Friday at the Dynamo Volleyball Arena in Moscow, airing live on the Ushatayka channel on YouTube internationally and on Ren TV in Russia. Eight rounds at heavyweight. Both men are 43 years old (Datsik celebrating his birthday last month; his BoxRec page omits his DOB and still incorrectly lists him as 42). Datisk is a...ahem, colorful personality (outspoken and unabashed white supremacist ex-con) in Russian combat sports, a power-reliant crossover from kickboxing and MMA who fought many boxing "exhibitions" before officially turning pro last year. Johnson began his career two decades ago as a touted prospect seen as Ike Quartey's successor to "p4p best jab in the game" and s a one time world title challenger (2009, losing a UD to Vitali Klitschko) and longtime contender but has been absent from top 15 rankings for several years now. KJ was originally scheduled to be Aydin Yıldırım's sophomore professional opponent that day, but this fight seems to have preempted that one. BoxRec is slow to update.
Every once in a blue moon since devolving into a journeyman, the normally staid and placid-to-a-fault and power-punch-reticent KJ does surprise us and spring an upset KO - as in 2013 versus Solomon Haumono, 2017 versus Francesco Pianeta, and 2020 versus Yoan Pablo Hernández Suárez. So there's a glimmer of hope we get to see this literal Neo-Nazi thug get slept.
It'll have been 24 years - just one shy of a quarter century - in a fortnight. Both men's pro MMA debut. That's why Arlovski already carried the whispers of having a glass jaw into his UFC tenure.
Go KJ! He's really grown on me over the years and is one of those Chisora-Cooper-Red Lowery types who isn't good enough to win the gold, but sure separates the men from the boys. Hope he resurrects himself here to take care to this apparent Russian white supremacist. By the way, it is always worth remembering some good guys Johnson beat... Bruce Seldon Yoan Pablo Herandez Francesco Pianeta Albert Sosnowski Alex Leapai Solomon Huamano Robert Hawkins Devin Vargas Demetrice King That is not a bad career!
He is on a mission outside the ring, too, apparently telling interviewers he is determined to bring home a Russian bride. Last time he was there (for a UD loss to Shigabudin Aliev in 2019) he and his buddies tried in vain to find him a wife to no avail, so he wants redemption.
Tim Boxeo's schedule on Stanza has this blocked out from 2-7pm EST, and the undercard may well start that early on YouTube but no way is the card extending that late. 7pm EST is 2am local time in Moscow; the main event will be long over by then. Ren TV has a timeslot of 1600-1740 (4-5:40pm) EST: https://ren.tv/tv-program#current-program-5 I'd expect Datsik and Johnson in the ring by 5 our time (midnight in Moscow).
@UnleashtheFURY edit: ah, you're still...indisposed. Don't suppose your debt to society'll be paid by Friday?
