Would time traveling Harold Johnson be P4P #1 today?

No.

 

Someone doesn't understand dialectics smh

 

I'm a fan of Harold Johnson and I personally think he beats the majority of today's 175 fighters not named Beterbiev and Bivol. Those 2 are the only guys that have a 50/50 shot to beat Johnson IMO. Technically brilliant as Johnson was he wasn't without his faults. Chin wasn't the strongest and can be a one note overly methodical fighter at times which gives Beterbiev and Bivol a shot to beat him.
I also think he'd have success at Cruiserweight as well although he'll also be facing a puncher in Opetaia who hasn't been tested enough for me to greatly favor him over Johnson.

If Johnson were fighting today he'd certainly be Top 5 P4P. Beating Bivol and Beterbiev certainly puts him on the #1 spot for me.

 

I wouldn't favor anybody over a southpaw until I saw that person fight a southpaw. I've seen too many people that had not fought a southpaw have a bad experience. Some people do well with them the first time, but most that I have seen do not. There is nothing magical about being a southpaw, the only advantage a southpaw has is that he fights orthodox fighters daily, most orthodox fighters seldom see a southpaw. That is changing now because lots of people are using the southpaw stance including a lot of right handers who want their right hand in front.

I've seen orthodox fighters who are so programmed to parry the jab with their right hand that they use their right hand to parry a southpaw jab. That leaves their face unprotected and in front of the southpaw's power hand.

 

Harold Johnson is one of the most underrated fighters ever.

 

Being an unreconstructed southpaw in the 80's and 90's was truly magical.

 

Honestly, I find Johnson to be a bit overrated by those trying to look too cool for school.

He wouldn't be a LB4LB guy today but he would certainly be in play in the SMW and LHW ranks.

 

I think he would be the best light heavyweight for sure. Probably be able to move up and make waves at cruiserweight. How high he’d rank p4p would depend how active he’d be and what big fights he’d get. Bivol and Canelo would probably be the best fights he could realistically sign for within the weight parameters he’d be working with

 

I think you nailed it, picking HJ is the "cool" pick. In this fight he seldom used his right hand, he looked stiff, he does have a good left. Johnson reminds me of a left handed guy who was turned around because in those days if he stayed southpaw he wouldn't be able to get fights. This is the most I've ever watched Johnson fight, but it's not natural for a guy to use his dominant hand so sparingly. From just watching one fight I think his dominant hand might be his left.

This content is protected

 

this was 1963, the man debut in 1946...

all fighters towards the end of their careers are a bit more conservative & cautious, nothing strange about that. Prime & peak, surely among the top in any era, but as already mentioned, in recent decades he'd compete eitherside of S-MW!