Tyler Goodjohn, known as `Tornado` from Ely, a former English super-lightweight champion, has revealed his decision regarding a potential comeback to professional gloved boxing. Goodjohn, whose last fight was in Florida last July, had been competing in bare-knuckle boxing while residing in Miami.
Having received no offers from BKFC, Goodjohn accepted a fight against Weljon Mindoro on short notice. Mindoro, a formidable Filipino boxer with a strong knockout record, defeated Goodjohn in the second round. At the time of their fight, Mindoro`s record was 11-0-1 with 11 KOs, which has since improved to 13-0-1 with 13 KOs.
Reflecting on the fight, the 33-year-old Goodjohn mentioned stepping up two weight classes to face Mindoro. He admitted it was a significant challenge but felt compelled to take the fight due to a lack of other opportunities. Goodjohn acknowledged the high-risk nature of the bout, understanding it would likely end in a knockout for either fighter.
Ultimately, Goodjohn has decided that professional gloved boxing is no longer his path. His next venture will be a return to bare-knuckle fighting with BKB, scheduled for a show in Cardiff on Saturday, April 19th.
Explaining his choice, Goodjohn highlighted the financial realities of professional boxing outside of the elite level. He pointed out that unless a boxer reaches the top 1%, earning substantial money is exceedingly difficult. Recalling his own experience of winning the English title on a high-profile undercard, he revealed earning a mere £4,000, a sum he considers minimal after a rigorous 10-week training camp. Goodjohn emphasized that while pursuing a dream is viable in younger years, the current financial incentives in boxing are insufficient for him. He contrasted the public perception of boxers` earnings with the often-meager reality, noting that despite fighting on television multiple times, he struggled to secure sponsorships as people mistakenly believed he was already well-compensated.
Goodjohn`s immediate future includes at least three fights in the three-sided trigon ring used by BYB. He expressed a preference for this format over the circular ring of BKFC. He believes the trigon`s confined space will better suit his aggressive, forward-pressure fighting style, contrasting with the two-minute rounds in BKFC which he feels are too short for him to effectively impose his game plan. Having competed in 10-round professional boxing matches, Goodjohn feels his strengths are more pronounced in longer fights.
