It is with great sadness that Jesus Chavez and the Golden Boy Promotions family speaks on the passing of a courageous colleague and friend, former world lightweight champion Leavander Johnson.

“All of my prayers are with Leavander Johnson and his family in this difficult time,” said Chavez, who shared the ring with Johnson on September 17. “He was a true warrior with a tremendous heart, and every day I will think of him and say a prayer for him. He will never be forgotten.”

“Leavander Johnson epitomized what all boxers should want to be, a courageous and skilled boxer who always gave his best every time he stepped through the ropes,” said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya. “His loss is a tremendous blow to the boxing community and to me personally. He was a class act and a good man. Leavander will be missed.”

Chavez, who visited Johnson in the hospital before his passing, plans to honor him, not only with words, but actions.

“The best way I can do justice to the title Leavander and I both proudly held is to defend it well and to be a true champion in and out of the ring, like he was,” said Chavez, who vows to donate a portion of each purse he makes as long as he is the IBF lightweight champion of the world to a fund being set up for Leavander’s children.

Adds Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, “We, and all of the promoters, together with the state athletic commissions, need to work together to see if there's anything we can do to help prevent tragedies such as this. If there are additional tests or improvements in technology that could be used to foresee these types of injuries, then we have a responsibility to the fighters and their families to use them, because in the end, saving lives is more important than anything else.”

Information on the Leavander Johnson Fund will be issued as soon as all details are available.

Click to read more boxing articles by Boxing Press

Discuss in Boxing Forum

---

Related Boxing Articles...

• Boxing Info: Leavander Johnson

  Funeral Arrangements for Former Lightweight Champion Leavander Johnson Set for Saturday in His Hometown of Atlantic City, N.J The funeral services for former IBF Lightweight Champion Leavander Johnson have been announced >
  
  

• Leavander Johnson Aiming for Morales.

  DiBella Entertainment's Leavander Johnson (34-4-2, 26 KO's) is the new IBF Lightweight champion and has his sights set on Erik Morales (48-2-0, 34 KO's), but Johnson feels that the Mexican >
  
  

• BOXING NEWS: STATEMENT FROM DIBELLA ENTERTAINMENT PRESIDENT LOU DIBELLA ON CONDITION OF LEAVANDER JOHNSON

  "We have been in contact with University Medical Center in Las Vegas this morning. While Leavander Johnson remains in critical condition and in a barbiturate-induced coma, he continues to show >
  
  

• Boxing News: Jermain says ”It’s always better to give then to receive”

  UNDISPUTED MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JERMAIN TAYLOR DONATES TO THE LEAVANDER FUND ***Arkansas star to be honored December 22, 2005 at Rimrockers game at Alltel Arena*** December 22, New York- It's >
  
  

• Johnson-Zoff Made.

  Almost as soon as former IBF lightweight champion Julio Diaz relinquished his title, the IBF mandated that the vacant title will be contested between Leavander Johnson and Stefano Zoff. A >
  
  

• It’s a DiBella Weekend.

  DiBella Entertainment's tough 135-pounder Leavander Johnson (33-4-2, 25 KO's) and Stefano Zoff (43-9-2, 17 KO's), will battle for the Vacant IBF Lightweight Title on Friday night June 17th at the >
  
  

• HBO PPV Coverage: Exclusive Vegas Boxing Weigh In Photos

  Mosley, Cruz, Johnson, Chavez The MGM Grand in Las Vegas was the scene of the weigh-ins for Saturday night's HBO PPV fights. Shane Mosley was >
  
  

• Golden Boy Boxing Prospect Ashanti Jordan Back In Action May 21

  Golden Boy Promotions hard-hitting undefeated heavyweight prospect, Ashanti "The Boss" Jordan (8-0, 7 KO's), returns to the ring Thursday May 21, 2009 at the Arco Arena in Sacramento when he >
  
  

• Boxing Update: Marco Antonio Barrera Splits With Golden Boy Promotions

  After a successful five year relationship, Golden Boy Promotions and former multi-weight world champion Marco Antonio Barrera have amicably agreed to end their association. Barrera has been released from >
  
  

• Exclusive Boxing Interview: Lou Dibella

  "2007 Is Going To Be A Big Year!" As founder and CEO of DiBella Entertainment, Lou DiBella is one of the biggest names in boxing promotions. The New Yorker has >
  
  

---