With Dina Thorslund, The Ring bantamweight champion, Johnson believes she has the right dance partner to bring out her best and that their 10-round clash could be a Fight of the Year contender. Johnson (19-2, 8 KOs) will face Thorslund (24-0, 9 KOs) on Saturday for the undisputed bantamweight title in the main event of MVP 05 on ESPN at Caribe Royale (10 p.m. ET).

“I'm not winning [fights] the way that I should or the way that I know that I could,” Johnson told The Ring. “I'm constantly improving and leveling up. This one here is going to be the best one to date because when you have a quality dance partner, I feel like it brings out the best in you and that's exactly what's going to happen.”

Johnson's and Thorslund’s paths have intertwined without them stepping into the ring to face each other. Thorslund had the WBC and WBO titles and was scheduled to face then-IBF champion Shurretta Metcalf in a unification bout on the undercard of Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano III in July 2025. The Dane withdrew after learning she was pregnant, which led to her vacating her WBO title and being named the WBC champion in recess.

Johnson, who held the WBA title, replaced her and faced Metcalf for her IBF title and the vacant WBC and WBO belts. She stopped Metcalf in the ninth round to claim the four titles.

Johnson, 31, and Thorslund, 32, also held titles at 122 pounds before moving down to bantamweight.

“At one point, she had the belts that I wanted, and I was chasing her,” Johnson said. “I think for her, there's a chip on her shoulder with me for whatever reason, but it doesn't really bother me. They’re my belts right now, and I'm going to continue to take those home with me.”

Johnson has won four straight fights and is coming off a unanimous decision against Amanda Galle in Miami on December 19. Thorslund, who is making her U.S. debut, returned after her miscarriage and beat Almudena Alvarez by unanimous decision to win the interim WBC featherweight title in Denmark on January 31.

“She's experienced,” Johnson said of Thorslund. “She's undefeated, and I feel like with fighters like that, they obviously have a skill set of their own. I have to bring out the best in me, whether it be great defense, great jab, great work rate, and I feel like it can combat all of that."