Delante “Tiger” Johnson plans to make a statement when he faces Nicklaus Flaz this Friday in the main event on ProBox TV from the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida.
Johnson is undefeated and entering his third fight of 2025, while Flaz makes his second appearance of the year. Though many see the matchup as a dangerous test for both men, Johnson isn’t among them. “I don’t look at him like a dangerous opponent. I’m the dangerous one,” said the Cleveland native. “A lot of people are counting me out in this fight and I’m just ready to show the world what I can do.”
The 26-year-old former U.S. Olympian, who reached the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games, recently moved up from junior welterweight to welterweight. “One-forty had its moment,” he explained. “I couldn’t really do it no more, so it was best for me to go up to 147.”
Having faced world-class opposition throughout his amateur and early professional career, Johnson believes his experience sets him apart. “I’ve been in tough since my debut. I don’t underestimate anybody. I’ve been in the ring with a million different styles, and his style ain’t nothing I haven’t seen before. But he’s never been in the ring with someone like me.”
Flaz enters the fight ranked No. 10 by the IBF and No. 11 by the WBO, making this a major opportunity for Johnson to break into the title picture. “I should be right there [for a title shot] should I be victorious,” he said. “I feel like I’m ready for any world champion right now, but the job is to get through Flaz and then worry about what’s next later.”
Image Credit: The Ring