"I will fight the boy for $1. If he beats me, I get paid one legitimate dollar. If I win, just pay me what I'm worth. It won't even be a hard negotiation. It won't even be hard. I don't have a promoter to rip and run through the contract of the $1 and him worrying about making his money in the end...There are only two guys that I'm eyeing right now in the heavyweight division. I would love to beat the hell out of Seth Mitchell and then beat the hell out of Alexander Povetkin. Or I would beat the hell out of Povetkin and then beat the hell out of Seth Mitchell. But I know once I beat the hell out of Povetkin, there won't be no Seth Mitchell fight," stated heavyweight contender Kevin Johnson, who talked about his future plans and much more. Check it out!
PC: How have things been going with you man? Long time, no hear.
KJ: Man, everything good, man. It felt good to be the king of Australia, but I'm looking to be the king of America.
PC: You had to go to the Outback and fight, huh?
KJ: Oh yeah, I had to go prove a point. They said there was this power-punching kid out in Australia that was the next Mike Tyson, so I had to go over there and knock his Mike Tyson ass out. You know how that go. Now they talking about here in America, they got another kid [Seth Mitchell] that's being hyped as the next Mike Tyson, and I watched him this weekend and he looked more like the next Bruce Seldon.
PC: Before people start saying you calling him out because he got hurt, you actually confronted him at a fight some time back, right?
KJ: Oh yeah, that was at the Paul Williams fight last year in Atlantic City.
PC: I watched the video. Did you think he seemed interested?
KJ: Definitely not. You know dogs don't bark at parked cars; hello! Please link the video [click here] in this interview so people can see me confront Seth, I mean, Bitch Mitchell.
PC: What did you think of Mitchell's fight against Chazz Witherspoon?
KJ: Chazz definitely had him; he just couldn't follow up with that left up the middle, and that's why Seth Mitchell held on for dear life. And for Chazz to not be a power puncher, this guy was out of there in the 1st round. A guy like me would finish this dude within the first 35 seconds of the 1st round because like I knew a year ago and like I knew when this guy came on the scene, he was not no legitimate heavyweight; no legit heavyweight and he is not going to make it to the top if he ever get in the ring with a guy like me or anybody that can actually touch that chin and get to it the way we can, like a superb boxer. I always knew that it's a fight tailor made for me. I can't stand the fact that everybody calls him the next Mike Tyson because that's some hellafied shoes to walk in for such a cowardly punk. He crying at the end of the fight and all that stuff...that wasn't Mike Tyson, that was Bruce Seldon, man. Stop playing with me. You will never catch a boxer go on the golf course and try to be the next Tiger Woods, you will never catch a golfer going on a basketball court and try to be the next Dwayne Wade, and you should never catch a football player in boxing trying to be the next Mike Tyson. You don't mix those chemistries; that's oil and water plus Kool-Aid. Come on, man. Wear your true colors! That's all I ask. Wear your true colors.
PC: It seems like going from Chazz Witherspoon to you would be a legit move in the right direction. Is that a fight you would entertain?
KJ: Like I said a year ago and like I will say right now here today, and I mean this from the bottom and the top of my heart, I will fight the boy for $1. If he beats me, I get paid one legitimate dollar. If I win, just pay me what I'm worth. It won't even be a hard negotiation. It won't even be hard. I don't have a promoter to rip and run through the contract of the $1 and him worrying about making his money in the end. Team Kingpin is actually legitimate; this is coming from the office, the box office, my mouth. One legitimate dollar if I lose and he wins; I get paid a dollar. If I win, just pay me what I'm worth; the value of the fight.
PC: Did you take away any positives from his performance against Witherspoon?
KJ: The positive thing was the fight was over quick, so I could see the Chad Dawson fight. That was the positive about it, you know? There is nothing to watch. He fights the same way. There are only two guys that I'm eyeing right now in the heavyweight division. I would love to beat the hell out of Seth Mitchell and then beat the hell out of Alexander Povetkin. Or I would beat the hell out of Povetkin and then beat the hell out of Seth Mitchell. But I know once I beat the hell out of Povetkin, there won't be no Seth Mitchell fight. So I would rather show them how quick I can beat Seth Mitchell and then beat the shit out of Povetkin.
PC: Does it disgust you to hear the HBO commentary call him the next great American heavyweight and things like that?
KJ: Nah, it don't at all. I know Manny Steward and I've been in training camps with him and I know once everybody sees the real thing, you can't hide it. It's just like putting a fine woman on a street in front of a lot of dudes. She come walking past, everybody gonna holla at her. But what do you do when you see a superstar top model come walking down the strip? Ah, niggaz lose their minds. That's what's going to happen when a superstar get in front of all of these guys. The heavyweight division is starving for one. Right now, the superstars are supposed to be the Klitschkos. Nobody has actually captured the eye and had people saying, "Wow, this is the next superstar." Right now, everyone is supposed to be a superstar. It's like the guy I just fought in Australia, Alex Leapai. This guy was over there knocking everybody out and putting people to sleep and unconscious and beating the life out of people. Here goes the next best thing. They were talking about him fighting the Klitschkos after me and him fought, but look what happened? Look what happens when you put a superstar in with a nigga that just look good. I smoked that ass. You know, power punches not gonna make it far against me.
PC: How has the training been going for you back in the gym?
KJ: Man, I'm great. I took off a week after the fight and I been back in the gym going hard and I'm looking for the next great fight. I was supposed to be fighting Adamek, but my good friend Eddie Chambers got the fight, so at least somebody will be taking him off the map. I'm back in the mix and it feels good to be back in the top 14, and like I tell everybody, big things coming in 2012. I'm gonna be the best of my time and can't nobody stop that, go around it, or defeat that. I will be heavyweight champion whether it be the smooth way or the hard way. I'm on my way back there.
PC: I know Mitchell said he's looking at a September date. If a Seth Mitchell or Povetkin fight was to come up, when would you be available?
KJ: Yesterday! They late, that's why I'm training hard right now. I just need a phone call and the fight can be in a week and a half; I'm ready. I stay ready. On your mark, get set, let's go! If they looking for a date in September, you can go on Boxrec; my birthday is September 7th. Please let that be my birthday gift.
PC: That's wassup my man. If Mitchell, Povetkin, or any other heavyweight's people are reading this interview, give me some closing thoughts for them.
KJ: Yessir big bruh. Listen man, I got something new coming up too, but I'm waiting on the final contract to come, but I will give you the buzz as soon as I sign it.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]