The wilderness years of Johnny Nelson Before he was on Sky Sports and before he was WBO cruiserweight champion, Johnny Nelson emabrked on a tour of obscure fights and obscure locations. He relives those bizarre 40 months with Oliver Fennell TRAVEL is often a rite of passage. Young people come of age via the wonders of the world. Heartbroken souls find an antidote to their angst thousands of miles away. People talk of “finding themselves” while exploring the exotic. Before he became the longest-reigning cruiserweight champion of all time, Johnny Nelson did all this. In his 20s, he punched his ticket – and a disparate series of opponents – in an eight-fight tour that spanned 40 months and five continents.