Preparing to be the underdog for the first time in his professional career, former New England Welterweight Champion Mike “Bad Man:” Ohan, Jr. (16-1, 9 KOs) will embrace that role this Saturday 2020 U.S. Olympian Tiger Johnson (6-0, 4 KOs) at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City. (photo by Emily Harney)
Johnson vs. Ohan, Jr. is a scheduled 8-round welterweight match streaming live on ESPN+ on a Top Rank card, headlined by a Heisman Night fight featuring Teofimo Lopez against Jose Pedraza.
“This may not be his territory,” Ohan said, “but it is his promoter’s show. I need to knock him off and maybe grab his spot. I’m sure that as an Olympian he has seen everything, so I need to execute my game plan. I won’t be thinking about winning or losing, I need to give it all I have and leave it all in the ring.”
Johnson reached the quarterfinals at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, in which he lost to 3-time Cuban Olympic boxer Roniel Iglesias (30-43), 29-28. Iglesias went on to capture his second Olympic gold medal.
“Mike got to this stage the hard way,” Ohan’s promoter Chris Traietti (Granite Chin Promotions) noted. “Nothing was given to him. He stayed busy on the local level, sometimes taking fights at not the most prestigious venues, but he doesn’t get caught up with the glitz and glamour, or lack thereof. He stuck to the plan, worked hard, and now he’s getting his just reward. December 10th, the boxing world will witness the breakout moment in Mike Ohan Jr’s career.”
Because the fight date is so close to Thanksgiving, Ohan, Jr. couldn’t really stuff himself like most people did.
“I had to sacrifice,” the 28-year-old Ohan, Jr admitted. “I just ate some white meat and some carbs. It was my normal regiment but no dessert. I’m saving that for Christmas.”