Ingemar Johansson
("Ingo")
BORN September 22 1932; Goteborg, Sweden (Some sources report October 16 1932) DIED January 30 2009; Kungsbacka, Sweden HEIGHT 6-0 1/2 WEIGHT 193 1/4-206 1/2 lbs MANAGER Edwin Ahlquist TRAINERS Nils Blomberg, Whitey Bimstein, Al Silvani Johansson was a European style boxer - primarily a standup fighter - not polished, not flashy - one who often pawed with his left jab; But, "Ingo" had something special - an explosive, dynamite right hand punch; With that awesome, blockbuster weapon, he won the Heavyweight Championship of Scandinavia, the Heavyweight Championship of Europe and the Heavyweight Championship of the World
On the negative side, Johansson did not like to train, relying on his tremendous punching power to see him through; His "thunder and lightning" bombs carried him to the upper echelon of the Heavyweight Division, but once competing on this level, conditioning became a strong factor in his success; Had he been more serious about this aspect, no telling just how good he might have become
Ingemar is best known for his exciting three bout series with Floyd Patterson; During his career, he defeated such men as Patterson, Eddie Machen, Franco Cavicchi, Joe Bygraves, Joe Erskine, Heinz Neuhaus, Hein Ten Hoff, Werner Wiegand, Peter Bates, Wim Snoek, Dick Richardson and Brian London
Johansson was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1988 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002
Johansson-Patterson #1 1959 Fight Video Clip Johansson-Patterson #3 1961 Fight Video Clip (Press thebutton at the top of the screen to return)
*** SOME AMATEUR BOUTS (71-11) *** 1952 Luis Sosa Helsinki, Finland TK Harymir Netuka Helsinki, Finland W 3 Tomislav Krizmanic Helsinki, Finland W 3 Ilkka Koski Helsinki, Finland W 3 Hayes Edward Sanders Helsinki, Finland LF 2 -Olympic Games Heavyweight Championship; Johansson was disqualified for not fighting; He received the Olympic Silver Medal *** PROFESSIONAL BOUTS *** 1952 Dec 5 Robert Masson Goteborg, Sweden KO 4 1953 Feb 7 Emile Bentz Goteborg, Sweden KO 2 Mar 6 Lloyd Barnett Goteborg, Sweden W 8 Mar 12 Erik Jensen Copenhagen, Denmark W 6 -Heavyweight Championship of Scandinavia Dec 8 Raymond Degl'Innocenti Stockholm, Sweden KO 2 1954 Nov 5 Werner Wiegand Goteborg, Sweden TK 5 1955 Jan 5 Ansel Adams Goteborg, Sweden W 8 -This bout was not held 1/06/55 Feb 13 Kurt Schiegel Stockholm, Sweden TK 5 Mar 5 Aldo Pellegrini Goteborg, Sweden WF 5 Apr 3 Uber Bacilieri Stockholm, Sweden W 8 Jun 12 Gunter Nurnberg Dortmund, Germany TK 7 Aug 28 Hein Ten Hoff Goteborg, Sweden KO 1 1956 Feb 24 Joe Bygraves Goteborg, Sweden W 10 -Some sources report "W 8" Apr 15 Hans Friedrich Stockholm, Sweden W 10 Sep 30 Franco Cavicchi Bologna, Italy KO 13 -Heavyweight Championship of Europe Dec 28 Peter Bates Goteborg, Sweden KO 2 1957 May 19 Henry Cooper Stockholm, Sweden KO 5 -Heavyweight Championship of Europe Dec 13 Archie McBride Goteborg, Sweden W 10 1958 Feb 21 Joe Erskine Goteborg, Sweden TK 13 -Heavyweight Championship of Europe Jul 13 Heinz Neuhaus Goteborg, Sweden TK 4 Sep 14 Eddie Machen Goteborg, Sweden KO 1 1959 May Rolf Johansson Oslo, Norway EX Jun Neville Rowe Stockholm, Sweden EX -The previous 2 bouts were held during May-Jun 1959 Jun 26 Floyd Patterson Bronx, NY TK 3 -Heavyweight Championship of the World 1960 Jun 20 Floyd Patterson New York, NY LK 5 -Heavyweight Championship of the World 1961 Feb 6 Muhammad Ali Miami Beach, Fl EX 2 Mar 13 Floyd Patterson Miami Beach, Fl LK 6 -Heavyweight Championship of the World Dave Rent EX 1962 Feb 9 Joe Bygraves Goteborg, Sweden TK 7 Apr 15 Wim Snoek Stockholm, Sweden KO 5 Jun 17 Dick Richardson Goteborg, Sweden KO 8 -Heavyweight Championship of Europe 1963 Apr 21 Brian London Stockholm, Sweden W 12 *** Much Data Provided By Crister Berge (of Stockholm) ***
Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
