Ingemar Johansson in hospital

Simonpure · Post by **Simonpure** » 08 Jul 2003, 13:23

With great sadness, I just read on a Swedish website that former heavyweight champion Ingemar "Ingo" Johansson has been interned in a
Stockholm area hospital suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease.

The article stated that Johansson, who will be 71 in September, has been
treated for a number of illnesses, including depression following the death
of his father eight years ago.

You can find the article in the Dagens Neheter newspaper at http://www.dn.se.

According to Johansson's wife, Ingemar has been a patient since January
and his condition has been kept secret from everyone with the exception
of a small circle of friends and family.

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 08 Jul 2003, 13:32

I know this is not about Johannson, but since his name is tied up to that of Floyd Patterson, for those of you in the U.S. don't miss Floyd's epic battle with George Chuvalo on ESPN Classic tonight at 9PM ET- 1965 Ring Mag Fight of the year.

enrique · Post by **enrique** » 08 Jul 2003, 14:05

That's worth taping. It was a good fight between two really nice guys. I met Floyd working corners in New Jersey twenty-five years ago and was impressed by the fact that his size and weight seemed light-heavy. I've met over a dozen heavyweight champs and Floyd was the smallest, even more so than Jersey Joe, who when I met him about that time was already old and had lost muscle mass. Chuvalo is one of the toughest and nicest people that ever laced on a glove. Hank Kaplan once told me that George is a man without enemies with an impressive memory for remembering scores of phone numbers.

SugarRoyRobinson · Post by **SugarRoyRobinson** » 08 Jul 2003, 15:51

samuel wrote:"The Hammer of Thor", wasn't that the nickname for his right hand? Anyway, this is sad news.

Yes, either that or "Ingo's Bingo".

His trainers also called his ability his "Thunder and Lightning".

Dutch Windmill · Post by **Dutch Windmill** » 08 Jul 2003, 17:17

After his first fight with Patterson he said his right hand(the hammer) was his secret weapon. I never got that. How can your right hand be your secret?

Anyway he should've used it in his other fights with Patterson too.

Was is it the third fight that Johansson was knocked out cold and Patterson thought he had killed him?

Dutch Windmill · Post by **Dutch Windmill** » 08 Jul 2003, 17:48

I was joking.

Anyway, in which fight did Patterson think he had killed Johansson?

SugarRoyRobinson · Post by **SugarRoyRobinson** » 08 Jul 2003, 17:57

Dutch Windmill wrote:After his first fight with Patterson he said his right hand(the hammer) was his secret weapon. I never got that. How can your right hand be your secret?

He was a fairly unknown fighter and he kept his right hand secret by not saying anything about it. It's hard to tell watching a person in training whether they have a knockout punch or not, because with the 14oz+ gloves on you cannot stun anyone.

Anyway he should've used it in his other fights with Patterson too.

In his first fight he RARELY used it. After he got Floyd staggered he used it to a great extent of course.

In his second fight he used it FAR MORE. Floyd, unlike the first fight, was crowding him like hell and he didn't have as much time to jab and get organised. Therefore he used the right defensively.

In the third fight he staggered Patterson briefly with the right.

Was is it the third fight that Johansson was knocked out cold and Patterson thought he had killed him?

No it was the second. Watching the footage you can see Ingo's leg twitching, too.

Oh right you were joking. I'm a bit gullable sometimes.

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 10 Jul 2003, 17:39

this is one time boxing can't be blamed for johansson's condition...but somebody probably will. he didn't have enough fights and didn't take the hammering to the head to cause this health problem this late in his life.

I got a kick out of Ingo...drove the press crazy by bringing his girlfriend with him to training camp.....didn't throw the right hand in the pre first fight sparring sessions....and didn't much care what they wrote about him.

his foot twitching as he was on the canvas in the second fight is still scary.

in the third fight the eight count probably saved patterson from getting knocked out...and I'm not sure but i think the referee made a mistake in applying it...wasn't supposed to be in effect.

Ingo was something of a front runner...but, as eddie machen (who always wanted a rematch) said "if he gets to you first, forget it. ...."

I think he was a businessman..(not in the boxing argot of a tank artist)...didn't have that need to stay around for the cheers. made his money and got out. I think in his last fight....with Brian London..there was photo of him flat on his back with the headline..."Wake up, Ingo...you won!" London apparently cold cocked him before the bell ending the last round and the bell stopped the count then...and he had been ahead on points so he won. I also think getting hurt like that by London (whom he said he sister could beat) told him it was a good time to get out.

Relied mostly on a fast and hard right hand...could throw it with or without a left lead...came in out of condition for his second and third title fights..and may have had limited skills.....but I've never heard a single word about any peculiar business going on regarding any of his fights...fought clean....and was intelligent and seemed a decent fellow.

plus..the young amateur clay may have sparred with him...and maybe even made him look bad...I don't know if it's true or not...but he was never a good gym fighter and to suggest that ali/clay at that stage of his career could have beat him in a pro match is just nonsense.

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 10 Jul 2003, 20:35

samuel...I agree that my assessment about the number of punches ingo took and his illness doesn't any medical knowledge to affirm it....and he did take some powerfiul shots from patterson, and we don't know about the fights we didn't see. i just think it's UNLIKELY that his boxing career is involved with his sad current state. I think his health has been okay up to recent years...but....i haven't read anything one way or the other.

maybe somebody with some medical news can give more information.

thanks about the 8 count...i was going by memory which is only 98% perfect in the total recall department.

enrique · Post by **enrique** » 11 Jul 2003, 11:09

I BELIEVE A LOT HAS TO DO WITH THE INDIVIDUAL PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF THE FIGHTER. I HAVE TALKED TO FIGHTERS THAT WERE THE TARGET OF THOUSANDS OF PUNCHES - FLORENTINO FERNANDEZ, PUPPY GARCIA, CARMEN BASILIO, GEORGE CHUVALO- AND THEY ARE AS CLEAR AS A RHODES SCHOLAR.

I HAVE ALSO MET A FEW FIGHTERS THAT HAD ONLY A FEW FIGHTS AND WERE WALKING ON THEIR HEELS.

AMONG MY TAPES I HAVE MANY INTERVIEWS WITH OLD TIMERS- AND WHEN YOU HEAR TOMMY RYAN, CORBETT AND OTHERS TALK, THEY WERE NOT PUNCHY.

HANK KAPLAN IS OF THE OPINION THAT A LOT OF NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE COMES FROM GYM WARS, WHERE FIGHTERS GIVE AWAY A LOT OF POUNDAGE, SUPERVISION IS SOMETIMES LAX AND SPARRING IS OVERDONE, NOT USED FOR DISTANCE AND TIMING BUT TO PROVE ONE'S BALLS INSIDE THE ROPES. OLD TIMERS FOUGHT MORE FREQUENTLY, WERE IN BETTER SHAPE AND DID NOT SPAR VERY OFTEN IN COMPARISON TO TODAY'S FIGHTERS.