TheWeasle forecasted a third-round TKO for Daniel Zellhuber over veteran Michael Johnson. He acknowledged Johnson’s faster hands and knockout pop, but questioned how the shorter boxer consistently enters range against a "longer, taller kicker". Zellhuber plans to sit behind the jab, batter Johnson’s lead leg with kicks and punish over-aggression with counters. Johnson has been knocked out three times in his last five, while Zellhuber showed an iron chin in a wild war with Esteban Ribovics, absorbing bombs and still pushing pace. With superior length, durability and a body-attack kicking game, TheWeasle sees Zellhuber gradually wearing Johnson down before pouring on strikes for a referee stoppage in the final round.

Jim Malaro labeled Daniel Zellhuber a "parlay anchor" and forecasted a stoppage over Michael Johnson. Malaro argued Johnson’s recent wins—Azaitar (while losing the first round) and Darius Flowers—were matchmaking layups designed to give a veteran a grace period before retirement. Any time Johnson faces a live, durable athlete (Diego Ferreira, Stevie Ray, etc.) his dwindling speed shows. Zellhuber, meanwhile, owns every physical advantage: 6'1" frame, 77-inch reach and the type of granite chin that absorbed Rafa Rybovich’s bombs on Contender Series. After a year on the shelf sharpening his game while planned bouts with Elves Brenner fell through, the 24-year-old Mexican should be peaking. Malaro also expects Zellhuber’s sneaky grappling—long-arm front-choke series a la Kevin Holland—to punish Johnson if the older man shoots in desperation. The advised plan: use Zellhuber money-line in parlays and sprinkle on inside-the-distance props, trusting superior youth, length and cardio to crack Johnson sometime after the opening five minutes.

Madlab Michael Lurato recommended taking Daniel Zellhuber by knockout rather than swallowing the –650 moneyline. Lurato warned that betting Michael Johnson is "count-your-money in Round 1, tear-up-the-ticket in Round 2" because the veteran routinely wins early exchanges then self-destructs. Johnson has been knocked out or submitted in 10 of his last 15 losses and owns a negative strikes-absorbed differential (4.1 absorbed vs 3.8 landed). Lurato expects Zellhuber’s eight-inch reach advantage, measured pace (6.01 significant strikes landed per minute in his last two) and steady body work to extend exchanges long enough for Johnson’s historically fragile chin— four KO losses since 2018— to crack. He sees the Mexican prospect flooding Johnson with combinations once the southpaw’s feet slow, projecting a finish inside 12 minutes. With the KO prop sitting between –110 and +120 depending on the book, Lurato advised pivoting there rather than trusting Zellhuber on cards or laying heavy chalk.

Kunath said Daniel Zellhuber should not only cover his huge money-line price but put Michael Johnson away inside the distance. He argued that Johnson’s trademark ‘50-50’ volatility is gone as the 38-year-old’s durability and speed have deteriorated. Zellhuber owns a seven-inch reach edge, throws nearly two more significant strikes per minute, and has shown improved killer instinct since relocating to Xtreme Couture. Kunath expects Johnson to get stuck at the end of jab-kick combinations, fall behind early volume wise, then force exchanges he cannot win once frustration sets in. He compared the matchup to Johnson’s collapses versus Josh Emmett and Thiago Moises, predicting a mid-fight lapse that allows the much younger Mexican to drop him with a straight right and finish with ground-and-pound. He is betting Zellhuber by knockout rather than the steep –400 money line.

Kunath forecasted Daniel Zellhuber to comfortably outclass veteran Michael Johnson. Johnson’s durability and reflexes have eroded, whereas the 24-year-old Zellhuber owns a sizeable height and seven-inch reach advantage plus a far higher output. Kunath expects Zellhuber to keep Johnson at the end of long jabs and kicks, pile up volume, and mix in additional tools should the fight hit the mat. He thinks Johnson’s coin-flip days are over and predicts a lopsided Zellhuber decision.