DAILY STAR
Boxing heavyweight Kevin Johnson is going by a different name nowadays and that’s thanks to Vladimir Putin.
The 43-year-old (36-21-2, 20 KOs) has 59 fights to his record and despite his lengthy career which has included defeating two former world champions, he’s entering the fray once again, but with a slight change.
In an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia, Johnson announced that not only is he a Russian citizen but he has changed his name to Kevin Vladimirovich, in honour of Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“As a compliment to President Vladimir Putin, I decided to change my name. I will now be called Kevin Vladimirovich — in honour of Vladimir Putin. Now I am 100%, no joke, 100% Russian,” he said.
“Now I am incredibly happy. I am proud to have the same name as President Vladimir Putin and my godfather. I said I was adopted by venerable Vladimir Putin, that’s why I got the patronymic Vladimirovich.”
Johnson is expected to face unbeaten Russian prospect Mark Petrovsky on Friday (August 18) in August, just four months after he defeated MMA fighter Vyacheslav Datsik in a crossover boxing bout.
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