In the opening bout of the Mayweather-Paul pay-per-view, former NFL star Chad Johnson made his boxing debut in an exhibition that went the four-round distance against pro fighter Brian Maxwell.
“I had fun,” said Johnson. “I had two months to get ready for this, and I want to thank God for keeping us safe out there. I want to thank Floyd, Leonard Ellerbe, and my whole team for allowing me to check this off my bucket list.”
The 43-year-old Johnson ran into a bit of adversity in the fourth round. Maxwell landed a counter overhand right that connected and put Johnson onto the canvas with 40 seconds left in the round.
Johnson was able to recover from the shot and made it to the final bell.
In the post-fight interview, Johnson expressed hope that his venture into the ring will serve as a positive example for those watching.
“My life has always been about taking chances and doing crazy stuff, and this is just another one off my bucket list,” said Johnson. “It’s a message for a lot of people who are scared to fail, scared to lose, scared to take chances to go out there and live. Don’t be scared to fail; it’s okay. I don’t box. I fight, but it ain’t in the ring, so of course, I was a little sloppy.”
Johnson did not look too bad in this fight. Now, you can’t play boxing, and it’s a hazardous sport, so let’s hope this is a one-and-done situation for Johnson. In the end, it’s good to see him walk out of the ring healthy.
