way he did, that Tarver will now be more willing to fight you in a rubber match than we was prior to the Hopkins fight?

Glen Johnson:  Tarver knows I have his number.  He knows I have his ticket.  His tail is between his legs, and doesn’t have the nerve to get in the ring with me now.  He’s broken now.  He didn’t even win a round.  Tarver doesn’t have the nerve or the balls to fight someone he knows he can’t beat.

BoxingTalk:  Are you saying that if Tarver agreed to fight you now that you wouldn’t take it?

Glen Johnson:  I don’t make it a habit to take on beat up fighters.  I want Hopkins next.  I want the opportunity to redeem myself.

BoxingTalk:  What is the latest on a fight with Joe Calzaghe?

Glen Johnson:  He’s a chicken just like Tarver.  He is certainly the most hurt guy in boxing.  No one gets hurt as much as Calzaghe does.  Right now I’m looking forward to fighting Clinton Woods for the IBF title.

BoxingTalk:  You have called Calzaghe “a Chicken” in other interviews too for pulling out of his fight with you, and Calzaghe has responded by saying, "Glen Johnson means nothing to me. He is a good journey man fighter who has done well in a very, very, very poor division.”  What is your response?


Glen Johnson:  If I’m a good fighter in a poor division than why doesn’t he fight me.  Calzaghe is ridiculous.  He doesn’t even know how to talk.

BoxingTalk:  Calzaghe also said, "There is no truth to me not wanting to fight him, I would love to fight the guy and if we do I will put down a £200,000 side bet with him that I will knock him out. Let's see if he puts his money where his mouth is."  Would you take that bet?

Glen Johnson:  (laughing)  He sounds like Tarver.  These are ridiculous statements.  Tell Calzaghe to fight me and stop making ridiculous comments.  Tell him to quit yapping at the mouth, and to get the ring with me.

BoxingTalk:  So the next time we see you in the ring it will be against Clinton Woods, and not Tarver or Calzaghe.  Is that correct?

Glen Johnson:  The next fight I’m working on is with Clinton Woods.  The fight I really want is Bernard Hopkins.  If anything else comes up that makes sense I’ll take them on.  There is not a single fighter that I know about that I’m afraid to fight.  Just line them up and I’ll knock them all out one by one.

M

Send questions and comments to: DNick@BoxingTalk.com