Michael Johnson has weighed the upcoming box debut by Tony Ferguson.
For a long time UFC Lightweight Johnson still wins at the age of 39 and will put an impressive three-field profit racing on Saturday together with an almost-finish by Daniel Zellhuber on Dustin Poirier's pension card on UFC 318 on Saturday.
The same cannot be said for former UFC -Interim -light weight champion Tony Ferguson, who left the UFC last year after eight consecutive losses -the worst losing skid in the UFC history.
Despite the fact that many calls him retire, the 41-year-old steps in the boxing ring against social media influencer Salt Papi at Misfits Boxing 22 on 30 August.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Michael Johnson on Tony Ferguson fights against Salt Papi: “If he loses this man, it's bad”
Johnson, the last man who defeated Ferguson before he went on his legendary 12-fighter win racon, is not so much a fan of Ferguson's boxing debut, but he still pulls for his former enemy to win.
“I will always root for Tony Ferguson,” Johnson told Bloody Elbow at the UFC 318 Post-Fight Press Conference.
“Once you have shared fifteen minutes in a cage, you have a bit of that bond between these guys.
“I don't like it that he follows the content route and fights these people and gives them a spotlight to shine a kind of,” said Johnson about Ferguson Boxing Zoutpapi.
“He could jeopardize himself. If he loses this man, it's bad …
“If he wins, it's like you have defeated some substantive man,” Johnson added.
Salt Papi is 6-2 as an influencer boxer, with one of his losses that comes to the former Bellator lightweight hunter Anthony 'Pretty Boy' Taylor.
“But we are in a position where it is all about money at the moment, he probably only tries to take care of his family. So I am working on that,” said Johnson about why Ferguson is fighting at 41.
Michael Johnson says he would like to box in the future
More than a decade since he has surpassed Ferguson in the UFC industry corner, we asked Johnson if he would consider fighting somewhere else after leaving UFC 318 with a winning record.
“We will see. I still have some time to think about it,” Johnson said about being his last fight in the UFC.
“But once I had set up, I got the UFC and I told them, you didn't lose me. I go on my own movement.
“I would definitely like to box on the road later,” Johnson revealed.
“But at the moment I am still here for the UFC and I still pursue this title,” said the 39-year-old.
Johnson has now won three consecutive fights for Darrius Flowers, Ottman Azaitar and Daniel Zellhuber. This is Johnson's best win in a decade.