BOXING PATTERSON REGAINS WORLD TITLE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29237, 22 June 1960, Page 6

BOXING PATTERSON REGAINS WORLD TITLE

Johansson Knocked Out In Fifth Round (N2. Press Association—Copyrlpht) (Rec. 8 pjn.) NEW YORK, June 21. Floyd Patterson last night knocked out Ingemar Johansson to become the first man in boxing history to regain the world heavyweight championship.

The end came after Imin Slsec of the fifth round, when. the American negro challenger flattened the previously unbeaten Swede with a terrific left hook to the jaw.

Johansson had previously been down for a count of nine in the same round.

There is to be a return bout within 90 days.

Sports writers are comparing Patterson’s triumph to that of Joe Louis, who beat Max Schmeling in their return bout on June 22, 1938. The return bout was for Louis* title, i.nd he knocked out Schmeling at 2min 4sec in the first round. In their first fight in 1938 Schmeling knocked out Louis in the twelfth round in a non-title fight. Louis had not then won the crown.

Patterson did what eight former champions failed to do—win back the heavy-weight title and in a manner which left no doubt that he was a devastating fighter. Those who tried and failed were James Corbett (twice). Bob Fitzsimmons, James Jeffries, Jack Dempsey, Max Schmeling, Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles (three times) and Jersey Joe Walcott First Knock-out An hour after the fight ended, Johansson announced that he was in no mood to talke to reporters. “He’s all right” Edwin Ahlquist, Johansson’s adviser, said. “He got knocked out that we know. He’d like to talk to you tomorrow. He’s shocked. This is the first time in his life he's been knocked out. He’s been knocked down three or four times but never out.” Patterson, who had been floored seven times for a technical knockout in their first fight on June 26 last year, carried the fight to Johansson from the opening bell. In the second round. Johansson buckled Patterson’s knees once. Early in the fifth round, 25-year-old Patterson exploded a left hook on Johansson’s chin and he fell backwards to his haunches. He was up at the count of nine. Patterson went after him and battered him from rope to rope. Johansson, whose left eye was

slightly cut and badly bruised in the first round, began bleeding freely from his mouth after the knockdown in the fifth round. Left Hook Finished Fight As Johansson was forced about the ring, Patterson landed a right to the body followed by a terrific left hook to the head that smashed the 27-year-old Johansson to the canvas where he lay flat on his back for three minutes. The referee, Arthur Marcante, could have counted 200 over him instead of the 10 that signalled the fight was over.

It was several minutes before the beaten champion was placed on a stool in the ring. The Swede was 7J/5 favourite. A crowd of about 35,000 paid about 800.000 dollars to see the fight The first round went to Patterson. They sparred cautiously in the centre of the ring, with Johansson missing twice with left flicks. They clinched without a blow being struck. The champion tried two more left leads and Patterson rushed in with a long left which caught Johansson on the shoulder. Patterson scored twice with hard lefts high on Johansson’s forehead, but he cleverly ducked two other rushes. Patterson bored in again and caught Johansson with a heavy hook to the belly. Patterson again caught Johansson high on the forehead. The ehampion’s fa< e was an angry red, and there was a slight cut on the bridge of his nose. Round Two.—Patterson rushed in from the bell, but was tied up by Johansson, who was ranging away from the negro’s long left jabs. Johansson landed two light jabs to Patterson’s face, but they carried no sting. Patterson missed With a right cross and followed up with a stinging left hook that grazed Johansson’s head.

Johansson Hits Back Then Johansson delivered his first big punch—a powerful right {filedriver that caught Patterson on top of the head and seemed to stun him for a moment. Johansson moved in and tried another right, but was off target. Patterson came in again, but Johansson tied him up in a clinch Then prodded Patterson off and waited to try another right. Both fighters jabbed to the head and Patterson attempted a left hook. Patterson bored in again, but was tied up as Johansson ducked a left hook and put his head beneath Patterson’s armpit

Patterson maintained the attack, but Johansson scored with his left jab again and again. Johansson landed two lefts to Patterson’s nose, but they were light blows.

Patterson scored a left-right to the stomach, and repeated the move. Patterson again drove forward with two tremendous blows —a left and a right hook to Johansson's stomach that had him wincing. Round Four.— Patterson scored again with two left jabs to the nose and another above the right eye. Each time Patterson ranged in, Johansson backed hurriedly away, darting out his left; but he now seemed unable to keep Patterson at bay. His jab was weak and apparently ineffectual. He had scarcely landed a blow except two hard rights tn the second round. Left Hook Lands

From another clinch, Patterson broke away and slung left End right combinations that caught Johansson high on the head. Then he landed a perfectly-timed left hook that made Johansson blink and shake his head. He walked slowly beck to his corner as the round ended and spat blood Into the bucket. Round Five.—Patterson led off with a left to Johansson's face and then drove a hard left to the face and right to the body as they broke out of a clinch. Patterson knocked down Johansson with a left hook to the chin. Johansson was up at the count of nine. Patterson bore in with a left to the body, a right and (eft to the head and had Johansson almost helpless against the ropes. Patterson landed a left to the head. Johansson was holding on desperately and his mouth and nose were bleeding

Patterson, going in for the kill, floored him with another left hook to the chin. The last left hook knocked Johansson flat on his back and even after he had been counted out at 10, he lay there for several seconds with handlers from both corners and Patterson also over him. The knockout blow was a tremendous full-blooded left hook on the point of Johansson’s jaw. Johansson was still flat on the canvas four minutes after being knocked out. His handlers and a doctor tended him and eventually pulled him up to sit him on his stool as photographers invaded the ring. Johansson, whose left eye was virtually, closed, eventually picked himself up from the stool and began slowly to shake his head in disbelief that he had lost the title he had held for such a short time—six days less than a year. Patterson —grinning. jumping and clapping his hands in excitement, was hoisted on the shoulders of his handlers and shown to the crowd who roared their approval. Eventually a police guard surrounded Johansson as he stood dazed talking to his father, who had rushed. into the ring after the final knockdown.