By Mark Vester
The boxing world mourns as former heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson (September 22, 1932 - January 30, 2009) passed away on Friday. Johansson became famous when he stepped in the ring on June 26, 1959 as a 5-1 underdog to knock Floyd Patterson out for the heavyweight title at Yankee Stadium in New York. Due to huge upset win, he was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year".
The two would stage a trilogy, with the rematch taking place on June 20, 1960. That night Patterson got revenge by knocking Johansson out in the fifth round, which made him the first man to regain the heavyweight title.
To prepare for his third meeting with Patterson, Johansson sparred against a little known, 18-year-old Cassius Clay (6-0 at the time), who would later become three-time heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali. The third fight took place on March 13, 1961. Johansson knocked Patterson down twice in the first, and was knocked down himself. Patterson went on to stop him in the sixth. The two fighters would later become very close friends for decades.
He retired in 1963 with a record of 26 wins, 2 losses and 17 by knockout. In 2003, Ring Magazine's listed him as one of the 100 greatest punchers of all time. Johansson was also a former European heavyweight champion, made several films in Sweden and co-promoted boxing events in Sweden, including several cards that featured former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. In 2002, he was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
He began to suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the mid 1990's. He passed away from complications following phenumonia.
