Ingemar Johansson vs Joe Erskine (Full Fight Highlights)

Ingemar Johansson 198 lbs beat Joe Erskine 193 lbs by TKO in round 13 of 15 Date: 1958-02-21 Location: Masshallen, Gothenburg, Sweden Referee: Herbert Tomser EBU (European) Heavyweight Title “Ingemar Johansson, Sweden’s undefeated European heavyweight champion, Friday night ruined Joe Erskine’s hopes for a world title fight by scoring a 13th round TKO over the bleeding Welshman. Erskine’s seconds tossed in the towel at the end of the 13th round of the scheduled 15 round title contest after the Swede had piled up a huge lead. Johansson had Erskine in dire straits in the 11th, 12th and 13th rounds. He relentlessly pressed his shorter rival to the ropes and pounded him with both hands.“ -Associated Press Erskine, the British Empire champion from Cardiff, Wales had been promised a shot at Floyd Patterson’s world crown in London in June of ’58 if he could upset the favored Johansson. Unofficial AP scorecard (at the end of 13 rounds) - 10-0-3 Johansson Post fight comment “I’m going to the United States in the spring, but I’m not going to fight - only to study boxing in American rings. I hope to fight a top-ranking American like Willie Pastrano in Stockholm next July. The outcome of that match would decide whether I’d challenge Patterson or not.“ -Ingemar Johansson