JOHANSSON, INGEMAR

born Sept. 22, 1932, Gteborg, Sweden in full Jens Ingemar Johansson Swedish-born world heavyweight boxing champion from June 26, 1959, when he knocked out champion Floyd Patterson in three rounds, until June 20, 1960, when he was knocked out by Patterson in five rounds (both bouts in New York City). As an amateur boxer Johansson was a member of the European Golden Gloves team in 1951 and the Swedish Olympic Games team in 1952. He won the European professional heavyweight title in 1956, and in 1958 he scored a one-round knockout over Eddie Machen, a leading American heavyweight. On March 13, 1961, at Miami Beach, Johansson attempted to regain the championship but failed when Patterson scored a sudden knockout in the sixth round. Johansson won the European heavyweight championship again in 1962, forfeited the title in 1963 for failing to defend it, and then retired. From 1952 to 1963 he had 28 bouts, winning 26, 17 by knockouts. His two losses to Patterson were the only defeats in his professional career. Johansson later made his permanent residence in west Florida, U.S.