Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson: Reflecting on a sensational career and looking to the next level.

15rounds.com caught up with future Hall of Famer/ legendary champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson. Following a career that saw him finish with a 44-5 (28 KO’s) professional ledger, Johnson is now an aspiring referee. Having fought in 14 world title bouts (holding a 12-1-1 record), Johnson feels his expertise will make him a top notch official.

Matt Yanofsky: Mark, what’s going on, the boxing world hasn’t heard from you in awhile. What have you been up to since your career has ended?

Mark Johnson: I never said my career ended! Right now, I am looking to manage fighters but with the way things are going, it is tough. The promoters want the guys to be opponents. I am looking to start my own boxing gym too (author’s note: more on this later). If I get to training in my gym, you never know what will happen. If I get (offers to) fight these young lions, I am done but if I can get a guy like Kevin Kelley, who knows (laughing).

MY: In your heyday, you were a dominant fighter with solid all around skills, hence the nickname “Too Sharp”. Unfortunately, lower weight class fighters weren’t shown on US TV very often. Do you think that hurt your career?

MJ: Yes it did hurt. The promoters killed it too. I wanted Michael Carbajal, but (his promoter) Top rank said no. Top Rank also said no to me fighting Danny Romero. Top Rank said they wouldn’t let their guys face me! Johnny Tapia’s promoters said no too. I called out Chiquita Gonzalez for a catchweight fight at 110 lbs as well. I always wanted to give fans the fights they wanted. There (has) never have seen somebody of caliber at 112 lbs (who have) speed, power, and (that was) left handed.

MY: In 2003, you defeated an unbeaten fighter in Fernando Montiel for the WBO Super Flyweight crown. Montiel is now a top fighter and has only one disputed loss since you defeated him. Did you expect him to become a top fighter?

MJ: Yes, I did. Even before I knew I was going to fight him, I said wow, this guy can box. When I saw him fight, I knew a lot of Mexicans would have trouble with him because he can box. His manager Gary Gittelsohn also had my nephew Clarence Vinson, who was from the 2000 Olympics.
With that said, I knew he couldn’t handle lefties. I won the first 8 rounds if you look at the tape and I cruised through the final 4. (Even though I was) an older fighter, he let me set the pace and dictate what I wanted to do.

MY: The biggest and most attractive fight that could have been made between lower weight superstars was one between you and the great Ricardo Lopez. I have heard many different stories as to why it didn’t happen. Why is your recollection as to why the fight never happened?

MJ: I think it was a situation where he didn’t want to come up and I didn’t want to come down. At the time he was fighting at 105 and I was at 112 so the weight was an issue. If we could have made a catchweight fight I would have loved it! With me fighting 112 him at 105 it would have been hard to find a fair catchweight.

MY: A little off topic but I always wondered why didn’t Ricardo Lopez didn’t move up to at least 115 lbs. He had the power, boxing ability, defense and he was 5’5, which was a good height. As a smaller weight class fighter, can you tell me why he may not have moved up.

MJ: When I moved up to 118 for Rafael Marquez and I saw him in the ring I said good god almighty! What did he do? The few pounds do make a major difference because some guys move down. When I fought 112 I moved down from 123-124 (lbs). Some guys move down from 130 (lbs walking around between fights) to make 115, and 140 to make 118. What people fail to realize is that last pound really kills you, it makes a huge difference. I honestly felt like you did about the weight until I fought Marquez.

MY: Do you still follow boxing today? If so who are your favorite fighters?

MJ: I do however, it has gotten away form me. My favorite fighters are Floyd Mayweather, hands down bottom line. Even with the Pacquiao situation, I think he is #2 behind Floyd. When those two fight it will be great.

The problem is boxing isn’t like they used to be (in the 1980’s). Like when we saw Leonard-Hearns, Hearns-Hagler, Duran-Barkley, and Arguello-Pryor. Back then, the promoters and managers were interested in making great fights. They gave people the fights they want to see boxing isn’t like that anymore; it’s all the money and politics.

MY: Many lower weight class fighters (specifically 105-112 lbs) receive little to no coverage in the US. There are some excellent fighters in this weight range including Ivan Calderon, Omar Narvaez and Roman Gonzalez among others. Do you specifically follow the lower weight class fighters? Can you explain the frustrations of being a top fighter but overlooked just based on weight class?

MJ: I watch (Vic) Darchinyan a lot and I liked to watch Jorge Arce even though I knew he wouldn’t make it huge. Over here we care about the heavyweights but I wouldn’t pay a penny to watch the heavyweights! The smaller guys get it in they come to fight. There is no feeling each other out and I’d spend my money on smaller guys because I will see a great fight!

When people today ask me where I fight and I say flyweight, 112 lbs and they say damn, you were that small! I figured we would grab (an interest in) the smaller Weight class guys when we had Chiquita Gonzalez and Michael Carbajal.

MY: Now that you have basically hung up the gloves for good you are now looking to put on a different pair of gloves, the vinyl ones that referees wear. What made you decide you wanted to referee?

MJ: I love boxing. Outside of my wife and kids, its my life. I work for the Washington DC department of recreation. They have talked about giving me my own recreation center and gym. The Peterson brothers (Lamont and Anthony) trained out here so they kept talking about it but nothing happened.

Every day, I get a call from people asking me to work with them, so I want to be somewhere around the ring where I can make a difference. I feel right now refereeing would be great for me. I know the game and am willing to learn what I don’t know.

MY: A few former athletes have gone on to become officials such as Hayward Workman in the NBA, and Jocko Conlan in the baseball (who is a Hall of Fame umpire). Unfortunately, the most famous boxers turned referees were noted more so for their mistakes than success as the third man in the ring.

Jersey Joe Walcott was highly criticized for how he handled the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston rematch and Dave Barry (who had 32 pro fights) will forever be remembered for “The Long Count” during the Jack Dempsey-Gene Tunney rematch. What will you do to make sure that you won’t make the same mistakes as these other fighters turned referees?

MJ: First of all, I know me and what I can do. I am willing to do the amateurs first and take my time. A lot of things happen in a split second and referees miss it. Referees have had long counts too. Think about when Richard Steele stopped the Meldrick Taylor fight. If he let him continue, the final bell would have gone off and Taylor would have won.

The thing about refereeing is your damned if you don’t your damned if you do. If I make the count longer for your fighter, his team will love me but the other corner hates me. It’s hard to please everyone but I will really take my time watching specifics on fighters so I know what I’m doing in there.

I don’t think refs watch fight tapes because if they did, they’d know how guys fight and their tendencies such as rabbit punches, laying on the ropes, low blows, etc. What will make me different (from other referees) will be my time (invested) studying.

MY: When are you looking to start your new career?

MJ: All my paper work will be turned in next week. I will start with the amateurs and gradually grow. They wanted me to work on June 6 as a pro referee but I feel I need to take the necessary precautions like everyone else. Jus because I was a world champ fighter doesn’t mean I should be in the pros (as a referee) this is something new for me.

MY: As we all know, boxing is a rough business. Have you had any other business ventures since last fighting in 2006?

MJ: I ran a barber shop directly across the street from where Nationals Park (the Washington Nationals) stadium is. I bought my wife a beauty shop which she sold. I am still involved investing.

MY: What would you consider the biggest accomplishment during your illustrious career?

MJ: Becoming the first African American Flyweight and Super Flyweight champion. I broke into the record books twice!

MY: Thanks for your time. What do you have to say in closing?

MJ: There are a lot of things still on my mind. I am hoping to get into the Hall of Fame and would love to have a book written on my life. I have a lot of things I will be working on as early as tomorrow!