From pioneering pugilists Jane Couch and Katie Taylor, to some of boxing’s most influential icons like Micky Ward and Tyson Fury, experienced cuts man and trainer Ian Johnson or ‘Jumbo’ as he is more affectionately known in the industry, has just about seen it all.
There are some individuals who would be boastful of having such a catalogue of stories from working with so many talented boxers and trainers. That is not the case though with Johnson, you can sense that there is just a humbling fondness that he has been afforded those moments in the sport. Though, as I learn later in the interview, his humility is not to be mistaken for a lack of accuracy and encyclopaedic attention to detail when those recollections are shared.
As we exchange pleasantries and begin to chat, there is an undeniable verve and eagerness with which he speaks. There is a sparkle still in the eye of a man who has experienced and witnessed so much and continues to ply his trade in boxing today. He is just as keen talking about moments within his career at The Brentwood Leisure Centre or Wolverhampton Civic Hall as he is The Boardwalk or Wembley. Why? Because he loves boxing and in his own words boxing ‘enthrals’ him.
Initially a driver for Matchroom, Johnson got the boxing bug and wanted to be a bigger part of it, and it was not too long before he was mixing with big names in the US. He told me, “I started out with Matchroom doing some driving and then I wanted to do the cut work, I enjoyed that and then I got my trainers cut man licence and since then, I’ve just gone on from there.”
“Many years ago, when I started out, my mentor was Lennox Lewis’ cornerman of many years, Al Gavin. I followed him and watched him, and I learned from him and we even became good friends. I also did a bit of security work for Micky Ward and Dicky (Eklund, Ward’s trainer) did some bits out in Boston Massachusetts, then watched the Ward-Gatti fights.” I try not to appear like an open-mouthed, fixated child as ‘Jumbo’ nonchalantly describes being present at one of the most talked about events in boxing history. Upon being asked whether anything else in terms of atmosphere and spectacle has come close to that fight he added, “Klitschko-Joshua, Froch-Groves, The Millennium Stadium or Principality as it is now when we had big nights there, but the Ward Gatti fight at The Boardwalk, that was something special. What was good and something people don’t talk about, was that although they were so aggressive when they had their fight, they became good friends and Micky was a very good fighter to be around.”
Many will recognise ‘Jumbo’ Johnson through the work he does in the corner of Irish fighting sensation Katie Taylor and he was part of the history-making triple header that featured Taylor as part of a card which had three female world title fights on the same Matchroom bill in November. It has almost come full circle for Johnson who recalls the connection he has with another ground-breaking pioneer in women’s boxing, Jane Couch. Of the current landscape and the foundations laid by Couch amongst others, Johnson said, “Yeah, if you look back over the years, going back now to when I first started many, many years ago, the lady who did all of the background work for ladies boxing was Jane Couch. She took me to America when she fought two-time world champion Jamie Clampitt at The Casino in Connecticut.”
Now twenty years ago, you would never have seen a triple-header, three ladies fighting for world titles, main event, chief support, and another world title fight? That says something about today’s sport and a lot of it has come even further forward since the 2012 Olympics in London.”
Before moving on he did make sure to mention that he was there with Couch for both fights in Connecticut against Clampitt and felt that she won both contests. The first she won as world title challenger, and the second fight was a defence with a points decision going against her.
There have been giant steps made this summer-in the shape of barnstorming bouts between Jonas and Harper, Taylor Persoon 2 and Ball Courtenay-that have contributed to the seismic rise in the popularity and success of women’s boxing, but Johnson also highlighted the significance of the first Taylor Persoon fight at Madison Square Garden, a fight he attended despite not working the corner which further substantiates the unimpeachable idea that he is as much a fan as he is an employee within the sport. “I was there that night at Madison Square Garden. My role with Katie when I started was agreed that I would do the European fights and someone else would cover the US fights, so I was there but I didn’t work the corner, but to be in that crowd with all of those people seeing the fight and giving a standing ovation for those girls, unbelievable! And they both did themselves proud. That was something special.”
From navigating through the glittering tales of what is now part of boxing folklore, the body of conversation funnelled into the finer points of Johnson’s corner work and the gritty reality of what a cuts man is faced with. I am less than surprised when the experienced cornerman reveals that he hasn’t been too perturbed or worried by a particular cut or injury he has had to deal with, that may have something to do with his work within the UFC. Though he does vividly describe an occasion where he had his work cut out (pardon the pun), “One of the worst cuts I have seen was back many years ago at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Marcus Portman fought in a minor world title fight against Jozsef Matolsci for the WBF super welterweight title. They clashed heads early and Matolsci was cut, then he was hit and it opened up again and the eyebrow dropped, when he came back to the corner I plugged it and the doctor was asked to come and take a look at it. It was stopped and he ended up having to have 16 internal stitches and 16 external stitches. That was horrific but that was the only bad one in boxing, I have seen bad ones in the UFC what with the knees and elbows.”
Sometimes the severity of the cut is not the primary concern, it is the reaction to being cut. The experienced ‘Jumbo’ commended the attitude of Ryan Burnett during his world title fight with Lee Haskins, a fighter who he worked with whilst working with Adam Booth. “Ryan Burnett was very calm in Belfast when he got a nasty cut on the forehead, he was really calm for someone who had never been cut before.
“He stayed calm and believed in me and allowed me to do my job, so give him credit, he went on and won the fight and became world champion.”
The role of each person in the corner is imperative, not just the physical duties but the message, the understanding of each person’s role and what autonomy they have. This was further clarified and elaborated on by Johnson, “Adam for me is a very, very precise person. He is nice and calm when the fighter comes back and sits down, that’s really important. I have worked in some corners where one person is talking, then another person is talking, the fighter is like ‘who do I take in?’ Only one person should be talking. The house second or the person working in the corner should take the gumshield, wash it, and give it back, let the trainer do the talking. When I am there, I don’t say nothing, I do the job. That way they can’t be confused about what is going on.”
Johnson has worked with so many talents, it is impossible to list them all, aside from the ones already mentioned he has worked with Lawrence Okolie, Nathan Cleverly, Joe Joyce and many others, but he has also gained a huge sense of personal satisfaction from training fighters himself and seeing their progression first hand. “I have had two fighters, Luke Pearson and Nick Jenman. That is all I have ever had because I am more of a cut person. Nick Jenman, from Brighton, I never had to worry about commitment in training, Luke was the same. To see them come through and win a fight, Nick won the Southern Area, The Masters, The British Masters, The International and The Challenge belt. To see him develop is great, and to see them win a fight, even better. I just love to see that side of boxing, it enthrals me.”
The almost tangible enthusiasm that pours out of ‘Jumbo’ is something that everyone can relate and aspire to as he takes a moment to eulogise about the potential of two young fighters on the scene today. “There are two kids Al Smith has got, Dennis McCann and Henry Turner. When we had sparring with Dennis McCann, Luke (Pearson) said ‘I can’t believe he has got such long arms, they come from nowhere.’ On the constant comparisons made between McCann and Prince Naseem, he said, “He is not quite as shuffly with the feet as Naz. I think over the years, the potential is there as these young lads tend to fill out, he has every chance of moving up a weight or two and being world champion.”
You can not speak about the sport or your experiences like Ian ‘Jumbo’ Johnson does, if you do not love it. There is no doubt that this giant of the sport will continue to earn respect and continue to work in his own unassuming and humble way. The sport is richer for these characters who are often in the shadows and have a pivotal yet understated role.
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