12/11/2010

Sweden's Heavyweight Boxing Champ Ingemar Johansson


Former world heavyweight boxing champion Ingemar Johannson died at a nursing house in his native Kungsbacka, Sweden at the age of 76 early in 2009. No official cause of dying was given, but Johansson lately returned to the nursing house after a troublesome bout with pneumonia. Johansson had moved to the nursing home on the Swedish coast from Stockholm over ten years in the past after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Johannson rocketed to worldwide fame and rock star like superstardom in Sweden by advantage of his 3rd spherical knockout victory over Floyd Patterson on June 26,'59 to turn out to be only the 5th heavyweight champion born outdoors of the US. Johannson was thought of the underdog going into the matchup, and because of the perception that he wasn't coaching significantly laborious entered the bout a 5/1 underdog. Johansson was steadily seen in Catskill nightspots during his training camp along with his enticing young secretary in stark distinction to Patterson's disciplined regimen in preparation for his title defense.

His efficiency in

opposition to the champ that night in Yankee Stadium shocked the boxing world"after a tentative first two rounds, Johannson floored Patterson with a short proper early in the third. The champ by no means recovered and with no three knockdown rule in effect was knocked down a complete of seven times earlier than referee Ruby Goldstein referred to as a halt to the proceedings and awarded the Swede the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

Johannson would hold the title for slightly below a 12 months earlier than he lost it back to Patterson in a rematch at the Polo Grounds in New York City. Patterson was the aggressor from the opening bell, and would ultimately regain his title as he knocked Johannson out chilly within the fifth spherical with a looping left hook. Johannson went down like he bought shot, and took a ten rely staring up on the lights with his leg twitching and blood dribbling out of his mouth. Within the immediate aftermath of his victory, Patterson displayed the category of a champion as he was extra involved about Johanssons nicely being than celebrating his win. Patterson sat on the canvas together with his fallen opponent cradling his head as medical personnel tended to Johannson. Floyd Patterson had simply turn into the primary man to regain the undisputed heavyweight championship, but his thoughts were with the man hed taken the title from.

Johannson would again face Patterson lower than a yr later, with the champ retaining his title via 6th round knockout after an thrilling slugfest that saw both rivals taste the canvas. Finally, nonetheless, Patterson's superior conditioning prevailed and he earned the victory. Johannson would fight only four extra instances after that, all in his home country of Sweden, before retiring for good in'63.

Patterson and Johannson remained lifelong friends, and would journey to go to one another yearly until Patterson's dying in 2006. Johannson made a lot of film appearances in Sweden, and spent time in Miami every year. He enjoyed good health properly into his 60's, until a variety of bodily illnesses took their toll.

Johannson was married and divorced twice, and is survived by five children. Ingemar Johannson loved rock star like status in Sweden during his title reign and remained a widely respected and admired sportsman throughout his life. He'll be remembered by the international boxing neighborhood for the vital position he played in popularizing the sport in Europe and Scandinavia.

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