Rising heavyweight contender Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson's stock is on the rise.  With his fast hands,  Johnson brings some spark back into the heavyweight division, his most recent win came against Damian Willis.  In that ShoBox bout, Johnson dominated Willis from the first round on.  Now, Johnson calls out former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman in this interview, and as always he pulls no punches. 

BT – What's up Kevin?

KJ – I am going out to celebrate tonight, I just did what nobody has done from my hometown, and that's climb to number 14 in the world by the WBA.  That's a pretty good feeling right now, you know?

BT – Number 14 puts you right up there with some big names.  What's your game plan now?

KJ – Well right now I am just going to analyze what's going on.  I just watched the replay of my fight with Willis, and I heard Holyfield making comments about what I should have done against Willis, and it was funny because everything that he was commenting that I should have did, he should have did too, he lost.  Now I see Byrd's people threw in the towel, I am kind of embarrassed because all of the guys that I know that I can beat, I just can't get to.

BT – Well I would think that your new ranking should make things a little easier for you to get some bigger fights.

KJ – Yes, I think so too but you know what they say, you have to be active.  There are always critics that want to see more from you.  I am just not seeing enough to answer peoples questions right now.

BT – So who's on your radar? Who do you want next?

KJ – Right now I got Hasim Rahman on my radar.  I also have Michael Moorer on my radar as well.  Travis Walker was talking crap to me, but then he went down and fought my man T.J. Wilson, and you saw what happened to him.  T.J. Wilson came off a three year layoff and destroyed the guy.  This is what's happening in boxing, I would fight Sam Peter, he can't touch me, I can't get hit, I'll beat the crap out of him.  The only guy I would have to do my homework on is Wladimir Klitschko, but he's very beatable.

BT – Calvin Brock will fight Eddie Chambers in the IBF tournament fight.  How do you see yourself matching up with either of those guys.

KJ – There are two things up for Eddie Chambers.  He's going to beat the crap out of Calvin Brock, then he'll fight Povetkin.  I just hope Eddie is ready, and has proper sparring for Povetkin.  I want Eddie to win that fight, but if I had Povetkin it would be easy.  It's like giving a kid a 50 word jigsaw puzzle, and wondering how the hell did he finish it so fast.  That would be an easy equation for me.

BT – You have a great jab, but do you feel that there is more for you to work on with the rest of your game?

KJ – When I set my camp up in Georgia, and watched Damian Willis fight Chris Arreola, I looked at it for about like 3 seconds, and knew exactly what I needed to do.  I had great preparation for that fight, Chris helped me.  Kevin Johnson does not like to lose.  I don't think that I have too much to work on in my game.

BT – When do you want to get back in there?

KJ – I have never been hurt, so I have never been like 'wow, I need off for awhile'  I leave it up to Joe at Star Boxing.

BT – So if Joe calls you next week and says that he has you a fight, you will be ready?

KJ – If he says that I have a fight against Andrew Golota next week, I'll take it.

BT – (LAUGHS) Where did Andrew Golota's name come from? 

KJ – Uhhhhh I opened my mouth up to quick again.  I am just saying, Andrew Golota is looking for an opponent, and I am looking for a guy just like him to fight.  So I'll just put it out there.

BT – What about Holyfield?

KJ – I'll beat the crap out of Holyfield.  The only reason I don't like Holyfield is because he's going to come to my fight and tell me what I should do?, then he gets his ass kicked and should have done what he was telling me to do.  He's down here in Atlanta with me, and there can only be one fighter down here, me or him, and I am tall dark and handsome, so it has to be me. 

BT – You're a natural entertainer, you told me the last time that we talked that you loved Muhammad Ali.  Is what the people see of you in the ring, the same thing the people see of you outside of the ring?

KJ – That's me in and outside of the ring.  What I am going to do is be the first heavyweight since Mike Tyson to capture all four belts.  I should be about 30 to 31 years old when that happens. 

BT – I think that you may have the talent to do that one day, but it's pretty hard to do that with how promoters work these days.

KJ – Well Kevin Johnson has some powerful people around him.  I have a great promoter in Star Boxing.  I have one of the most powerful teams in the world.  I haven't even exploded that out in the world yet.  I have a great team, and if half of the people knew who was behind me, they would pass out.  They would be asking how in the world did Kevin Johnson even afford to do all of this?

BT – Talk more about Star Boxing, Joe DeGuardia's promotional business.

KJ – I talked to Joe about a week and a half ago. I told him that life has it's own choices, and destinies.  Joe has more balls than any promoter out there.  Before I signed with Joe, I met with every major promotional company in the world.  Nobody can do what Joe actually can do. He don't do too much, he don't do too little.  He does exactly what is needed for your career. 

BT – It's early in your career, but after it's over do you want to stay in the game?

KJ – Definitely, it's my dream.  I want to put a gym back into my home town of Asbury Park.  I want to start my own heavyweight, I want to clone a Kevin Johnson.

BT – Do you have any closing thoughts?

KJ – Here we are 2007 almost 2008, it's never to late to be great, but I am coming through to devour, I have too much courage, more than any fighter will ever have.

M

Send questions and comments to: bradcooney1@bellsouth.net