VITALI KLITSCHKO vs KEVIN JOHNSON

For quite some time now, Kevin Johnson has been talking the talk. He will unabashedly tell anyone willing to listen that he is the world’s best heavyweight. On Saturday in Switzerland, Johnson gets the chance to walk the walk when he challenges Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title.

Johnson is undefeated, and he’s a good mover with an excellent left jab, but in his 23 professional fights he has never faced anyone like Klitschko.

Still, with an unbeaten boxer you never know what level he can reach until he loses, and Johnson reaches for the stars on Saturday in a fight that will be televised on a same-day basis by HBO along with the Juan Diaz-Paulie Malignaggi, Victor Ortiz-Antonio Diaz fights.

Johnson, 30, has always been an engaging character and I do get the feeling that his confidence is genuine. He boxed a draw with the more experienced Timur Ibragimov in only his fourth bout, and since then Johnson hasn’t really been tested. Trial horse Terry Smith put up an earnest effort, but Johnson essentially coasted through that one and even turned to the crowd at one point and urged them to show their appreciation. When Johnson outclassed Damian Wills on ShoBox he took time out during rounds to talk to a ring-card girl and to Wills’s wife, who was shouting encouragement to her husband. (“I had to kill her confidence,” Johnson told me in an interview. “The fight was over but she just didn’t know it.”)

Although Johnson had only 16 amateur bouts he says he was a fast learner. He told me he extensively studied videos of Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes. “I studied everything about boxing,” he said. He sparred with Wladimir Klitschko in the U.S. and with Alexander Povetkin and Nikolai Valuev in Germany.

Johnson is not known as being a hard hitter, although he has stopped his last three opponents, but he told me that he could beat his opponents with the left hand alone and that he would only unleash his full power when the occasion warranted it. “You’ve got to put me in front of a guy that deserves it,” he said.

Presumably, he will be producing everything he has on Saturday, and he will need to, because he is meeting a seasoned, outstanding champion.

Klitschko is 38 and his hair is flecked with grey, but he has been fighting like a much younger man in his return to the ring after being inactive for more than three years due to an assortment of injuries. Since his return, Klitschko has hardly lost a round in his stoppage wins over Samuel Peter, Juan Carlos Gomez and Chris Arreola.

It seems to me that Klitschko has been looking more relaxed and fighting at a faster pace since his return. Instead of looking to probe with the jab and smash in the right hand he appears to be putting more emphasis on keeping his hands moving and putting in quick combinations, although he never neglects to employ his long left jab, which is such an effective weapon for a 6ft 8ins boxer who stands tall when he fights. Johnson’s jab has always served him well, but for once he is meeting someone who can match his left hand and maybe even trump it.

If Klitschko negates Johnson’s jab, as seems entirely possible, how else, I wonder, can the American heavyweight find a route to victory? Johnson is capable of opening up in impressive bursts, but it is one thing beating up a small heavyweight such as Devin Vargas and quite another trying to impose authority over a durable, seasoned, dangerous and skilled veteran such as Klitschko.

I can see Johnson being competitive — he seems to have natural talent, he is fast and, so far, has not shown any signs of not being able to take a good punch (but then he hasn’t yet been hit by Klitschko). However, I can’t see Johnson winning. Klitschko should be able to control distance with the jab and, after a while, I think he will start to time Johnson for the right hand.

At times Johnson will go to the ropes during a contest and cover up, waiting for the chance to let his hands fly. If the challenger attempts this on Saturday, I would think that Klitschko will probably simply throw nothing-much punches at Johnson’s guard and then look to slam in some heavy shots if a chink opens in the defensive armour.

I do believe Johnson is a better fighter than many believe him to be, but I see nothing but problems for him on Saturday.

If Johnson tries to take the fight to Klitschko I can see him getting caught by the bigger, harder punches.

Long range is Klitschko’s game — I don’t see Johnson having an advantage there.

Heavyweight fights have been decided by one big shot — but Johnson doesn’t seem to have that sort of firing power, especially not against a champion noted for his iron chin.

I do believe that Johnson is coming to win, not merely to survive, and my suspicion is that he will find himself getting hit too hard and too often as he tries to land meaningful shots.

As Johnson has never fought at this level we cannot be sure how he will do. I have a feeling that he will do well — just not quite well enough. A quick blowout by Klitschko would surprise me, but I do believe Dr. Ironfist” will be able to wear down Johnson sufficiently to have him ready to be stopped somewhere around the ninth round.