27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jack, Yigit, Krajnc: Sweden's greatest boxers as former champion eyes further glory
Badou Jack edged a majority decision to retain his WBC cruiserweight crown against Norair Mikaeljan this month and further write his name into Swedish boxing history.
The Scandinavian country might not be the first nation that comes to mind when thinking of boxing powerhouses, in part due to a three-decade-plus ban on the sport professionally.
Despite being in force between 1970 and 2006, plenty of names have managed to shine on the world stage over the years, with Jack just the latest at the summit.
Here are some of the other great Swedish fighters of all time who have left their mark on the sport.
Ingemar Johansson
Johansson competed from 1952 to 1963 as a professional with a record of 26-2.
He captured the world heavyweight title in 1959 knocking down Floyd Patterson seven times in the third round before the fight was called to an end.
Another notable win in his career was against the great Henry Cooper who famously dropped Muhammad Ali. Johansson knocked Cooper out to defend his European title in 1957.
This victory also earned Johansson the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, and the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year.
As an amateur, Johansson also competed in the 1952 summer Olympics, taking home a silver medal before turning over to the professional game the same year.
Yigit was an extremely talented boxer, touted for success in the professional ranks after competing in the 2012 Olympics.
He put together a string of victories before defeating Lenny Daws for the vacant EBU European super lightweight title in 2017.
The World Boxing Super Series was next for Yigit, who challenged for the vacant IBF super lightweight title in the quarter finals. He would come up short against Ivan Baranchyk with the fight being stopped in the seventh round.
Yigit remained active until last year when he announced his retirement from boxing with a record of 29-4.
Armand Krajnc
Krajnc, known as 'The Lion', competed professionally from 1996 to 2004, with a record of 29-3, winning 21 of his bouts by knockout.
In 1999, 'The Lion' captured the WBO middleweight title by defeating Jason Matthews via technical knockout.
He defended his title three times before his reign came to an end in 2002, losing a unanimous decision to Harry Simon.
After moving up to the super-middleweight division, Krajnc faced Sven Ottke in 2004 for the unified WBA (Super) and IBF titles – but was unsuccessful and retired immediately after the fight.
Maria Lindberg
Lindberg is an accomplished boxer, claiming the Swedish Amateur title before debuting as a professional in 2003.
Claiming her first world title in 2009, Lindberg would go on to claim the WIBF and WIBA super welterweight titles.
She fought for the WBF and WBO middle weight titles in 2014, losing out to Christina Hammer.
In April 2021, she stepped in as a late replacement to challenge Savannah Marshall for the WBO middleweight title but was defeated by a third-round knockout.
Later that year, in November, she contended for the vacant WBA and IBO super welterweight titles against Hannah Rankin but lost by unanimous decision.
Frida Wallberg
Nicknamed 'Golden Girl', Wallberg competed from 2004 to 2013, collating a record of 11-1 professionally.
Before turning pro, she won the 2001 Women's World Amateur Championship. She would carry this momentum into her professional career, remaining undefeated and winning the WBC super featherweight world title in 2010.
Wallberg would also defeat Amanda Serrano in 2012 to defend her world title. This is Serrano's only defeat that was not at the hands of Katie Taylor.
Wallberg's career was cut short by a brain injury in a knockout loss to Diana Prazak in her achievements would not go unrecognised as she was inducted into the Women's Boxing Hall of Fame this year.
Erik Skoglund
Erik Skoglund made is professional debut in 2010 and went undefeated in his first 25 fights collecting the EBU European Union, IBF Inter-Continental and IBO International Light heavyweight belts.
After dropping down to super middleweight to join the World Boxing Super Series in 2017, Skoglund would face Callum Smith who admitted that the Swede was the best boxer he had been scheduled against. Smith won a close-but-unanimous decision.
Skoglund's career ended after a traumatic brain injury he suffered in sparring shortly after his fight with Smith, forcing him into early retirement.
Badou Jack
Badou Jack, born October 31, 1983, in Stockholm, is a professional boxer and former world champion in three weight classes.
He won the WBC super middleweight title in 2015 by defeating Anthony Dirrell and later held the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight title and the WBC cruiserweight title.
Jack has fought elite opponents including James DeGale, Adonis Stevenson, and Jean Pascal.
Now 41, Jack picked up another title defence this month, and will hope he can move towards a potential unification bout in an increasingly crowded cruiserweight division.
DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more.
An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month.
It is not just about fight night, a DAZN membership also includes access to documentaries and features, weekly magazine shows, live fight watchalongs, press conferences, weight-ins, open workouts, exclusive interviews and access to training camps, and podcasts and vodcasts.
