Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

cleanup-date|July 2005
Nicknamed "Pops", Marvin Johnson was a
Indianapolis, Indiana native was a boxing|boxer
who fought in the 1972 Summer Olympic
Games|Olympics in Munich, winning a bronze medal,
and made his way up the professional
boxing|professional ranks in the light heavyweight
division soon thereafter.

Marvin first won a world title - the World Boxing
Council|WBC light heavyweight version - from Mate
Parlov of Yugoslavia with a 10th-round KO in Italy
in December 1978, then lost that same title the
following April, in front of his hometown
Indianapolis fans, to Matthew Saad Muhammad (nee
Franklin) in what was perhaps 1979's Fight of the
Year for many observers.  Johnson was in control
in the early going, cutting the challenger over
both eyes, creating large streams of blood that
masked his face.  But the Philadelphia fighter
hung in there, and came back to wear down Johnson,
stopping him in the eighth round.  Please note
that Franklin also beat Johnson earlier - in 1977
- by 12th-round KO for a minor title.

Johnson would again win a belt later that year -
the World Boxing Association|WBA version, that is
- by fighting the rugged Victor Galindez from
Argentina in New Orleans as part of a three-fight
'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' right hands, and
the title changed hands when the champion's corner
surrendered after Galindez hit the canvas.

Again, it was down and out for Johnson in his
first title defense when, on the Tate-Weaver
undercard in Knoxville in March 1980, Eddie
Mustafa Muhammad (nee Gregory) outworked,
outhustled, and outclassed Johnson en route to an
11th-round TKO.  

Things looked bleak (or glum) 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 would continue to fight, defeating good
fighters like Johnny Davis along the way, and in
February 1986 would again be before his
Indianapolis fans, fighting Leslie Stewart of
Trinidad and Tobago for the WBA 175-lb. 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 for a little bit, but the two
would hook up in the Garden in New York City 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 for a rematch with
Stewart in May 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 continued to fight a few more times after
that, but his career mainly 'petered out' and he
was not involved in any more major fights (title
or otherwise).