Former Heavyweight
Champion Ingemar Johansson Dies at age 76
January 31, 2009
(JAN 31) We were notified that Sweden’s
Ingemar Johansson died yesterday. Ingemar Johansson was born on
September 22, 1932, and died at the age of 76. Johansson stunned
the world when he KO’d Floyd Patterson on June 26, 1959, to win the
World Heavyweight Championship. In addition, Johansson won the Hickok
Belt as top professional athlete of the year in 1959 and was named the
Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated
magazine's "Sportsman of the Year".
Johansson retired in 1963
with a record 26-2-0 (17KO). In 2003 , he was named to the Ring
Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. In August 1955, in
his twelfth professional fight, Johansson knocked out former European
Heavyweight Champion Hein Ten Hoff in the first round. He won the
European Heavyweight championship by scoring a 13 round KO over Italian
title holder Franco Cavicchi on September 30, 1956. Johansson
successfully defended his European Crown against ranked heavyweights
Henry Cooper (5th round KO on May 19, 1957) and Joe Erskine, whom he
TKOed in 13 on February 21, 1958. [Source: Wiki]
It has been reported in many
news media sources, that Johansson had pneumonia for a couple of weeks,
and that he passed away at a nursing home in Kungsbacka.
