Ingemar Johansson vs. Joe Bygraves (2nd meeting)

Ingemar Johansson 200 lbs beat Joe Bygraves 209 lbs by TKO at 2:08 in round 7 of 12

• Date: 1962-02-09
• Location: Maesshallen Sports Hall, Gothenburg, Sweden
• Referee: Andrew Smyth

"Ingemar Johansson toyed with Joe Bygraves of Jamaica before a sellout crowd of 6,200 at the Maesshallen Stadium Friday night. Irish referee Andy Smythe stopped the fight at 2:08 of the 7th round. At that point Bygraves, who had taken a four count in the 2nd round from a short right from Johansson, was almost out on his feet. His left eyebrow gushed blood from a barrage of punches taken in the 6th round. Midway through the 7th round Bygraves dropped his hands in a neutral corner and referee Andy smythe had no alternative but to stop the fight." -Associated Press

Post fight comments

• "I didn't want to rush in and throw caution to the wind after that 2nd round knockdown. I wanted to make sure of winning. So I held off, pushed out those long lefts and softened up Bygraves. My right? It was there if I would have needed it, but I didn't." -Ingemar Johansson

• "If Ingo wins back the European title, then he will strike for Sonny Liston - and a Johansson-Liston fight in the open air in Goteborg would pull in a crowd of 60,000." -Edwin Ahlquist, Johansson's adviser