Johnny Walker has announced his intention to transition to the heavyweight division. He revealed that he sparred with Francis Ngannou while dieting and maintaining a 20 kg weight difference, and still felt comfortable in those sessions. Walker explained that he believes he would perform much better at heavyweight because cutting weight severely impacts his training. He described experiencing dizziness and low energy due to lack of carbohydrates while on a diet. The Brazilian fighter is confident that competing at a heavier weight class would allow him to train more effectively.
Johnny Walker has announced his intention to leave the light heavyweight division and compete at heavyweight, a move the Brazilian revealed in a recent interview.
Walker, 34, currently sits ranked eleventh in the light heavyweight division with a professional record of 22-10-0. Fighting out of SBG Ireland, the six-foot-six, 198-centimeter Brazilian carries an 82-inch reach and has built a reputation as one of the more explosive strikers in the 205-pound class, landing significant strikes at a rate of 4.06 per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent. Despite those numbers, Walker says the weight cut is costing him far too much in the training room. He described experiencing dizziness and low energy caused by carbohydrate restriction while dieting, and argued that competing at a heavier weight class would allow him to prepare more effectively.
To test the theory, Walker revealed he sparred with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou while still carrying a 20-kilogram weight difference between them, and said he felt comfortable throughout those sessions. Ngannou, 38, holds an 18-3-0 record and stands six-foot-four with an 83-inch reach, making him one of the most physically imposing opponents Walker could have chosen as a measuring stick.
Why it matters
- Walker is already one of the largest athletes in the light heavyweight division at 198 centimeters, giving him a natural physical profile for heavyweight competition.
- A move up would add a ranked 205-pound name to the heavyweight pool, a division always hungry for fresh contenders.
- The style matchup question is significant: Walker's output-heavy striking approach, averaging over four significant strikes per minute, would be tested against heavier, harder-hitting opponents at 265 pounds.
