Former undisputed heavyweight champion of the World Ingemar “Ingo” Johansson passed away at the age of 76 late Friday night after a long battle with Alzheimer´s. Johansson won the title with a third stoppage of Floyd Patterson June 26, 1959. In Sweden it was in the middle of the night June 27 when the fight took place but it´s claimed that three million people (half the population) had tuned into Radio Luxembourg to listen to the broadcast of the fight (the national radio wouldn´t touch proboxing due to “moral reasons”). If Johansson´s win was big worldwide it was ultrasized back home. The newspaper sales for tabloids Expressen and Aftonbladet June 27 still stands and Johansson returned home as hero. It´s probably fair to say that his downfall began that very summer as he toured Sweden doing exhibitions and living the life of a champion. Floyd won the rematch in 1960 with a stunning knockout and also their rubberfight in 1961. Johansson continued to fight until 1963 regaining the EBU title but mainly due to a lenghty tax dispute with the IRS never fought in the US again. “Ingo” – at the time residing in Switzerland – also had lenghty battles with the Swedish authorities on tax matters.
Johansson retired a well off man in 1963 and ventured into various business projects and in the 80´s he had a motel in Florida. In the 90´s he began commentating boxing for pay TV channel TV 1000 and it was quickly evident that the ex-champ wasn´t up for it. Many – myself included – thought “Ingo” had had a drink too much but it was the early signs of dementia and Alzheimer´s that had began to show. For the last years of his life Ingemar resided in a nursing home.
Johansson also won silver – a medal it would take him 30 years to receive in the controversy that followed his disqualification loss to Ed Sanders - in the Olympic Games in 1952, the EBU title in 1956 and again in 1962. In Europe he was pretty outstanding winning over the the likes of Henry Cooper, Franco Cavicchi, Brian London, Joe Erskine and Dick Richardson. He also stopped Eddie Machen in one in front of about 55 000 specators in Gothenburg on a magic night in 1958 in what was a world title eliminator. Johansson was throughout his career managed and promoted by Edvin Ahlqvist.
Ingemar Johansson was elected into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and is regarded as one of the top Swedish athletes of all time.
Other news:
15rounds.com writes that LaJuan Simon will be the opponent for IBF middle champ Arthur Abraham March 14 in Kiel. Sauerland Event confirms that Simon is on the short list of possible opponents for Abraham.
Polish lightweights Matt Zegan and Dariusz Snarski will do it again March 15 in Warka. Zegan won the first fight fought in a mine 180 meters below ground. The BBU title is again at stake.
Undefeated Finnish jr welter Jaakko Myllyla headlines a Steel Ring show April 4 in Haapavesi. Myllyla goes for the vacant BBU belt.
K 2 East´s jr middle Zauerbek Baysangurov, who lost an IBF eliminator against Cornelius Brundrage last time out, returns March 28 in Cherkassy.
01.02 Euro News
