US heavyweight Kevin Johnson came close to the top of the boxing world before his star dimmed. Now, he wants to relaunch his career from Russia, where he has become a cheerleader for President Vladimir Putin.
Relations between the West and Russia have hit record lows over Moscow’s almost three-year Ukraine offensive — also hitting the sporting world hard.
But the 45-year-old American from New Jersey says he has found a “recipe” for success in his new home, where he was granted citizenship this year in a decree from Putin.
“It’s all about the ingredients. Life is ingredients. And the ingredients in Russia are abundant. They make a good recipe,” he told AFP ahead of a highly publicised fight on Friday against mixed martial arts champion Vitaly Minakov.
Johnson has become a feature at car shows and in the celebrity pages in Russia, and has even appeared on a cooking show.
He often vaunts his admiration for Putin and wears a T-shirt bearing the president’s image as “a sign of respect”.
He also likes to quote from a song by pro-Kremlin pop star of the moment Shaman, entitled “I Am Russian”.
– A decade of defeats –
The idea of moving to Russia was inspired by his promoter and friend Vladimir Khryunov, who invited him in 2023 to try to give his boxing career a second wind and ease the international isolation around Russia’s sporting world.
Johnson was unbeaten until 2009, when he lost against Ukraine’s Vitali Klitschko in a WBC championship match in Bern, Switzerland.
He went on to win the IBF Australasian heavyweight title in 2012, but his career dipped after that, with around 20 defeats and only 10 victories in the next 10 years.
He arrived in Russia alone with his dog, a Cane Corso.
After winning his first fight in Russia in April 2023, he said he wanted Russian citizenship — a move his promoter praised as “an act of courage”.
Relations between Russia and global sporting organisations have been tense ever since the state-sponsored doping scandal following the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014.
They worsened after Russia’s decision to send troops into Ukraine in February 2022, which led to a ban on Russian athletes.
Putin granted Johnson nationality with a decree under an express procedure used for others including US actor Steven Seagal.
“It’s the biggest honour in the world to be a Russian citizen,” said Johnson, who speaks only a few words of Russian.
He has taken on the patronymic Vladimirovich “in honour of our president”.
– ‘Officer Vladimirovich’ –
The boxer, who lives in a Moscow suburb, has also registered with the military for potential mobilisation — a requirement under Russian law.
AFP was invited to attend his registration at the military conscription office, which he turned into something of a show, arriving dressed in khaki with a military fur hat on.
“I thought they will give me a gun today. I was ready. Yes! Officer Vladimirovich. I am ready,” he joked.
In theory, he could now be mobilised but is not obliged to do military service because of his age.
In an interview with AFP, he said he was devoted to his new homeland, but declined to talk about the conflict in Ukraine.
He views Putin favourably compared to US President Joe Biden.
“Putin in Russia is the president; he is the chief commander. He stands for his country!” he said, echoing popular ways to describe Putin by his Russian supporters, while criticising Biden.
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