Amos Johnson 'How I Beat Cassius Clay'

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Fact;

Cassius Clay 'jerked' 'Atom Amos' Johnson around in May 1966.

Amos Johnson, 'Clay promised me as soon as I was ranked in the Top 10, he
would fight me. I smeared Cooper last year, and now I'm ranked #5 by Ring Magazine.
He has to fight me.'

'Atom Amos" (#7 WBA Heavyweight and #5 Ring Magazine) unable to secure a 'deserved'
Heavyeight Championship bout, hooked up as a sparring partner for 'comebacking' Sonny Liston
in the May and June 1966, when Sonny went to Stockholm, Sweden to fight.

'Atom Amos' helped Sonny prepare for 'southpaw' German Heavyweight
Gerhard Zech (Sonny fought Zech on July 1, 1966).

None of the Top American Heavyweights wanted to fight 'Atom Amos'
in 1966, because he was tough, and could make anybody look bad with his
'southpaw stance'.

While in Scandanavia, 'Atom Amos' got a late-call to fight 'British Heavyweight'
Brian London in his hometown of Liverpool, United Kingdom on June 21, 1966.

 

Tuesday Night - June 21, 1966

The Stadium - Liverpool, United Kingdom

Attendance; 20,000

'Atom Amos' Johnson (United States)
Record......22-3-2 (11 KO's)
Rating......#7 WBA / #5 Ring Magazine
Age..........27 1/2
Height.......6' 3"
Weight......200 lbs.

Brian 'Blackpool Rock' London (United Kingdom)
Record......34-13-0 (26 KO's)
Rating.......#14 WBA / #13 Ring Magazine
Age..........32
Height.......6' 0"
Weight......199 lbs.

'Atom Amos' Johnson was Disqualified by 'British Referee' Ike Powell mid-way through the 7th Round
for 'head-butting' Britain Heavyweight Brian London.

In a very rough fight, where both fighters bent the 'boxing rules', with head-butting, low-blows,
hitting after the bell, and inside rough-housing, the Referee Ike Powell called a halt to the bout,
after warning the American heavyweight several times earlier.

Many of The Liverpool Stadium fans boo'ed the Referee's decision, as both fighters were guilty
of fouling.

'Atom Amos' Johnson was getting the better of the two combatants, by showing flashes of
good boxing, after withstanding a good charge by the 'Blackpool Rock' in the middle rounds.

The American, the #7 ranked Heavyweight was ahead in the bout, and appeared to be on his
way to a Decision win.

$700 (10%) of the American's $7000 fight purse will be withheld by the British Boxing Board.

'Atom Amos' Johnson; 'The Referee allowed London to get dirty, and I had no choice but to do
the same to him. He never warned him about fouling, yet I was warned several times for
retaliating. Every one could see I was on my way to a Decision win, and the only way he
could win was by Disqualification.'

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After Cassius Clay signed to fight Brian London (following the Britsh Heavyweight's
controversial DQ win over Amos Johnson),

The Associated Press called it as,

"Cassius Clay is 'intentionally' scraping the bottom of the barrel, and looking for
the easy money ($250,000) to fight Brian London, when there are more capable
American Heavyweights in the waiting."

"Both Thad Spencer and Amos Johnson are better examples of a professional Heavyweight,
as Mr. London has seen better days."

 

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Friday Night - August 19, 1966

Hya Ullevi - Stockholm, Sweden

'Atom Amos' Johnson, the 27 1/2 year-old southpaw Heavyweight,
at 22-4-2 (11 KO's) after his 'controversial' DQ loss to Brain London
in the United Kingdom, ventures north to Sweden, to face comebacking
former Heavyweight Champion - Sonny Liston 36-3-0 (26 KO's).

Heavyweight Champion - Cassius Clay, who took the easier road, and
faced Brain London on August 6, 1966 in London, agrees to fight
'Atom Amos' Johnson 'next' - if he can defeat the former Champion.

The 6' 1" 200 lb. Johnson, is the only fighter around, who is willing to
fight Sonny Liston. 'Atom Amos' belives his southpaw stance, and
quick-fisted boxing style, will be enough to confuse the slow-moving
39 year-old Liston.

A 'win' for Amos Johnson, will guarantee him a Title shot versus Cassius
Clay or Ernie Terrell.

 

Friday Night - August 19, 1966

Ullevi Stadium - Gothenburg, Sweden

Promoters; Ingemar Johansson and Bertil Knudsen

Attendance; 22,000

Former Heavyweight Champion - Sonny Liston battered 'Atom Amos' Johnson
to the canvas three times, enroute to a Knockout in Round 3, ending the Ohio Heavyweight's charge
towards a Heavyweight Championship versus Cassisus Clay.

The veteran Heavyweight has now lost '2' straight bouts, and will see his record
drop to 22-5-2, and will most likely fall out of the Top 10 rankings.

Johnson, who defeated Cassius Clay in April 1959, was hoping for a chance to
defeat Clay again, as he was promised 'three times' by the young Champion to
engage in a Championship fight.

Johnson at 200 lbs. who was out-weighed by 18 lbs., boxed fairly well in the 1st-Round,
over the plodding 218 lb. former Champion.

But in Round 2, 'Atom Amos' was first cut over the left aye, and then floored by a Liston right cross.
Sonny Liston followed that up with a barrage of lefts and rights, flooring the Ohio Heavyweight
again

In Round 3, Liston did not let 'Atom Amos' escape, and dropped him again with a right cross and
vicious left hook, where the bout was stopped by the Referee, Bengt Almqvist.

'Atom Amos' Johnson, 'I had to take this bout against my wishes. Cassius Clay
said he would give me a Title Fight, only after I fought Sonny. I couldn't turn
down the $20,000 fight purse, as it was the largest I have ever received.'

'Atom Amos' Johnson, 'Nobody else would fight Sonny, and I wasn't afraid. No
matter what they say about Liston, they can't say he has lost his power. His
left hand felt like an anvil. I don't know how he lost to Clay. Something wasn't
right in his bouts with Clay, that I can guarantee.'

Sonny Liston, 'I want Clay. We have invited him to come to Sweden while he's been
fighting in the United Kingdom. We can now have a real fight without any shenanigans.'

Fight Purses;
Sonny Liston......($50,000 U.S. Dollars)
Amos Johnson....($20,000 U.S. Dollars)

 

Newspaper Archives,,,,,,

Check them out,,

You do know how to read, don't you.

Cassius Clay promised to fight Amos Johnson '3 different times' in 1966,
before 'Atom Amos' fought and was KO'd by Sonny Liston on August 19, 1966.

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April 30, 1959

University of Wisconsin

(Field House), Madison, Wisconsin

Sports Journalist, Henry J. McCormick (Sports Editor, State Journal Newspaper)

Mr. McCormick covered the Pan Am Games Boxing Trials.

'Atom Amos' Johnson was a 20 year-old U.S. Marine.
A 6' 1" 175 lb. 'southpaw' Light-Heavyweight from Stockton, California.

'Atom Amos' had reached the Finals, by winning both of his bouts,
and brought in a record of 59-2-0 (24 KO's).

Cassius Clay, was a 6' 2 1/2", 17 1/2 year-old, Louisville, Kentucky
High School student.

Cassius was the 1959 National A.A.U. Light-Heavyweight Champion,
and was considered a slight favorite for the Pan Am Trials.

Cassius Clay had entered the Finals versus Amos Johnson riding a
37-bout unbeaten string.

Henry J. McCormick was the analyst for the 3-Round Finals.

Round 1 was 'even', as 'Atom Amos' concentrated on the mid-section,
while Cassius was trying to wotk the left jab.

Round 2 and 3, it was all 'Atom Amos', as his southpaw stance baffled
the teenager, and his strength was too much to overcome.

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