Storm Brewing In St. Louis: Tavoris Cloud vs. Glen Johnson Preview

Michael Nelson previews this weekend's light-heavyweight showdown between Tavoris Cloud and Glen Johnson.

Hardcore boxing fans know the feeling. The buzz from a fight that wasn't layered with hype and HBO specials, but still has the hair on your arms standing straight as you await the opening bell. Anticipation souring through your veins because you're about to witness styles that compliment each other flawlessly.

Enter Tavoris Cloud and Glen Johnson. Barring an early round knockout, disqualification, or injury, this bout has little choice but to be good, and has potential to be breathtaking.

The equation is simple: no backward steps, plus no clinching, plus an abundance of testicular fortitude, equals all action. Mix in Cloud's explosive combinations with The Road Warrior's legendary durability and it's easy to see how it might be a fight of the year candidate.

It didn't look that way until six months ago. Heading into a Friday Night Fights showdown with Yusaf Mack, questions swirled around whether Johnson was on his last legs. He was coming off his most lopsided loss in over a decade; Chad Dawson bewildered him with speed and movement late last year, making the then 40 year old look his age.

But against Mack - a dangerous opponent, albeit one with far less mobility and skill than Dawson - Glen dominated the proceedings with his jab, before beating the Philadelphia native into submission by shooting a cascade of right hands to the body and head. The ageless Jamaican had slipped through father time's grasp once again. A clash with Cloud suddenly looked as blood-lustingly intriguing as it did after Cloud's 2009 title winning effort over Clinton Woods.

Cloud faced the stiffest test of his career during his entertaining bid for the IBF strap. While he hurt Woods on more than one occasion, the savvy, hardened veteran never relented, and landed a number of hard uppercuts and right hands of his own. But Cloud's well-timed jabs, short right hands, and cruel triple left hook combinations allowed him to dominate late and win a unanimous decision.

The contractual issues that have plagued the 28 year old's career shelved him for an extended period of time yet again. Saturday will feature only his third fight in the last three years. It also represents his third consecutive bout against a relic in the light heavyweight division, each challenge more daunting than the last.

Despite the lost time, he's likely to be the more energetic combatant in St. Louis. He'll attempt to use his superior hand speed to rip bundles of punches through and around the old man's guard. There will be times when he swamps Johnson with activity while Glen conserves energy and searches for spots.

But Johnson's guard can be difficult to penetrate, and he generally lands with sharpshooting accuracy if his opponent isn't on the move. The sneaky power in his right hand will present an ubiquitous threat. In between Cloud's ambitious combinations, Johnson will look to snipe his young adversary with something he won't be expecting. Meanwhile, both men will tear into each other's midsection in what's sure to be a phone booth war.

A few times a year, fighters who were seemingly born to fight each other battle it out. The feeling before these moments help explain why we love the sport. Saturday night will be nothing short of electrifying.

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