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IBO
World Light Welterweight Champion -Stevie “Lil’ But Bad” Johnston
(MAR 17) Tampa, FL: A few weeks back WBA/IBA World Light Welterweight
Champion Ricky Hatton sat in the ESPN studios on a Friday night proudly
proclaiming that he has come to America to train and fight … to test his
skills against the best fighters America has to offer … and to let the
American public get a chance to see him in action.
Stevie Johnson sat in his home in Vero Beach, FL. Thinking “this is
great news. I’ll definitely be in line for a shot at his titles sometime
in the near future.”
Johnston and everyone else was caught by surprise when it was announced
that Mexican Juan Lazcano would be the first opponent to face Hatton on
American soil at the Foxwood Casino and on HBO on May 13th.
“Hatton said he came here to fight the best fighters America has to
offer not fighters from Mexico or Latin American countries,” Johnston
said. “Why would they overlook me to fight a Mexican fighter?”
As a current IBO Light Welterweight World Champion and two time former
WBV World Lightweight Champion Johnston has an outstanding professional
record of 38-3-1 with 17 KOs and has won 8 of his last nine fights while
proving to be a crowd favorite with great appear during his appearances
on HBO especially with his great fights against Jose Luis Castillo.
Johnston also has had major wins over James Page, Sharmba Mitchell,
Angel Manfredy, Corey Johnson, Jean Baptiste Mendy, Saul Duran, Cesar
Bazan and Steve Quinonez to name but a few.
As fate would have it Lazcano suffered a broken finger in training this
past Wednesday and has had to withdraw from the fight with Hatton.
Johnston believes he is the perfect replacement and has called upon
Hatton to “fight me or go home”.
“Hatton was very respectful to all fighters during his commentary on
ESPN,” Johnston states, “I am not being disrespectful when calling him
out to accept my challenge and to fight the best American fighter
available in his weight class … ME!”
“Styles make for good fights,” Johnston continues, “and with his
aggressive style against my boxing skills it will be the classic
boxer/brawler match up and make for a great fight. Come on Ricky … let’s
get it on!”
Johnston has moved to Vero Beach, FL. and has been training with Buddy
McGirt for his upcoming fight Mar. 31st vs. Luis Ernesto Jose (24-4-2)
in Tampa, FL.
His manager Jim Rider and promotion company Silverhawk World Class
Boxing are very serious about Johnston’s challenge to Hatton and are
working aggressively to make it happen.
“It’s time for Hatton to back up what he said on ESPN”, Johnston adds,
“time for him to step into the ring with me.”
