"I'm not even going for a knockout. I just want to see him quit...It's more brutal."
- Kevin Johnson (Before his fight with Devin Vargas)
Round 1: The hand speed edge goes to Vargas. He came forward landing fast combination punches. Johnson is the bigger, more solid of the two.The punches Vargas landed did not seem to do any damage to Johnson. Johnson looked as if he was feeling Vargas out. Johnson covered up a bit, but started to use a jab. When he landed his punches on Vargas, you could see that Johnson was the heavier puncher.
Round 2: Vargas boxes and lands an overhand right and left hook. Johnson begins to trade shots with Vargas and takes Vargas' punches well. While Vargas had his back on the ropes, Johnson lands two rights and a left hook to the body. It looks as if Johnson can impose his will on Vargas whenever he chooses. Johnson lands a left hook to Vargas' head. When Johnson lands, the force of his punches drive Vargas back.
Round 3: Vargas pressures forward to start the round and lands two good overhand rights followed by 2 left hooks to Johnson's head. Vargas is initiating the exchanges. Using his fast hands, Vargas makes Johnson back up. Johnson lands a strong overhand right. Vargas is now bleeding from his nose. Consecutive left hooks land to Vargas' head followed by more right hands from Johnson. Johnson lands a left hook to the head and Vargas takes a knee. Vargas' mouth is open as he walks to the corner as the bell sounds at the end of the round.
Round 4: Good exchanges - Left hook by Vargas, but the heavier and harder punches are coming from Johnson. Johnson patiently stalks forward. Vargas lands an uppercut and left hook to Johnson's head.
Round 5: Left hook to the head lands by Johnson. Vargas is still coming forward and trying to use his handspeed to slow Johnson. Left hook to the body lands by Vargas. Johnson gets Vargas against the ropes. Johnson lands a left hook to Vargas' head, than an overhand right. Johnson lands two left hooks to the head. Vargas goes down and lost his mouth piece. He looks over to his corner. Action resumes with Johnson throwing and landing a barrage of punches. Vargas exchanges with him. Johnson gets him in the corner and lands a left hook and right hand to Vargas' head.
Round 6: Johnson doubles his jab. He lands an overhand right with Vargas against the ropes. Vargas fires a left hook. Vargas loses his mouth piece. Action continues with Vargas unleashing a combination. Johnson lands a left hook to the head. Johnson doubles his jab and lands an overhand right. Vargas gets tagged with two big left hooks from Johnson. Vargas stumbles to the ropes. Johnson unleashes a barrage of punches. Vargas' corner throws in the towel.
Overall Summary: Kevin Johnson is someone to keep an eye on in the heavyweight division. He has won his last 16 fights. Vargas was tough throwing combinations throughout the fight, but he did not have the power Johnson possessed and he could not take a punch as well as him.
Johnson is one of three American heavyweight contenders that potentially pose a threat to one of the Klitschko brothers. The other two are Eddie Chambers and Chris Arreola. Johnson is a tough matchup for any heavyweight out there. He has a solid chin and uses his quick hands when he feels he gets an opponent in the right position to unleash his combinations. Kevin Johnson improves to 22-0-1, with 9 KO's.
