Johnson conceded in a 2001 interview that his decision to manage his career independently during his peak, rather than signing with an established promoter, contributed to his inability to secure high-profile fights, "I realized I had to have some management like a Don King or a Bob Arum or a [Lou] Duva to get these fights.
"[5] Johnson defended that crown seven times until April 1999, when he rose to win the IBF's junior bantamweight crown with a unanimous decision over Ratanachai Sor Vorapin at Washington, D.C.'s MCI Center (now the Capital One Arena).
However, his career was interrupted when he was sentenced to a year in prison on a drug related parole violation as well as domestic assault charges involving his wife.
In his third fight at bantamweight Johnson lost in an upset to up and coming Rafael Marquez by split decision over 10 rounds later that year.
Johnson retired following his second straight loss in February 2006 after falling by eighth-round knockout to current WBC featherweight titleholder Jhonny González.