Marvin Johnson (boxer)

Marvin Johnson (born April 12, 1954)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an American former boxer who was a 3-time light-heavyweight champion of the world. As an amateur, Johnson fought in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, winning a bronze medal, and made his way up the professional ranks in the light heavyweight division soon thereafter. Johnson was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008 alongside Lennox Lewis and Pernell Whitaker. His nickname is "Pops".

Amateur career

Template:Gold1 Won the 1971 National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Championship, March 22 at Fort Worth, Texas:

Template:Gold1 Won the 1971 National AAU Light Heavyweight (178 lb.) Championship, May 1 at New Orleans, Louisiana:

• Finals: Defeated Hernando Molyneaux KO 1

Template:Gold1 Won the 1971 North American (178 lb.) Championship, May 31 at Latham, New York:

• Defeated William Titley (Canada) TKO 1

Template:Gold1 Won The 1972 National Golden Gloves Middleweight (165 lb.) Championship, March 20 at Minneapolis, Minnesota:

• 1/2: Defeated Joey Hadley by decision Template:Small
• Finals: Defeated Don Rucker KO 2 Template:Small

Template:Bronze3 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:

• Round of 16: Defeated Ewald Jarmer (West Germany) by unanimous decision, 5–0
• Quarterfinal: Defeated Alejandro Montoya (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
• Semifinal: Lost to Vyacheslav Lemeshev (Soviet Union) by second-round TKO (was awarded bronze medal)

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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

Template:Abbr	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
49	Template:No2Loss	43–6	Template:Flagicon Leslie Stewart	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
48	Template:Yes2Win	43–5	Template:Flagicon Jean Marie Emebe	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
47	Template:Yes2Win	42–5	Template:Flagicon Leslie Stewart	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
46	Template:Yes2Win	41–5	Template:Flagicon Frank Lux	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
45	Template:Yes2Win	40–5	Template:Flagicon Raleigh Searcy	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
44	Template:Yes2Win	39–5	Template:Flagicon Eddie Davis	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	38–5	Template:Flagicon Charles Henderson	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	37–5	Template:Flagicon Eddie Collins	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
41	Template:Yes2Win	36–5	Template:Flagicon Charles Williams	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
40	Template:Yes2Win	35–5	Template:Flagicon Johnny Davis	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	34–5	Template:Flagicon Jerome Clouden	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	33–5	Template:Flagicon Eddie Gonzales	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	32–5	Template:Flagicon Elvis Parks	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
36	Template:Yes2Win	31–5	Template:Flagicon Mike Brothers	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	30–5	Template:Flagicon Andros Ernie Barr	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	29–5	Template:Flagicon Alvino Manson	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
33	Template:Yes2Win	28–5	Template:Flagicon Darnell Hayes	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
32	Template:No2Loss	27–5	Template:Flagicon Michael Spinks	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	27–4	Template:Flagicon Rick Nash	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	26–4	Template:Flagicon Eddie Straight	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	25–4	Template:Flagicon Dave Lee Royster	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
28	Template:No2Loss	24–4	Template:Flagicon Eddie Mustafa Muhammad	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	24–3	Template:Flagicon Víctor Galíndez	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	23–3	Template:Flagicon Carlos Marks	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
25	Template:No2Loss	22–3	Template:Flagicon Matthew Saad Muhammad	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	22–2	Template:Flagicon Mate Parlov	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	21–2	Template:Flagicon Jerry Celestine	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
22	Template:No2Loss	20–2	Template:Flagicon Lottie Mwale	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	20–1	Template:Flagicon John Baldwin	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	19–1	Template:Flagicon Eddie Davis	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	18–1	Template:Flagicon Roberto Reynosa	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	17–1	Template:Flagicon Billy Douglas	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	16–1	Template:Flagicon Johnny Fields	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
16	Template:No2Loss	15–1	Template:Flagicon Matthew Saad Muhammad	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	15–0	Template:Flagicon Tom Bethea	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
14	Template:Yes2Win	14–0	Template:Flagicon Johnny Townsend	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	13–0	Template:Flagicon Vandell Woods	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	12–0	Template:Flagicon Wayne McGee	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	11–0	Template:Flagicon Harold Carter	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	10–0	Template:Flagicon Ray Anderson	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	9–0	Template:Flagicon Eddie Owens	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	8–0	Template:Flagicon Paul Cardoza	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	7–0	Template:Flagicon Gary Summerhays	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Template:Flagicon Jim Adams	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	Template:Flagicon Johnny Words	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Template:Flagicon Ted Paxton	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Template:Flagicon Chuck Warfield	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Template:Flagicon Al Byrd	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Template:Flagicon Sylvester Wilder	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Small	Template:Flagicon Template:Small	Template:Small

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

• List of world light-heavyweight boxing champions

External links

• Template:Boxrec
• Template:Cite Sports-Reference