Is Zachary Johnson Retiring After November 14? His Two Exceptions

For fans asking is Zachary Johnson retiring after November 14, the boxer told FIGHT TALK WITH YOUR BOY THE WHATS NEXT KID that he plans to make his Masters title fight in Worcester, England, his last. Johnson also discussed SOG stopping him in the fourth round of their recent main event and accepting a Misfits Boxing fight with Prince Sammy Hamed on six days’ notice.

What did Zachary Johnson say about his SOG fight?

Zachary Johnson said SOG stopped him in the fourth round of their recent professional main event on Starborns’ first card. Johnson was disappointed with his own performance, but credited SOG’s work: he could not get inside, and changing stances did not stop his opponent from landing shots.

The fight had been building for about three years, Johnson said. They were supposed to meet earlier, but he was injured the first time. When the Starborns offer arrived, he took it as a chance to settle their rivalry. It was also his first professional fight in three years.

Johnson said SOG mirrored his stance changes and landed both body shots and punches to the face. Rather than dismissing the loss, he identified defense and adjustments as work to take back into camp. He said he had stayed in the pocket and taken the shots, but needed to put the parts of his game together more effectively.

What is Zachary Johnson’s next fight on November 14?

Zachary Johnson said his next fight is scheduled for November 14 at a soccer stadium in Worcester, England, with a Masters title at stake. He described it as an influencer-boxing bout against a 51-year-old opponent, with two-minute rounds. Johnson, 41, said the matchup gives him one more chance to leave with a belt.

His opponent wants the bout to be his last as well, Johnson said. The promotion sought fighters close in age, but the weight presents a challenge: Johnson said he normally fights at welterweight and must move up to middleweight, where he expects a bigger opponent.

Still, he said facing SOG and other opponents had prepared him for different styles. He wants to enter the other fighter’s home country and upset him. After reviewing the shots he took against SOG, Johnson said his camp was working on the changes he needs for that attempt.

What did Zachary Johnson say about Prince Sammy Hamed and Misfits Boxing?

Zachary Johnson said reaching Misfits Boxing fulfilled a goal he had pursued for about a year and a half. He accepted a fight with Prince Sammy Hamed on six days’ notice after a management company sought someone in his weight range. Johnson also explained how moving among combat sports led him into influencer boxing.

Moving from MMA into boxing and bare-knuckle fighting

Johnson said he started in mixed martial arts, moved into boxing and took opportunities in kickboxing and bare-knuckle fighting. He described boxing as a strategic sport requiring work on defense, offense and countering, and said it remains his favorite. His MMA background, particularly clinch work, also gave him skills he could bring into bare-knuckle fighting.

Trying another discipline was partly about growth and partly about opportunity. Johnson pointed to Mike Perry’s movement among combat sports as an example of how a fighter can reach different audiences. As Johnson put it, “You just have to move around as an athlete.”

Taking the Prince Sammy Hamed fight

A management company’s post seeking a fighter led Johnson to send in his information. He said he did not initially know the proposed opponent or that the bout was for Misfits Boxing. When he learned it was Prince Sammy Hamed, son of Prince Naseem Hamed, he accepted despite the short notice. Johnson said the setting brought nerves and social-media criticism, but he focused on fighting Sammy rather than his father’s reputation. He credited Sammy as the better fighter that night.

Johnson said he met Prince Naseem Hamed after the fight and also met KSI at a Misfits event. He praised KSI and Mams Taylor for supporting fighters on the promotion’s roster. Although he was offered tickets to another event, Johnson said he stayed back to train instead.

What does Zachary Johnson do outside fighting?

Zachary Johnson works full time and said he was doing landscaping while waiting to return to cell-tower work. Outside his job and training, he attends charity and community events, follows dirt-track racing and NASCAR, and supports friends involved in music. He connected that support to what fighters need from other people.

Work on cell towers

Johnson said climbing cell towers is normally his work, though the field had been slow and he expected to return the following year. Asked about the height, he said he enjoys it. He described trusting his equipment, the tower inspections and his own decisions as essential parts of the job.

Charity events and racing

He also described going to charity events, foundation gatherings and galas, alongside dirt-track and NASCAR events. Johnson said he tries to support friends, family and his community because he knows how much support matters when a fighter is preparing for a bout.

What did Zachary Johnson say about influencer boxing and promotion?

Zachary Johnson said influencer boxing can be good or bad depending on the promotion, and praised Misfits Boxing for how it treats fighters. His advice to boxers seeking a place on major cards was to make themselves visible and build interest in a matchup. Knowing someone at a promotion, he cautioned, does not secure a fight.

Building a storyline without relying on connections

Johnson said he would rather see more promotions creating opportunities than trying to shut one another down. He credited Jake Paul with contributing to influencer boxing and spoke favorably of fighter pay at Most Valuable Promotions (MVP Boxing Promotions, Inc.). But when fighters ask him for a Misfits connection, he tells them that knowing Mams Taylor or KSI cannot simply put someone else on a card.

Attending events, calling out an opponent and giving people a reason to follow a matchup can help, Johnson said. He compared Misfits’ emphasis on a storyline to WWE, while making clear that a fighter does not need to punch someone outside a bout to establish a presence. He also warned that a careless social-media post can damage an opportunity.

Fighting often and following other sports

Beyond influencer cards, Johnson agreed that fans want to see established boxers fight more often. He mentioned wanting more appearances from names including Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Shakur Stevenson and Conor Benn, and discussed women’s boxing and his interest in its frequent schedules. On a potential Jon Jones–Tom Aspinall fight, Johnson favored Jones, whom he called a great fighter from his region of New York.

Why does Zachary Johnson plan to retire after November 14?

Zachary Johnson said he intends to retire after November 14 because he is physically and mentally exhausted and no longer wants to train or fight. He believes he has achieved what he needed to across Misfits Boxing, title opportunities and main events. He left open two possible matchups, but said no other fight interests him.

Johnson acknowledged that he had spoken about retiring before and later felt drawn back into competition. This time, he said, the feeling is different. At 41, he wants to settle down and believes it is time for younger fighters to take over.

He pointed to fighting on Misfits, competing for a belt and headlining in different countries as reasons he is at peace with stopping. Johnson summed up his decision this way:

I feel like the chapter needs to be closed

One fight he said would bring him back is against someone he called Fez; he also raised the possibility of a rematch with a previous opponent. Johnson said he had already turned down four fights during the week and, unless one of those particular opportunities appears, expects November 14 to be his final bout.

Who is Zachary Johnson?

Zachary “Ziggy” Johnson is a 41-year-old professional boxer, MMA fighter and bare-knuckle fighter from Clifton Springs, NY. A former three-sport athlete at Midlakes HS, he is ranked No. 36 pound-for-pound in ICB crossover boxing and recently defeated his first influencer opponent.