Former heavyweight champ Johannson dead at 76

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Ingemar Johannson has died at a nursing home in his native Kungsbacka, Sweden at the age of 76.  No official cause of death has been given, but Johansson recently returned to the nursing home after a difficult bout with pneumonia.   Johansson had moved to the nursing home on the Swedish coast from Stockholm over ten years ago after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Johannson rocketed to international fame and rock star like superstardom in Sweden by virtue of his 3rd round knockout victory over Floyd Patterson on June 26, 1959 to become only the 5th heavyweight champion born outside of the US.   Johannson was considered the underdog going into the matchup, and due to the perception that he wasn’t training particularly hard entered the bout a 5/1 underdog.  Johansson was frequently seen in Catskill nightspots during his training camp with his attractive young “secretary” in stark contrast to Patterson’s disciplined regimen in preparation for his title defense.

His performance against the champ that night in Yankee Stadium shocked the boxing world—after a tentative first two rounds, Johannson floored Patterson with a short right early in the third.  The champ never recovered and with no “three knockdown” rule in effect was knocked down a total of seven times before referee Ruby Goldstein called a halt to the proceedings and awarded the Swede the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

Johannson would hold the title for just under a year before 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 eventually regain his title as he knocked Johannson out cold in the fifth round with a looping left hook.  Johannson went down like he got shot, and took a ten count staring up at the lights with his leg twitching and blood dribbling out of his mouth.  In the immediate aftermath of his victory, Patterson displayed the class of a champion as he was more concerned about Johansson’s well being than celebrating his win.  Patterson sat on the canvas with his fallen opponent cradling his head as medical personnel tended to Johannson.  Floyd Patterson had just become the first man to regain the undisputed heavyweight championship, but his thoughts were with the man he’d taken the title from.

The two men would fight for a third time nine months later in Miami Beach, Florida.  Though Johannson appeared to be out of shape entering the battle, he fought bravely in an exciting slugfest that saw both men taste the canvas at various points in the bout.  The first round was particularly epic, with Patterson down twice and Johannson once.  Soon after, however, it became apparent that Johannson knew an early assault was his only real chance at victory.  The superior conditioning of Patterson took over, and he put his opponent away for good in the 6th round.  Johannson would fight four more times , posting victories in Sweden before retiring from the ring in 1963.

Not surprising given the mutual respect shown during their heavyweight championship trilogy, Patterson and Johannson remained close lifelong friends and would travel to visit each other every year until the American champion died in 2006.  While it is commonplace today for former in-ring adversaries to become close personal friends, it was something of an anomaly in the 1960’s.  Johannson made a number of film appearances in Sweden, and spent time in South Florida every year.  He remained in good health well into his sixties, running in marathons yearly until his physical ailments took their toll.

 Johannson was married and divorced twice, and is survived by five children.  Funeral arrangements have not been announced, but a private service for family members and a larger memorial for the general public is likely.  Ingemar Johannson enjoyed rock star like status in Sweden during his title reign, and will be remembered by the international fight community for his role in helping fuel the worldwide interest in “the sweet science”.