Pulling No Punches

Kickboxing Champion Baxter Humby Is Training Palisadian Eli Johnson for His Muay Thai Debut 

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When life hits hard, hit back. Eli Johnson was only a few days away from fulfilling a dream he’s had for 12 years, but a cruel twist of fate means he’ll have to wait a little longer.

Johnson was set to make his Muay Thai debut against Joel Lopez on Saturday in Anaheim, but was forced to pull out Tuesday after suffering a bulging disc in his back about 48 hours before. He sparred hundreds of rounds for a six-minute bout under the tutelage of retired kickboxing champion Baxter Humby, who was known as the “One-Armed Bandit.”

“Injuries happen to the best of us and if I know Eli this will only make him more determined,” Humby said. “I told him it was a bad idea to fight with a bad back. The promoter is a friend and he has more fights in May or July.”   

Johnson hopes this setback is merely a bump in the road.

“I’ve known Baxter 20 years and we’ve talked about this for a long time,” the 38-year-old said after sparring at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center. “He gets me ready for anything mentally and physically. Just by walking into the ring I’ll have already won.”    

Johnson was born and raised in Pacific Palisades and has run the family business, Johnson Tree Company, since his father Mark passed away in 1998. He  lives in the Alphabet Streets with his wife Nicole, who takes yoga and kickboxing classes, and their daughters Tristan (12) and Presley (9), who attend Waldorf School, play the piano and the violin, practice  jiu-jitsu and dance at Fancy Feet.

“I’m taking this one fight at a time,” Johnson said. “Baxter will be my cornerman and he inspires me. The way he sets his goals and always achieves them. He never lets any obstacle get in his way.”    

A natural 180-pounder, Johnson has trimmed down to 170 and his training consists of 25 minutes on the heavy bag and another 25 hitting pads, followed by 30 to 40 minutes of sparring. He got his black belt in jiu-jitsu seven years ago but his new discpline showcases his devastating left hook.

“Muay Thai is punching and kicking where in jiu-jitsu you go to the ground and use submissions and joint locks,” added Johnson, who grew up in the Via Bluffs and enjoys visiting the Lake Shrine on Sundays and family hikes in Temescal Canyon. “There’s a lot of anticipation and butterflies but I’m ready to go. I’ve always been into the contact sports, martial arts and lifting weights but I have two kids and a business to run and those take priority.”

Humby recognizes potential when he sees it and arranged the fight in a matter of hours.

“I’m still a name in this business,” said Humby, who has been retired for almost six years but still teaches kickboxing classes at  Blanck’s dojo and the YMCA and   also acts in movies and TV shows.  “I called about Eli and 10 minutes later they got back to me. He has what we call heavy hands and is a natural. He loves to train, he just goes a little too hard sometimes and I have to slow him down.”

Humby, also the father of two young daughters, Mila (7) and Ally (5), lost his right arm from the elbow down at birth but won multiple world kickboxing titles. In 2012, he was nominated for an ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.

“My strength was being able to focus on the guy in front of me, no matter how big the crowd,” Humby said. “I miss fighting but I’m excited to be on the other side.  Eli is a specimen. He could easily be in the top 10 of UFC. He’s in great shape. My motto is the harder you train, the easier the fight.”