Marvin Johnson (boxer)

Last updated
Marvin Johnson
Marvin Johnson in KO Magazine.jpg
Johnson c. 1986
Personal information
Nickname
Pops
BornMarvin Johnson
(1954-04-12) April 12, 1954 (age 71)
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Height5 ft 10+1⁄2 in (179 cm)
Weight Light heavyweight
Boxing career
Reach72+1⁄2 in (184 cm)
Stance Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights49
Wins43
Win by KO35
Losses6
Medal record
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1972 Munich Middleweight

Marvin Johnson (born April 12, 1954) [1] is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 1987. He is a 3-time light heavyweight champion having held the World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight title from 1978 to 1979, and the World Boxing Association (WBA) light heavyweight title twice between 1979 to 1987. As an amateur, Johnson fought in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, winning a bronze medal at middleweight. He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.

Contents

Amateur career

Gold medal icon.svg Won the 1971 National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Championship, March 22 at Fort Worth, Texas:

Gold medal icon.svg Won the 1971 National AAU Light Heavyweight (178 lb.) Championship, May 1 at New Orleans, Louisiana:

Gold medal icon.svg Won the 1971 North American (178 lb.) Championship, May 31 at Latham, New York:

Gold medal icon.svg Won The 1972 National Golden Gloves Middleweight (165 lb.) Championship, March 20 at Minneapolis, Minnesota:

Bronze medal icon.svg Represented the United States at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, earning a bronze medal in the 165 pound class, after he was knocked out in the semifinal by eventual gold medalist Vyacheslav Lemeshev of the Soviet Union.

1972 Olympic results

Below are the results of Marvin Johnson, an American middleweight boxer, who competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics:

Professional career

As a professional, Johnson won his first 15 bouts, including a nationally televised 4th round knockout over highly regarded veteran Tom "The Bomb" Bethea. However, Johnson lost for the first time as a professional in his next fight, against rising contender Matthew Franklin (later known as Matthew Saad Muhammad) by 12th round knockout in a furious battle for the NABF light heavyweight title. [2] Following this setback, Johnson rallied, not for the last time in his career, impressively winning several bouts, until losing a decision to highly ranked Lottie Mwale. A subsequent win over Jerry Celestine set up a world title fight, which saw Johnson taking the WBC light heavyweight crown from fellow southpaw Mate Parlov of Yugoslavia via 10th-round KO in Italy in December 1978. For his first title defense, in April 1979, Johnson chose Matthew Franklin, the very man who had beaten him in an epic war two years earlier. In front of his hometown Indianapolis fans, Johnson engaged Franklin in a rematch of such intensity and drama that it is regarded among boxing historians as one of the greatest title fights in history. Mirroring their first brutal encounter, Johnson controlled the early going, but the Philadelphia-based Franklin gamely hung in. The tide turned in the 6th and 7th rounds as Johnson began to tire. Ultimately Franklin prevailed in the 8th, a round of such ferocity that it would enter boxing lore, stopping Johnson late in the frame, despite bleeding severely himself from the nose and from cuts around both eyes.

Showing the resilience that would mark his career, Johnson would again win a world title belt later that very year—this time the WBA version—by fighting the rugged Victor Galindez from Argentina in New Orleans as part of a three-fight 'television card' that included two title bouts (Antuofermo-Hagler I and Benitez-Leonard) staged in Las Vegas. After a see-saw battle through the first ten rounds, Johnson nailed—and floored—Galindez with one of his fabled 'over-the-top-from-underneath' left hands, and the title changed hands when the champion's corner surrendered after Galindez hit the canvas.

As with his previous first title defense, Johnson again chose the strongest available contender to challenge for his belt, this time Eddie Gregory (later to be known as Eddie Mustafa Muhammad). On the Tate–Weaver undercard in Knoxville in March 1980, Johnson fought courageously, but ultimately succumbed to Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (né Gregory), who used a vicious body attack to outwork, out-hustle and out last the game champion en route to an 11th-round TKO victory.

Things looked bleak when Johnson fought the up-and-coming Michael Spinks in early 1981—just before Spinks dethroned Johnson's latest conqueror, Mustafa Muhammad. Johnson was off to a promising start, but the 1976 Olympian Spinks landed his famous "Spinks jinx" that put Johnson out for good in the fourth round.

Johnson recovered and proceeded to win 16 straight fights, defeating good fighters like Charles Williams along the way, and in February 1986 would again be before his Indianapolis fans, fighting Leslie Stewart of Trinidad and Tobago for the WBA light heavyweight title that became vacant when Spinks abdicated to become a heavyweight. Stewart gave Johnson some fits, but cuts would take their toll on Stewart and were the reason that the fight was stopped in the seventh round, thus making Johnson the first ever three-time champion in the division. An injury postponed his first defense against Jean-Marie Emebe of Cameroon, but the two would hook up in Indianapolis in September of that year. It was the first time that Johnson would both enter and leave the ring as champion—he was the winner by 13th-round TKO.

Next, it was on to Trinidad and Tobago for a rematch with Stewart on May 23, 1987. However, it was all Stewart this time, as he floored Johnson several times in the first few rounds, and while Johnson always regained his feet and was never counted out he did tell his cornermen after eight rounds that 'enough was enough,' and by doing so became an ex-champ for a third time.

Johnson retired after that bout.

Honors

Named The Ring magazine Comeback of the Year fighter for 1984.

Professional boxing record

49 fights43 wins6 losses
By knockout355
By decision81
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
49Loss43–6 Leslie Stewart RTD8 (12), 3:00May 23, 1987 National Stadium, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and TobagoLost WBA light heavyweight title
48Win43–5Jean Marie EmebeTKO13 (15), 1:41Sep 20, 1986 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, U.S.Retained WBA light heavyweight title
47Win42–5 Leslie Stewart TKO7 (15), 0:56Feb 9, 1986 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, U.S.Won vacant WBA light heavyweight title
46Win41–5Frank LuxKO4 (10), 0:55Dec 4, 1985 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, U.S.
45Win40–5Raleigh SearcyTKO4 (10), 2:59Oct 11, 1985 Hulman Center, Terre Haute, U.S.
44Win39–5 Eddie Davis TKO5 (12), 0:59Apr 21, 1985 Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, U.S.Won USBA light heavyweight title
43Win38–5Charles HendersonTKO2 (10), 1:55Jan 17, 1985 Holiday Star Theater, Merrillville, U.S.
42Win37–5Eddie CollinsKO2 (10), 1:35Dec 13, 1984 Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic Cityx, U.S.
41Win36–5 Charles Williams UD10Nov 8, 1984Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
40Win35–5Johnny DavisUD10Aug 30, 1984 Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, U.S.
39Win34–5Jerome CloudenRTD5 (10), 3:00Jun 14, 1984 Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, U.S.
38Win33–5Eddie GonzalesKO4 (10), 2:26Mar 26, 1984 Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, U.S.
37Win32–5Elvis ParksTKO4 (10)Jan 18, 1984Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
36Win31–5Mike BrothersTKO10 (10)Nov 21, 1983 Americana Congress Hotel, Chicago, U.S.
35Win30–5Andros Ernie BarrTKO8 (10)Feb 25, 1983Nassau, Bahamas
34Win29–5Alvino MansonKO1 (12), 1:00Oct 14, 1982Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
33Win28–5Darnell HayesTKO2 (10), 1:55Apr 6, 1982 Civic Center, Danville, U.S.
32Loss27–5 Michael Spinks KO4 (10), 1:22Mar 28, 1981 Resorts International, Atlantic City, U.S.
31Win27–4Rick NashTKO3 (8), 1:35Jan 28, 1981 Atkinson Hotel, Indianapolis, U.S.
30Win26–4Eddie StraightTKO1 (10)Jan 15, 1981Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
29Win25–4Dave Lee RoysterKO4 (10), 2:51Sep 9, 1980 Resorts International, Atlantic City, U.S.
28Loss24–4 Eddie Mustafa Muhammad TKO11 (15), 2:43Mar 31, 1980 Stokely Athletic Center, Knoxville, U.S.Lost WBA light heavyweight title
27Win24–3 Víctor Galíndez KO11 (15), 0:20Nov 30, 1979 Superdome, New Orleans, U.S.Won WBA light heavyweight title
26Win23–3Carlos MarksUD10Sep 20, 1979 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, U.S.
25Loss22–3 Matthew Saad Muhammad TKO8 (15), 1:44Apr 22, 1979 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, U.S.Lost WBC light heavyweight title
24Win22–2 Mate Parlov TKO10 (15), 2:33Dec 2, 1978Palazzo Dello Sport, Marsala, ItalyWon WBC light heavyweight title
23Win21–2Jerry CelestineUD10 Sep 15, 1978 Superdome, New Orleans, U.S.
22Loss20–2 Lottie Mwale PTS8Jun 17, 1978 Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia
21Win20–1 John Baldwin UD10May 24, 1978 Spectrum, Philadelphia, U.S.
20Win19–1 Eddie Davis TKO7 (10), 1:24Apr 3, 1978Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
19Win18–1Roberto ReynosaKO1 (10), 1:15Jan 25, 1978Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
18Win17–1Billy DouglasTKO5 (10), 2:35Nov 1, 1977 Spectrum, Philadelphia, U.S.
17Win16–1Johnny FieldsKO1 (10), 2:52Sep 28, 1977Masonic Auditorium, Cleveland, U.S.
16Loss15–1 Matthew Saad Muhammad TKO12 (12), 1:12Jul 26, 1977 Spectrum, Philadelphia, U.S.For NABF light heavyweight title
15Win15–0Tom BetheaTKO4 (10), 2:50Apr 22, 1977 Convention Exposition Center, Indianapolis, U.S.
14Win14–0Johnny TownsendUD10Feb 21, 1977 Spectrum, Philadelphia, U.S.
13Win13–0Vandell WoodsUD10Nov 30, 1976 Spectrum, Philadelphia, U.S.
12Win12–0Wayne McGeeTKO1 (10)Sep 14, 1976 Spectrum, Philadelphia, U.S.
11Win11–0Harold CarterKO2 (10), 1:32Apr 15, 1976Indiana Roof Ballroom, Indianapolis, U.S.
10Win10–0 Ray Anderson TKO6 (10), 1:50Apr 3, 1976 Fairgrounds Coliseum, Indianapolis, U.S.
9Win9–0Eddie OwensKO3 (10), 1:00Nov 13, 1975Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
8Win8–0Paul CardozaTKO5 (10), 1:35Apr 17, 1975 Convention Exposition Center, Indianapolis, U.S.
7Win7–0 Gary Summerhays UD10Jan 29, 1975Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
6Win6–0Jim AdamsTKO1 (8), 2:48Dec 11, 1974Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
5Win5–0Johnny WordsTKO6 (8), 2:40Nov 12, 1974Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.
4Win4–0Ted PaxtonKO2 (10), 1:58Jul 17, 1974High Chaparal, Chicago, U.S.
3Win3–0Chuck WarfieldTKO5 (8)Oct 30, 1973 Coliseum, Fort Wayne, U.S.
2Win2–0Al ByrdTKO1 (8), 1:36Sep 17, 1973 Coliseum, Fort Wayne, U.S.
1Win1–0Sylvester WilderKO2 (6), 1:30May 22, 1973Tyndall Armory, Indianapolis, U.S.

Life after boxing

Johnson retired from the Marion County Sheriff's Office in Indianapolis, Indiana, after more than 30 years of service as a civilian employee, correctional officer and deputy sheriff.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "A three-time world champion who's not in the International Boxing Hall of Fame: How can that be?". Max Boxing. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  2. ↑ "On this day:Matthew Franklin wins epic war against Marvin Johnson". Boxing News. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
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