Tavoris Cloud over Glen Johnson.

Thoroughly enjoyed last night’s barnburner between IBF light heavyweight belt holder Tavoris “Thunder” Cloud and cagey veteran Glen Johnson. While the fight looked closer than the consensus score of 116 to 112, the mostly-unknown judging panel had it correct that despite the Jamaican’s valiant effort, he hadn’t done enough to unseat the champ. Johnson repeatedly worked the jab and opened up a nasty cut over Cloud’s left eye in the later rounds, but never really looked to be getting the better of the action. At best his soft-handed attack in the late rounds served to keep Thunder at bay, but only Cloud looked interested in concluding the fight before the distance was reached.

For his part Cloud impressed with his tenacity and determination, but seemed confused at times by the Road Warrior’s tactics and refusal to stay injured after absorbing one of his flurries. Cloud was overly concerned with headhunting and his refusal to work the body left Johnson able to make a go of it in the championship rounds. Johnson at this point must be used to getting the short end of a decision, though the case for a draw was flimsy in my view regardless of Howard Lederer’s scorecard. Aside from his inexplicable disappearance in the ninth, I rarely saw Cloud at peril from Johnson’s attack. There is much to be said for the argument that you must take the belt from its current owner.

As for the future, Johnson proved that while he may no longer fight at the championship level he remains a game combatant for any matchmaker looking for a quality opponent at 175 lbs. Cloud is undoubtedly a star on the rise, but he would be wise perhaps to wait another fight before challenging the winner of next week’s Chad Dawson-Jean Pascal battle for supremacy in the division. Perhaps a unification bout against WBA champ Beibut Shumenov or a riskier tilt with veteran Bernard Hopkins would be the appropriate trial by fire. Getting into the ring with Dawson in particular seems an unwise choice at this point, though we will know more after next week’s bout for the The Ring light heavyweight championship.