1962 S.I article. Ingemar Johansson on Sonny Liston

It could be any fighter not just Liston, it's your whole approach to posts.You want to name call that's ok, I told you you're a liar What would be the point of calling you a c*nt or some such?

 

Personally I think Liston would have smashed Ingo within 3 rounds. That's not a agenda based decision, just how I weigh up Liston V Jo. I think despite Ingo having a decent punch, it wouldn't really affect Liston as much as Sonny s would him. I've thought that a good many years.

 

I don't think Ingo wanted any part of Sonny Liston

 

Ingo knew he didn't have the desire post Patterson to go anywhere near Liston. I honestly don't see him lasting more than a round ..

 

Suzie Q posted an article some time ago showing Ingo turned down a fortune to fight Liston. Liston would take his punches the reverse is not true.
Ingo was a flash in the pan with 2 top wins ,if his chance had come against either Floyd's predecessor or his successor he would never have been champ.

 

Johansson was a very good fighter.

 

Didn't Ingo duck Liston at one point and send his sparring partner instead?

 

Two top wins.The first he refused to rematch ,the second avenged twice with interest!

 

His two best wins, they were good wins.
Machen didn't merit a rematch.
Patterson's first win over Johansson was an excellent performance. It's Patterson's best win and best performance, imo.

 

There was a rematch clause signed the week prior to the fight by Ingo's manager on hotel stationary.Ingo reneged on it. Curtess Sheppard bombed out Joey Maxim in one round.Twenty one days later they met again and Maxim boxed his ears off. Mike Weaver was stopped by Mike Dokes in a round their rematch was a draw! All but the judges voted for Weaver.

• Location: Dunes Hotel & Casino, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
• Referee: Richard Steele
• Judge: Harold Lederman 143-143
• Judge: Larry Hazzard 144-144
• Judge: Jerry Roth 145-141

• Unofficial AP scorecard: 143-142 Weaver
• Unofficial UPI scorecard: 144-142 Weaver
• Unofficial L.A. Times scorecard: 143-142 Weaver

 

Johansson's promoter/advisor claimed that he was coerced into signing the rematch clause a day or two (at the most) before the fight, under duress. ie.Machen's manager threatened to go home with his fighter at the last minute.
The Swedish promoter would have lost hundreds of thousands monetarily and lost the opportunity forever, so he signed.
But it's old news. It went to a US court. The contract was unenforceable anyway.
Does it even matter ? It had little to do with Johansson personally, nevermind his ability as a fighter.

My point is, Johansson beat Machen convincingly (hardly comparable to Weaver-Dokes, imo) ... ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE JOHANSSON FULL CREDIT (no ifs or buts) ?
You don't have to, of course. But I do. I give him full credit. A rematch is the last thing I'd ask of Johansson, under the circumstances.
Johansson won the fight, absolutely emphatically.

Let's not minimize a convincing 1st round KO over the #1 contender because "there was no rematch".
I mean, you can go down that road if you want, but that's not how I view it.
Johansson beat Machen convincingly. He deservedly got a shot at Patterson. And he beat Patterson too.

Those wins were good.
I don't ask for every win in boxing history to be replicated before giving credit. 1-0 is 1-0.

Johansson was a very good fighter. That's my view. Machen was very good too. As was Patterson. I give them all credit.

 

I think Ingo was a terrific right handed puncher who got lucky twice .. I don't think he beats Machen another 9 times out of ten .. and he was stopped by Patterson twice after destroying him .. he did not have a good chin, he was not in serious condition and really was not the most dedicated warrior out there . He deserves some credit no doubt, especially getting out when he did ..

 

My point is one round blow outs can often be deceiving.I wouldn't have been surprised if Machen had beaten Ingo in the rematch.I give him credit for the win ,but it might flatter him.