Ingemar Johansson

Ingemar Johansson was born on September 22, 1932 in the Swedish resort town of Gothenburg. There he began training in boxing.

In 1959, nakautirovav Floyd Patterson in the third round title fight, Ingemar became the absolute champion. Sweden jubilant. Few people are hoping for victory in this battle Johansson (rates before the fight was taken 5:1 in favor of Patterson). A quarter-century crown of the absolute world champion in boxing has remained elusive for Europeans. Johansson won the honorary title in 26 years. This followed a difficult and complex sport Path.

The Swede played at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. He went to the finals in the heavyweight division and became restless. Even before entering the ring Ingemar complained to his coach: "I feel terrible fatigue, especially in the legs". In this situation, Johansson had only to elect a cautious, expectant management in the hope of catching the mighty American Negro Edward Sanders on his favorite line right or be satisfied with silver medal. But it was different, Johansson was disqualified for fighting ignorance and a special decision of the jury deprived the silver medal.

A number of Swedish newspapers, outraged by the behavior of their Olympian, began a campaign against him, accusing Johansson of cowardice. Even the President of the Swedish Boxing Federation Glokar Vell voted for it, so he was not awarded an Olympic medal. (Only 25 years later, given the great success Swede, AIBA decided to still give him this award).
Offended and upset, Ingemar found at this time support of one of the largest employers of professional ring Edwin Liimola. He managed to instill in the boxer's confidence in himself at a time when all turned away from him. Ingemar was winning one victory after another until he finally met with Patterson. Fate is his "conqueror of the Olympic champion Sanders formed in tragedy: in his first professional fight, he was killed.

The first glove globe Ingo (so-affectionately called his Swedish fans) was up to 20 June 1960. In a rematch in the fifth round defeats Patterson. The Swede was not reassured, and after nine months held their third meeting. Receiving the second time a knockout (in the sixth round), Ingemar Johansson realized that his time has passed, and soon left the box. As a professional he had 28 fights, which scored 26 wins (17 of them by knockout).