Boxing at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Heavyweight
# Boxing at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Heavyweight

The men's heavyweight event was part of the boxing programme at the 1952 Summer Olympics. The weight class allowed boxers of more than 81 kilograms to compete. The competition was held from 29 July to 2 August 1952. 21 boxers from 21 nations competed.

## Medalists

| Gold | Ed Sanders United States |
| - | - |
| Silver | Ingemar Johansson Sweden |
| Bronze | Ilkka Koski Finland |
| Bronze | Andries Nieman South Africa |

## Results

| Winner | NOC | Result | Loser | NOC |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| First Round (July 29) |||||
| Tomislav Krizmanić | Yugoslavia | 3 – 0 | Geza Furetz | Romania |
| Algirdas Šocikas | Soviet Union | TKO 2R | Antoni Gościański | Poland |
| Andries Nieman | South Africa | 3 – 0 | Edgar Gorgas | Germany |
| Ed Sanders | United States | KO 1R | Hans Jost | Switzerland |
| Jean Lansiaux | France | 3 – 0 | John Lyttle | Ireland |
| Edgar Hearn | Great Britain | 2 – 1 | José Sartor | Argentina |
| Second Round (July 29) |||||
| Giacomo di Segni | Italy | 3 – 0 | James Saunders | Canada |
| Horymír Netuka | Czechoslovakia | 3 – 0 | Carl Fitzgerald | Australia |
| Ilkka Koski | Finland | KO 2R | László Bene | Hungary |
| Max Marsille | Belgium | 3 – 0 | Ahmed El-Minabawi | Egypt |
| Ingemar Johansson | Sweden | Walkover $^1$ | Luis Amadeo Sosa | Uruguay |
| Jean Lansiaux | France | Withdrawn $^2$ |
| New Draw (July 30) |||||
| Ingemar Johansson | Sweden | 3 – 0 | Horymir Netuka | Czechoslovakia |
| Tomislav Krizmanić | Yugoslavia | 3 – 0 | Max Maurice Oscar Marsille | Belgium |
| Third Round (July 31) |||||
| Ed Sanders | United States | KO 3R | Giacomo Di Segni | Italy |
| Andries Nieman | South Africa | KO 1R | Algirdas Šocikas | Soviet Union |
| Ilkka Koski | Finland | 3 – 0 | Edgar William Hearn | Great Britain |
| Ingemar Johansson | Sweden | 3 – 0 | Tomislav Krizmanić | Yugoslavia |
| Semi-final (August 1) |||||
| Ed Sanders | United States | KO 2R | Andries Nieman | South Africa |
| Ingemar Johansson | Sweden | 2 – 1 | Ilkka Koski | Finland |
| Final (August 2) |||||
| Ed Sanders | United States | DSQ 2R | Ingemar Johansson | Sweden |

Johansson spent the entire bout backpedalling, without throwing a single punch. After receiving several warnings from the referee, he was finally disqualified for being excessively passive, and was not awarded the silver medal. He eventually received the medal in 1982.

$^1$ Sosa did not enter the ring.

$^2$ Lansiaux retired from the competition due to injury.

