MOSCOW, January 9, Svetlana Bonopartova. After receiving Russian citizenship American boxer Kevin Johnson will begin to live like an ordinary Russian guy, promoter Vladimir Khryunov told RIA.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting Johnson Russian citizenship. In 2023, the American expressed a desire to obtain Russian citizenship and announced his intention to change his name to Kevin Vladimirovich.
«»Very good news! Now we have a lot of work ahead of us. Kevin Johnson is a big name in world boxing, and Russia has the most active and productive boxing federation in the world. Kevin will work, continue to perform and help popularize the sport. Lots of calls , invitations to master classes, just to visit. We have big plans for this year and in general for the future. He will live like a normal Russian guy,» Khryunov said.
The 44-year-old Johnson has 60 fights in the professional ring (36 wins, 22 losses, 2 draws), in 2009 he lost to the Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko in a fight for the World Boxing Council (WBC) belt.