By Stephen S. Johnson
(INSIDE BOXING) Former Two-Time Lightweight World Champion Stevie Johnston (32-2-1, 15 KO's) looked totally focused in dominating James Crayton (32-15-2) in a 10 round bout last Friday night in Las Vegas.
The bout was significant on two fronts. Johnston suffered another severe cut in the 9th round that caused the fight to be stopped, and served notice that he remains a factor in the lightweight division. Johnston was well ahead on all scorecards after displaying boxing skills that rate him one of the top two lightweight fighters in the world.
Stevie Johnston has shown that he is a TRUE champion by taking on all comers in the lightweight division. Not content to sit on his laurels and allow the media to decide how good he is, Stevie Johnston has fought the majority of his professional fights on the road.
The current WBC Lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo, possesses the same champion mentality as Johnston. Having dethroned Johnston in the first of their two bouts in a place (California) where neither calls home, Castillo traveled to the hometown of Johnston (Denver) and came away with a majority draw decision allowing him to retain the WBC title.
Following the James Crayton match it was understandable the first question asked of Johnston was who would be his next opponent?
Stevie stated he would like to fight Castillo again to "get back my title". But when asked about IBF titleholder Paul Spadafora, Stevie said that "either one is fine I just want the title World Champion in front of my name".
The Spadafora camp is uninterested in a fight with either Jose Luis Castillo or Stevie Johnston. All the talk surrounding Spadafora and his wanting to fight "all the big names in the lightweight division" is just that…all talk!
Allegedly the Spadafora people want (as usual) Castillo or Johnston to come to Pittsburgh with Spadafora making 3 times as much as the opponent. The IBF title doesn't carry the same prestige as either the WBC or the WBA belt so Spadafora would seemingly be ecstatic at the idea of coming to Las Vegas to challenge Castillo or Johnston.
WRONG!
Paul Spadafora has no interest in doing anything other than keeping the IBF Lightweight belt. Fighting the two REAL big names in the lightweight division, Jose Luis Castillo or Stevie Johnston would silence critics (such as myself) who consider Spadafora a "pretender" and not a contender to the lightweight title.
So while Spadafora sits at the dinner table and ponders what his next dessert will be, the two best lightweights in the world will probably go at it one more time.
Stevie Johnston and Jose Luis Castillo are just two in the lightweight division who have shown they can fight in arenas other than in their own backyard. Surely Paul Spadafora can do the same…or can he?
The bushes have been shaken. The leaves have all fallen. There is now no where for Paul Spadafora to hide. He must come to Las Vegas and either "shit or get off the pot" and do battle with the best in the lightweight division.
Come on "Pittsburgh Kid", we're all waiting.