In the violent world of professional boxing, Marvin Johnson is affectionately known as ”Pops,” not only for his aged appearance but also for his kindly and gentle manner.
But in the ring, where his aggressive style is reminiscent of another hairless Marvin–Hagler–Johnson`s punches retain a lot of pop, as well as snap and crackle.
And Sunday at Market Square Arena and in front of a national television audience, Johnson, in crisp style, feasted on Trinidad`s Leslie Stewart, stopping him on cuts at 56 seconds of the seventh round to win the vacant World Boxing Association light heavyweight title. Johnson is the first boxer to win a light heavyweight title three times.
In another fight on the card, 40-year-old former Indiana state senator Ken Snider lost to South Bend`s Harold Brazier (35-6) on a fifth-round TKO.
”I had my shot,” said Snider after his first pro loss in 11 fights since 1978. ”I`ll probably quit now.”
”So many people said I couldn`t do this,” said Johnson after winning the title he last held six years ago. ”The critics criticized me, so many people were against me. But I did what I said I could.”
And he did it impressively, leaping on Stewart like a bulldog greeting a mailman in an exciting first round that reminded many at ringside of last year`s memorable Hagler-Tommy Hearns battle.
But the tactics of the experienced, heady Johnson (42-5) did not impress his younger opponent, who suffered his first loss in 19 fights.
”He butted me,” Stewart charged. The charge had some support, too, because the referee, Franco Priani, warned Johnson several times during the bout. Johnson denied the accusation.
”But,” added Stewart, ”I`ve got to take some of the blame. I allowed my head to be there where his head was. It was his experience and my inexperience that caused the butt. I guess the mistake I made was
underestimating him.”
In that case, Stewart joins a not-too-exclusive club. Johnson just doesn`t look the part. He was almost bald before he was 20, he`s soft-spoken and possesses a wild left hand. Still, he has been among the best in the 175- pound class for more than a decade.
He defeated Mate Parlov for the World Boxing Council light heavyweight title in 1978, but lost it in his next fight. He beat Victor Galindez for the WBA title in 1979, but also lost that title in his first defense. And after he was knocked out by Michael Spinks in the fourth round in 1981, most people in boxing said it was time to turn him over because Johnson was done.
But he became serious about a comeback three years ago, winning his last 14 fights. After former light heavyweight champion Spinks moved to the heavyweight division, Johnson fought himself up to No. 1 contender for the vacant WBA crown.
And although few had heard of his lanky 24-year-old opponent, who was ranked second by the WBA, Johnson came out to prove that those who forgot about him had made a mistake.
”Pressure is my fight,” said Johnson, 31. ”This was a typical Marvin Johnson fight.”
Yet, if that indeed is true, it`s hard to believe Johnson has been a professional boxer for 13 years.
He leaped on Stewart, opening a cut at the corner of his opponent`s right eye almost immediately. Then he pursued and pushed Stewart backward through much of the bout.
”I allowed him to get too much pressure on me, to get on offense too much,” Stewart said. ”And when he smelled blood, his instincts came out. He was like an animal.”
Stewart has fast hands, and several times he surprised Johnson with quick counterpunching combinations. He rallied in the first round and opened up a slight cut above Johnson`s eye and hurt the veteran again in the third.
But Johnson kept up the pressure, supported by a boisterous home crowd of 8,173 that screamed ”Marvin! Marvin! Marvin!” so often in unison that one wondered if all the beer vendors had the same name.
Stewart did his most damage in the third round. Johnson admitted he was hurt then, and Stewart, with supporters banging a calypso drum repeatedly in the background because he likes that beat, seemed to gain confidence.
But the beat that resumed was Johnson`s, as the former champion worked on Stewart`s right eye.
In the sixth round, with blood spurting out of Stewart`s eye all over Johnson, referee Priani stepped in to examine that cut and another deep gash near the left eye. But Stewart was allowed to continue.
Stewart then started fighting like a windmill with an electrical short, throwing wild punches in flurries. ”I had to stand there and fight then because it looked like they might stop it,” he said.
At that point, the action was so intense and the crowd so loud that the referee failed to hear the bell and allowed the fighters to continue at least 15 seconds after it sounded.
But it was almost a last effort for Stewart. Johnson went after Stewart`s right eye again in the seventh round, and the fight soon was stopped. The referee and three judges had Johnson ahead on points at the time, although only by one point on Priani`s scorecard.
Stewart`s manager, Jim Cavo, conceded they had erred in trying to push the older Johnson the distance to wear him out. Nevertheless, he blamed the butt for his fighter`s loss and offered Johnson $150,000 (twice what he earned Sunday) for a return fight in Trinidad.
