Light heavyweight Johnny Walker has announced his intention to move up to the heavyweight division. Walker revealed he has trained and sparred with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, noting that even while dieting and having a 20kg weight disadvantage, he was able to work comfortably with the power puncher. The Brazilian fighter explained that cutting weight negatively impacts his training, causing dizziness and low energy due to lack of carbohydrates. Walker believes he would feel much better competing at heavyweight where he wouldn't need to diet. The timing of this potential move has not been specified.
Johnny Walker has publicly declared his intention to leave the light heavyweight division and compete at heavyweight, citing the physical toll of weight cutting as a primary motivation for the move.
Walker, 34, currently sits ranked eleventh in the light heavyweight division with a professional record of 22-10. The Brazilian fighter, who trains out of SBG Ireland, stands six-foot-six with an 82-inch reach — a frame that has always made the 205-pound limit a demanding cut. He lands an impressive 4.06 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate, suggesting his offensive output could translate powerfully to the heavier class.
To test his viability at heavyweight, Walker revealed he has sparred extensively with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Despite carrying roughly 20 kilograms less than Ngannou and dieting down at the time, Walker said he was able to hold his own comfortably against the Cameroonian power puncher. Ngannou, now 38, carries an 18-3 record and holds a 83-inch reach at six-foot-four, making him one of the most formidable sparring benchmarks any fighter could choose.
Walker explained that cutting weight leaves him dizzy and drained of energy from carbohydrate restriction, conditions that he believes are hampering his training quality. Competing at heavyweight, he argues, would allow him to perform at a significantly higher level without those physical compromises.
Why it matters
- Walker's size — six-foot-six and an 82-inch reach — could make him a dangerous presence in an already active heavyweight division
- A move would remove him from the crowded light heavyweight top fifteen, where he currently sits eleventh
- His striking volume and accuracy at 205 pounds raises questions about how those numbers might shift at a natural, undieted body weight
- No timeline for the divisional switch has been confirmed
