Anthony Johnson: ‘I truly believe I’m nowhere near my potential’
Props: Yahoo Sports
Quoteworthy:
“The only pressure I feel, honestly, is the pressure to make the weight,” Johnson said. “Once I’m on weight, I know everything else will take care of itself. I’m hard on myself and I get upset when I make a mistake, but the good thing is that I can see the progress I’ve made and I truly believe I’m nowhere near my potential. My granddad used to tell me never to settle for second best and never stop pushing to get better. Every day in the gym, I think of what he used to say and I’m determined to make myself better. It’s a way to honor him, to take what he taught me and put it into practice. And that’s what I try to do. It’s why I work so hard. It’s my way of thanking him for all he did for me.”
– Anthony Johnson — winner of four of six inside the Octagon — has his sights set on Japanese import Yoshiyuki Yoshida for their 170-pound “Rumble” at UFC 104 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 24. Johnson is coming off a technical knockout of Luigi Fioravanti at UFC Fight Night 17: “Lauzon vs. Stephens” in Tampa, Fla., last February. The 24-year-old Atlanta, Ga., native has a ton of buzz because of his size, power and fight-finishing ability. He appears to get better each time out, training with Strikeforce champions Cung Le and Josh Thompson, among others, between fights. His potential — and future — are vast. There’s a long and exciting road to the top … and he knows it. It will be fun to watch him work his way through a very crowded division in the meantime.