The 140-pound division is among the best in boxing, if not the best. Veterans of the super lightweight class include Josh Taylor, Subriel Matias Regis Progress and Jack Catterall among others. Newcomers like Rolando “Rolly” Romero Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez are poised to boost the division’s commercial value and grab a few titles along the way. Not to mention, dark horses like Ismael Barroso are also lurking. With all of that said, it is the next class of contenders and champions that take the division to another level.
Among the fastest and sharpest prospects in the super lightweight division is Delonte “Tiger” Johnson. In his previous two fights, the 140-pound prospect earned a split decision and a majority decision win. While winning is the goal, winning impressively during the ascent to the top is the difference between stars and superstars. On Friday night, Johnson proved he is capable of winning impressively on the biggest stage.
Matched up with veteran Paulo Galdino of Brazil, Tiger wasted no time giving the fans at Madison Square Garden what they were looking for. Utilizing a straight power jab, Johnson was able to hurt Galdino early and often before sending him to the canvas. While Galdino was able to reach his feet, it became clear that he had little left in the tank as the Cleveland native unleashed a barrage of punches that would leave the referee no option other than to stop the fight before the first-round ended.
With the win, Johnson improves to 12-0 with six knockouts. He’s outside of the top fifteen in all four major sanctioning bodies, but two or three more wins like that against tougher opposition could transition him from prospect to contender before the end of 2024.
