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Boxing Guide: Every Swedish Boxing World Champion
Swedish Boxing World Champion. Photo via Instagram
Professional boxing was forbidden for 37 years in Sweden but despite the sports taboo status, the country has produced some mighty fine world champions.
Fighters like Badou Jack and Ingemar Johansson are household names in the world of boxing, but Sweden also has a couple of lesser known world champions that are sadly underrated and somewhat forgotten.
Let’s take a closer look at every Swedish boxing world champion that ever graced the ring!
Ingemar Johansson
Photo via YouTube
- Title: NYSAC, NBA, The Ring
- Weight: Heavyweight
Ingemar ”Ingo” Johansson is arguably one of the biggest Swedish sport stars of all time and the only Swede to ever win a heavyweight boxing title.
On June 26 1959 he entered the ring in Yankee Stadium as a 5–1 underdog but stopped Floyd Patterson within three rounds to become the heavyweight world champion.
Johansson lost both the rematch and the third fight against Patterson and decided to end his successful career with a 26-2 record at the age of 30.
George Scott
Photo via Instagram
- Title: WBU
- Weight: Lightweight
Lightweight George Scott won the WBU lightweight belt in October 1995 after defeating Rafael Ruelas. He successfully defended his belt four times before having the strap taken away from him due to a disagreement with his manager.
Before turning pro in 1991, Scott had an amazing amateur career, winning the Swedish championship five years in a row, and taking a silver medal in the Olympic games in Seoul 1988.
Fredrik Alvarez
Photo via YouTube
- Title: WBF
- Weight: Super middleweight
Super middleweight boxer Fredrik Alvarez won the vacant WBF title in November 1997 when he defeated Luciano Torres. He lost the belt just about six months later against Thulani Malinga.
Alvarez ended his career in 2002 with 40 wins in 45 fights. Before turning pro he fought no fewer than 105 amateur bouts.
Armand Krajnc
Photo via Instagram (@armandkrajnc)
- Title: WBO
- Weight: Middleweight
Armand Krajnc was the WBO middleweight champion between November 1999 and April 2002.
He won the belt as he defeated UK’s Jason Matthews via TKO and defended it three times before losing it to Harry Simon.
In his final fight back in 2004, Krajnc challenged for the unified WBA (Super) and IBF super-middleweight titles before hanging up the gloves for good.
Maria Lindberg
Photo via Instagram (@marialindbergofficial)
- Title: WIBA, WIBF, GBU
- Weight: Super welterweight
Maria Lindberg is a seasoned pro who’s held the WIBF light-middleweight title since 2009
She has challenged for multiple world titles and fought the absolute elite in her long career. Lindberg last fought Femke Hermans for the IBO female super welterweight title in June 2023.
Mikaela Lauren
Photo via Instagram (@mikaelalauren76)
- Title: WBC, WPBF, UBO, WIBA, UBF
- Weight: Light middleweight
Mikaela Laurén held the WBC female light middleweight title from 2014 to 2016, and challenged Norway’s Cecilia Brækhus for the undisputed female welterweight championship in 2017. In her next bout in 2018 she won the vacant IBO female light-middleweight title as she defeated Verena Kaiser.
She retired from pro boxing with 31 wins in 36 bouts. Before her successful boxing career she was a Swedish National Team swimmer.
Frida Wallberg
Photo via Instagram (@fridawallbergno1)
- Title: WBC
- Weight: Super featherweight
Frida Wallberg held the WBC female super-featherweight title from 2010 to 2013. She won the belt as she defeated Olivia Gerula via unanimous decision and defended it twice against Gerula and boxing superstar Amanda Serrano, before losing the belt to Diana Prazak.
In the fight against Prazak she was knocked out badly, suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, and was forced to retire with a pro record of 11-1.
Badou Jack
Badou Jack. Photo: Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports
- Title: WBC, WBA
- Weight: Super middleweight, Light heavyweight, Cruiserweight
Arguably the most successful Swedish boxer ever, Jack won his first world title back in April 2015, when he defeated Anthony Dirrell.
In August 2017 Jack won the WBA light heavyweight title as he stopped Nathan Cleverly in the fifth round.
When the 39-year-old dethroned WBC cruiserweight champion Junior Makabu in February 2023, he made Swedish combat sports history as he became a three-division boxing world champ.
Sven Fornling
Photo via YouTube
- Title: IBO
- Weight: Light heavyweight
Sven Forling held the IBO light heavyweight title from 2018 to 2019.
He won the title as he defeated Karo Murat via unanimous decision, however, he lost the strap as he took on Dominic Boesel for the vacant WBA interim light heavyweight title.
Fornling was unfortunately forced to stop his career in 2020 after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage in the bout against Murat.
Elin Cederroos
Elin Cederroos. Photo via Instagram (@elincederroosproboxer)
- Title: IBF, WBA
- Weight: Super-middleweight
Super-middleweight boxer Elin Cederroos held the IBF female title from 2019 until April 2022 and the WBA female title from January 2020 until April 2022. She retired from boxing in September 2023.
Before her successful boxing career she was an elite level football player in the highest league in Sweden.
Patricia Berghult
Patricia Berghult. Photo via Instagram (@patriciaberghult)
- Title: WBC, IBO
- Weight: Super welterweight
Patricia Berghult won the IBO and interim WBC title when she defeated Hannah Rankin, and two years later, she earned the vacant WBC belt with a win against Olivia Belkacem.
She lost her straps in a title unification bout against Natasha Jonas in September 2022. The loss was the first in Berghults career, however, she’s now back in the win column again, and on the hunt for a new shot at a world title.
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