Boxer Delante “Tiger” Johnson, who competed in the Olympics, lived up to his nickname.
D. Johnson Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Donte Johnson, whose son Tiger was participating in an amateur boxing match, believed he made it in time. Tiger was ten years old.
Because it provided him the opportunity to experience his son’s enthusiasm firsthand, his presence at each game was always welcome.
This was also exceptional because his many occupations required him to be elsewhere most of the time.
Everything was ready to go until the elder Johnson was seen in the parking lot as the last of the fans left the arena. His disbelief flooded through him.
I Realised I was too late,” Donte Johnson said.
As I got closer, I overheard some fans discussing Tiger and the fight. The first thing that went across my mind was, “Y’all talking ’bout Tiger?” Those people were like, “Man, you don’t know?” He’s totally that guy.
While others in the company discussed Tiger’s exploits, Donte Johnson watched in wonder. His initial disappointment at having to miss the battle shifted instantly.
Donte Johnson: “I missed so many fights that I wasn’t able to watch his improvement, therefore I was proud of him and startled.”
When I went home that night, I gave him some money and encouraged him to keep training since he would eventually see the fruits of his labour. We can see that it has worked after all these years.
Delante “Tiger” Johnson, a 22-year-old welterweight, will compete for the United States in the postponed 2020 Olympics.
This weekend (Saturday) until next weekend (Sunday, August 8) is the boxing tournament. Johnson, who has won 95% of more than 200 amateur battles, competes in his first Olympic event on Saturday.
Johnson has Excellent Ringcraft.
He’s the number one welterweight in the United States and the nineteenth in the world thanks to his lightning quickness (see Roy Jones Jr.). An international sensation after his 2016 gold at the youth world championships, he placed third at the 2019 Pan American Games.
As the fourth Clevelander in a row to qualify for the Olympic team, Johnson is a historic figure for the city. Following in the footsteps of Terrell Gausha (2012), Charles Conwell, and Raynell Williams (2008), he (2016).
By winning the gold, he might make history as the first athlete from Cleveland to do it since flyweight Nate Brooks in 1952.
Since Raynell, Terrell, and Charles came into the gym wearing Team USA clothing, Johnson has had a burning desire to join them in the Olympic ring.
It’s also a vow I made to my First Coach, the late Clint Martin.
When discussing the Olympics, it was he who first mentioned them. He believed in my abilities.
Johnson’s father gave his son the moniker “Tiger” after discovering a strange birthmark on his bottom.
He was born with a green birthmark on his butt that resembled a tiger stripe, as described by Donte Johnson.
Johnson earned the name as a result of his reputation as a bully and a lack of patience on the school bus.
Johnson Claimed, “My School was in a Horrible Location.”
Sometimes I’d get into fights with kids who were a full grade or two above me. They would tease the younger ones, but I wouldn’t stand for it. Boxing taught me that it doesn’t matter how talented you are if you don’t have heart.
Johnson was encouraged to pursue boxing by his father, who showed him the ropes and taught him how to throw punches, and by other boxers in the family.
Some of his cousins competed at the amateur and professional levels, while his grandfather was a middleweight amateur. To Johnson, it made perfect sense to follow his cousin’s lead and start boxing training.
Johnson’s size caused his father and the gym coaches to stop despite his eagerness to throw punches.
Johnson, at age 8, weighed a meagre 50 pounds, making him much too little to compete with other young combatants his age. His diminutive stature continued to be an issue for a long time.
Johnson reflected on how others said he couldn’t fight due of his diminutive stature. I had to train myself to battle bigger, taller opponents. In the long run, that aided in my growth.
It wasn’t a Simple Procedure.
Given his height, “boxing wasn’t going to pay off for him,” Donte Johnson said. To this day, he still won’t let go. He was determined to keep going. Simply put, he grew into his role in a matter of years.
Martin, who has been training fighters in Cleveland for nearly 60 years, taught Johnson before his growth spurt. Williams, along with a select few others, was a favourite student. A lot of people’s attention was drawn to Johnson.
Of the time Tiger was eight years old, I first heard about him, as Gausha put it. You’ve got to see this kid fight Clint Martin, the boxing community said; he’s a monster.
Despite his initial success with Martin, Johnson eventually switched to another local icon, Renard Safo. The pair shared a special bond.
Safo, 69, is a boxing coach who, like Martin, has produced several U.S. national champions. These include Gausha and Yuandale Evans, who won the Continental Americas featherweight title.
After Tiger and his father made the decision to work with Safo, a veteran trainer of more than four decades, “I tightened up some things,” and “he started to catch on,” Safo said.
“He was in a tussle. I suggested that he get into boxing. Boxing is more of a mental than a physical challenge. He was given the orders to “box and move with superb footwork.”
Because of the shifts and rivalry that occurred throughout time, Johnson eventually amassed a large number of awards.
Gausha, who won multiple amateur titles and is now a middleweight with a 22-2-1 professional record, attributes his growth to Safo, who also trained Johnson to become Gausha’s second Olympic boxer.
Gausha Credited “Safo’s old-School Mindset” for her Success in Qualifying for the Olympics.
To quote Rocky Balboa: “He wants you to throw a jab and then go around your opponent. Safo’s second strength is that he keeps you busy, and this is where Tiger stands out from other fighters. He has far more exposure to different cultures than you have. That will be beneficial to him.
With a win over Freudis Rojas Jr. in last year’s Olympic trials, Johnson secured his spot in the competition. The Games were in a tizzy, but the coronavirus outbreak was the cause. Johnson had many unanswered questions regarding his future.
“I was in a holding pattern,” Johnson explained. I was beginning to wonder if the Olympics would even be held.
There were times when I considered turning professional, but I always held out hope for the Olympics. Fighting in the Olympics has been a lifelong dream of mine, so I couldn’t be happier that we finally get to have them. And I have a promise to keep to Clint.
In order to Obtain his shot, Johnson will have to beat out two Formidable Opponents:
Andrey Zamkovoy (Russia) and Pat McCormack (Australia) (England). With any luck, he’ll help the United States men’s team break their gold medal drought, which has persisted since Andre Ward’s victory in 2004.
For Safo, the competition is of little concern. He thinks highly of his newest student.
Safo proclaimed, “Tiger is the best out there; I don’t care who he fights.” Due to his ring generalship, he is currently the best fighter I have seen. It’s necessary to use your wits to outwit your opponent. I’m crossing my fingers for a medal victory for him.
