Ht/Wt: 5’8/170 lbs.
Age: 28
Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, Fla.
Record: 14-4
The breakdown: A mauler through and through, Fioravanti excels at stifling his opponent’s offense while maintaining a disciplined close-quarters striking style with which most are unaccustomed. Although Johnson tends to fade when opponents refuse to shy away from his power, Fioravanti has to be careful and avoid walking straight into Johnson’s range. Barring any flying Mongolian chops of doom from Johnson, Fioravanti’s style looks tailor-made to frustrate his all-or-nothing style.
The X-Factor: While Fioravanti has the style to stop Johnson, he may not have the physical ability. A genetic freak of the highest order, Johnson’s strength and speed could easily make Fioravanti’s attempts to close the pocket more trouble than they’re worth.
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’2/170 lbs.
Age: 24
Hometown: Dublin, Ga.
Fighting out of: Los Angeles
Record: 6-2
The breakdown: Easy as it is to get caught up in Johnson’s off-the-charts physical talent, his fight IQ has yet to catch up. Often at a loss in the cage when he cannot simply overwhelm his opponents, Johnson needs to mature and start honing his talents instead of settling for the status quo. If Johnson comes in with a gameplan to complement his gifts, he has the ability to force Fioravanti out of his usual game.
The X-Factor: To assume Johnson will suddenly realize the error of his ways is kind of like hoping Karl Rove will respond to a subpoena. It would be nice if it happened, but there’s not much hope there.
* * *
The bottom line: Early on, Johnson’s as dangerous as they come, but his cardio remains suspect and his predictable offense makes him easy to counter. Fioravanti’s up-close clinch-centric style is a nightmare for Johnson, who likes to keep his opponents at bay in order to unload with long-distance overhand bombs. This fight will turn into three rounds of Johnson struggling to find his groove while Fioravanti racks up points and an eventual decision win.