Zachary Johnson Jessica Kleinschmidt interview on final fights

In the Zachary Johnson Jessica Kleinschmidt interview, the boxer said he plans to retire after fights in October and November, but wants to win belts against Sog before he leaves. He also discussed a planned finale at a soccer stadium in England, his interest in dirt-track racing and what he thinks influencer boxing gets wrong.

When does Zachary Johnson plan to retire from boxing?

Zachary Johnson plans to make his October and November fights his last two, with an October title win at the center of his plans. He told Jessica Kleinschmidt that he wants to win the belts and walk away, although he would consider another fight if Starborn Boxing asked him to defend them.

The October title goal

The October 17 fight is part of a Starborn Boxing show out of Houston that fans can watch on MILLIONS. Johnson said his training has gone well and his coaching staff has changed parts of his approach after reviewing mistakes. He believes focus matters as much as physical preparation: he studies previous fights for moments when he eased off instead of maintaining pressure.

Recovery has also become a priority. Johnson mentioned ice baths, a cold chamber and staying healthy as ways to keep training through the final stretch of his career. Belts, he said, are what his local career has been missing.

What happens if he wins

Johnson said he respects Joey and Starborn Boxing and would discuss a defense if the promotion wanted one. He also thought he might be allowed to vacate the belts. For now, his stated plan is to win them in October and then finish his fighting career after the November bout.

What will Zachary Johnson do after boxing retirement?

Zachary Johnson intends to keep competing through dirt-track racing after he stops fighting. He hopes to build a car next year, possibly for micro sprints or a small-block class. Fighters have also approached him about management and coaching, but he has not decided whether to take either role.

Racing is already a regular part of his life. Johnson said he visits local tracks on Saturday nights, travels to NASCAR races and grew up around the sport. Building and racing a car would give him a new outlet for the competitive drive he expects to retain after boxing.

He also plans to stay in shape and continue training. Managing or coaching would keep him connected to fighters, but racing is the post-fighting move he spoke about with the most certainty.

Where is Zachary Johnson planning his final fight in England?

Zachary Johnson said his November finale is planned for a soccer stadium in England, a setting where he has long wanted to fight. He expects to bring two friends for his walkout, along with a new theme and new gear, and wants to win a belt in his opponent’s home area.

Fighting in a soccer stadium

Johnson has spent time in England both fighting and visiting. He said the atmosphere appeals to him and that he made friends and fans there after his fight with Sammy. A stadium fight would fulfill a goal he has held beyond the results of any single bout.

A new look for the final walkout

The planned production matters to him, too. Johnson said he had been given access to the venue’s back screen and wanted to use it as part of a bigger entrance. The two friends walking out with him, the theme and the gear are all part of how he intends to mark his last fight.

What did Zachary Johnson say about Misfits Boxing and influencer boxing?

Zachary Johnson sees Misfits Boxing as a major career goal he reached and believes its entertainment can bring attention to real fights. He also said some influencer boxing promotions go too far by booking people who do not genuinely want to fight, and he objected to bouts he believed were staged.

Learning from Mo and Faz

Johnson wanted to fight on Misfits Boxing and on DAZN. Once he reached the Misfits stage, he paid close attention to how fighters presented themselves. He said Mo and Faz taught him about building a WWE-style promotional character, something he finds difficult because a childhood speech impediment has made him uncomfortable in the spotlight.

He fought Mo for a belt and remembered Mo using a Saw theme and the big screen for his entrance. That walkout, together with what Johnson saw from Faz, helped shape discussions with his own team about doing more with his presentation.

Where he draws the line

Johnson said selling a fight and fighting it honestly are different things. He described seeing confrontational promotion involving Darren Till and Tommy Fury, while noting that he and Sammy did not have that kind of dispute. He credited Jake Paul, KSI, Logan Paul and Mams Taylor with helping grow the format, but said promoters still need people who train and intend to fight. His concern is also about safety: a boxing ring can be dangerous for someone who is not prepared.

Does Zachary Johnson’s social media following sell tickets?

Zachary Johnson said a large following does not automatically produce ticket sales or a place on Misfits Boxing for someone who fights him. He believes his announcement that only two fights remain may be doing more to bring his supporters to the venue than his online numbers alone.

Johnson pointed to his main event with Rants and Bants in England. He said the matchup drew attention because both fighters had followings, but ticket sales did not reflect the scale some expected. He thought views might have told a different story, while making clear he did not know the figures.

He also rejects the idea that a following makes him famous or better than other fighters. People have approached him as though his audience guarantees exposure for them, but he said that is not how selection for Misfits works.

How did Zachary Johnson respond to bullying over his speech impediment?

Zachary Johnson said being bullied as a child over his speech impediment pushed him to keep pursuing his goals rather than abandon them. He still considers himself shy, despite fighting professionally, and said the criticism fighters receive on social media has reinforced why speaking about bullying matters to him.

Johnson described himself as quiet and laid-back outside the ring; some people he meets do not know he fights. He said he did not let childhood bullying stop him, and came to see it as motivation to continue working toward the career he wanted.

He is encouraged that Mo and Faz also speak about being bullied. To Johnson, the subject extends beyond school: online criticism gives people another way to put others down, including athletes whose work is highly visible.

What does Zachary Johnson expect against Sog in his next fight?

Zachary Johnson expects his October 17 fight with Sog to be a six-round rivalry bout and believes his experience in longer fights will matter. He said the rounds are three minutes rather than two, called the matchup a 50-50 fight and expects to adjust his approach as it develops.

Johnson said his team has a game plan and that he wants to show different stances and a different style. He pointed to past fights in which he reached later rounds, including his bout with Rants and Bants, as evidence that he understands how his body and mind respond under pressure. He described Sog’s bout as his first professional fight.

During a round, Johnson tries to identify where punches are landing or missing and listen to his corner rather than the crowd. He said he must stay calm instead of fighting angry, even though he regards Sog as a rival.

Johnson compared his goal with Cody Rhodes finishing his story in WWE against Roman Reigns. He put his own ambition this way:

I have to finish my story

Who is Zachary Johnson?

Zachary “Ziggy” Johnson is a 41-year-old professional boxer, MMA fighter and bare-knuckle fighter from Clifton Springs, New York. 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.