On Saturday, December 9, former U.S. Olympian Delante “Tiger” Johnson improved his professional record to 11-0, but it wasn’t an easy task.
At Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida, the former U.S. Olympian was tested round after round by a determined Jimmer Espinosa. Espinosa employed a tactical attack to the body and remained active throughout the fight. However, the slicker, quicker Johnson was able to emerge with the win. One judge scored the bout 77-75 in Espinosa’s favor while the two remaining judges delivered the following scorecards in Johnson’s favor: 79-73 and 78-74.
Johnson has recently hit a tough, two-fight stretch in the early portion of his career. In September, he beat Ricardo Quiroz by split decision in an eight-round bout. While Joel Elizondo and Jesse Reyes scored the bout in his favor, Nathaniel Cantu scored it a draw after Quiroz seemingly hurt the Ohio native late in the fight.
After fighting ten times over the last two years, Johnson is poised to have a pretty busy run in 2024. As Regis Prograis, Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Jack Catterall and many others jockey for position at the top of the super lightweight division, Johnson will look to cement himself as a contender heading into 2025.
