Ingemar Johansson biography
Ingemar Johansson, in full Jens Ingemar Johansson, byname Hammer of Thor, (born September 22, 1932, Gothenburg, Sweden—died January 30, 2009, Kungsbacka), Swedish-born world heavyweight boxing champion.
While an novice boxer, Johansson was a member of the European Golden Gloves crew in 1951. He was a member of the Swedish crew on the Olympic Games in 1952 however was disqualified in his semifinal spherical in opposition to American Ed Sanders; Johannson not often threw a punch throughout the bout, and the referee felt that the boxer was not giving his greatest. This battle broken Johansson’s status, and never till 1982 did the International Olympic Committee (IOC) award Johansson the silver medal he was denied on the 1952 Games.
In December 1952 Johansson turned skilled. He gained the European heavyweight title in 1956 in opposition to Francesco Cavicchi, and in 1958 he scored a one-round knockout over Eddie Machen, a number one American heavyweight. On June 26, 1959, Johansson confronted world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson in New York’s Yankee Stadium. Patterson was closely favoured, however Johannson landed a number of instances with a right-hand punch he humorously known as “thunder and lightning,” and Patterson was knocked out within the third spherical. In the June 20, 1960, rematch, which occurred on the Polo Grounds in New York, Patterson appeared to have realized from his errors. Johansson was knocked out within the fifth spherical. On March 13, 1961, at Miami Beach, Florida, Johansson made one other try to regain the championship however failed when Patterson scored a sudden knockout within the sixth spherical.
Johansson gained the European heavyweight championship once more in 1962 in opposition to Dick Richardson, forfeited the title in 1963 for failing to defend it, after which retired. From 1952 to 1963 he had 28 bouts, profitable 26 (17 by knockouts). His two losses to Patterson had been the one defeats in his skilled profession. After his retirement Johansson divided his time between Florida and Sweden.