# Johnny Nelson

Ivanson Ranny "Johnny" Nelson MBE (born 4 January 1967) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1986 to 2005. He held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) cruiserweight title from 1999 to 2006, and remains the longest reigning cruiserweight world champion of all time. Nelson defended the title against thirteen different opponents, more than any other cruiserweight in history, and holds a joint-record of most consecutive cruiserweight title defences (along with Marco Huck). He also never lost the title in the ring. At regional level, he held the British cruiserweight title twice between 1989 and 1997, and the European cruiserweight title twice between 1990 and 1998.

## Professional career

Nelson began training at Wincobank gym in Sheffield under trainer Brendan Ingle who also went on to train Naseem Hamed and Kell Brook. He began his career losing ten of his thirteen bouts contested as an amateur.
Nelson's 15th defence of his WBO cruiserweight title was scheduled to be against Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli on the undercard for the Joe Calzaghe versus Jeff Lacy WBO/IBF unification bout on 6 March 2006, but a knee injury picked up by Nelson during sparring forced the fight to be cancelled and Nelson announced his decision to retire from professional boxing a few months later on 22 September 2006.

## Life after boxing

Nelson currently works as an analyst for Sky Sports. Since retirement he has spent some time working with the prison service helping inmates with life management skills. He has also done some charity work, agreeing to fight a charity match against Jos Battle.
Nelson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to boxing and to young people in South Yorkshire.
His likeness as well as commentary is featured in the 2024 video game Undisputed as a cruiserweight boxer. His voice was also featured in the 2024 documentary, Four Kings.

## Personal life

Nelson's mother was Cuban-Jamaican, his father was Dominican. Nelson's parents split up when he was a young child and he did not reunite with his biological father until he was in his thirties. In 2010, Nelson published his autobiography, Hard Road to Glory.

## Professional boxing record

| 59 fights | 45 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 29 | 1 |
| By decision | 16 | 10 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Draws | 2 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 59 | Win | 45–12–2 | Vincenzo Cantatore | SD | 12 | 26 Nov 2005 | Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Italy | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 58 | Win | 44–12–2 | Rüdiger May | TKO | 7 (12), 2:29 | 4 Sep 2004 | Grugahalle, Essen, Germany | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 57 | Win | 43–12–2 | Alexander Petkovic | MD | 12 | 15 Nov 2003 | Oberfrankenhalle, Bayreuth, Germany | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 56 | Draw | 42–12–2 | Guillermo Jones | SD | 12 | 23 Nov 2002 | Storm Arena, Derby, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 55 | Win | 42–12–1 | Ezra Sellers | KO | 8 (12), 2:39 | 6 Apr 2002 | Circus Building, Copenhagen, Denmark | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 54 | Win | 41–12–1 | Alexander Vasiliev | UD | 12 | 24 Nov 2001 | York Hall, London, England | Won vacant WBU heavyweight title |
| 53 | Win | 40–12–1 | Marcelo Domínguez | UD | 12 | 21 Jul 2001 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 52 | Win | 39–12–1 | George Arias | UD | 12 | 27 Jan 2001 | York Hall, London, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 51 | Win | 38–12–1 | Adam Watt | KO | 5 (12), 2:12 | 7 Oct 2000 | The Dome Leisure Centre, Doncaster, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 50 | Win | 37–12–1 | Pietro Aurino | TKO | 7 (12), 2:23 | 8 Apr 2000 | York Hall, London, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 49 | Win | 36–12–1 | Christophe Girard | KO | 4 (12), 2:34 | 6 Nov 1999 | Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 48 | Win | 35–12–1 | Sione Asipeli | UD | 12 | 18 Sep 1999 | Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 47 | Win | 34–12–1 | Willard Lewis | TKO | 4 (12), 3:00 | 7 Aug 1999 | Goresbrook Leisure Centre, London, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 46 | Win | 33–12–1 | Bruce Scott | UD | 12 | 15 May 1999 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England | Retained WBO cruiserweight title |
| 45 | Win | 32–12–1 | Carl Thompson | TKO | 5 (12), 1:42 | 27 Mar 1999 | Storm Arena, Derby, England | Won WBO cruiserweight title |
| 44 | Win | 31–12–1 | Peter Oboh | RTD | 6 (8), 3:00 | 18 Jul 1998 | Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England | |
| 43 | Win | 30–12–1 | Dirk Wallyn | TKO | 1 (12), 1:13 | 10 Nov 1997 | Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England | Retained European cruiserweight title |
| 42 | Win | 29–12–1 | Michael Murray | PTS | 4 | 19 Jul 1997 | Wembley Arena, London, England | |
| 41 | Win | 28–12–1 | Patrice Aouissi | KO | 7 (12) | 22 Feb 1997 | Berck, France | Won vacant European cruiserweight title |
| 40 | Win | 27–12–1 | Dennis Andries | TKO | 7 (12), 1:50 | 14 Dec 1996 | Sheffield, England | Won vacant British cruiserweight title |
| 39 | Win | 26–12–1 | Tony Booth | KO | 2 (6), 2:07 | 20 Jan 1996 | Leisure Centre, Mansfield, England | |
| 38 | Loss | 25–12–1 | Adílson Rodrigues | UD | 12 | 3 Dec 1995 | Ginásio Carlos Nélson Bueno, Mogi Guaçu, Brazil | For WBF (Federation) heavyweight title |
| 37 | Loss | 25–11–1 | Adílson Rodrigues | PTS | 12 | 22 Aug 1995 | Osasco, Brazil | Lost WBF (Federation) heavyweight title |
| 36 | Win | 25–10–1 | Nikolay Kulpin | SD | 12 | 5 Nov 1994 | Chiangrai Stadium, Chiang Rai, Thailand | Retained WBF (Federation) heavyweight title |
| 35 | Loss | 24–10–1 | Henry Akinwande | PTS | 10 | 4 May 1994 | York Hall, London, England | |
| 34 | Win | 24–9–1 | Jimmy Thunder | UD | 12 | 19 Nov 1993 | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Won WBF (Federation) heavyweight title |
| 33 | Loss | 23–9–1 | Franco Wanyama | DQ | 10 (12) | 10 Jan 1993 | Waregem, Belgium | Lost WBF (Federation) cruiserweight title; Nelson disqualified for repeated fouls |
| 32 | Win | 23–8–1 | Tom Collins | TKO | 1 (12) | 4 Nov 1993 | Leisure Centre, Mansfield, England | Retained WBF (Federation) cruiserweight title |
| 31 | Win | 22–8–1 | Dave Russell | TKO | 11 (12) | 30 Apr 1993 | Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia | Won WBF (Federation) cruiserweight title |
| 30 | Loss | 21–8–1 | Corrie Sanders | UD | 10 | 24 Oct 1992 | Morula Sun Casino, Mabopane, South Africa | |
| 29 | Loss | 21–7–1 | Norbert Ekassi | TKO | 3 (8) | 14 Aug 1992 | Ajaccio, France | |
| 28 | Loss | 21–6–1 | James Warring | UD | 12 | 16 May 1992 | Hugo's Nightclub, Bealeton, Virginia, US | For IBF cruiserweight title |
| 27 | Win | 21–5–1 | Yves Monsieur | TKO | 8 (12), 2:35 | 3 Dec 1991 | Leisure Centre, Mansfield, England | Retained European cruiserweight title |
| 26 | Win | 20–5–1 | Markus Bott | TKO | 12 (12) | 14 Dec 1990 | Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Germany | Won vacant European cruiserweight title |
| 25 | Win | 19–5–1 | Andre Smith | PTS | 8 | 9 May 1990 | Brighton Centre, Brighton, England | |
| 24 | Win | 18–5–1 | Arthur Weathers | TKO | 2 (8), 0:25 | 27 Jun 1990 | Royal Albert Hall, London, England | |
| 23 | Win | 17–5–1 | Lou Gent | KO | 4 (12), 1:49 | 28 Mar 1990 | York Hall, London, England | Retained British cruiserweight title |
| 22 | Win | 16–5–1 | Dino Homsey | TKO | 7 (8) | 14 Feb 1990 | International Centre, Brentwood, England | |
| 21 | Draw | 15–5–1 | Carlos de León | SD | 12 | 27 Jan 1990 | City Hall, Sheffield, England | For WBC cruiserweight title |
| 20 | Win | 15–5 | Ian Bulloch | KO | 2 (12) | 10 Feb 1989 | Victoria Hall, Hanley, England | Retained British cruiserweight title |
| 19 | Win | 14–5 | Andy Straughn | TKO | 8 (12) | 21 May 1989 | Finsbury Park Majestic Ballroom, London, England | Won British cruiserweight title |
| 18 | Win | 13–5 | Steve Mormino | TKO | 2 (8), 1:56 | 4 Apr 1989 | City Hall, Sheffield, England | |
| 17 | Win | 12–5 | Danny Lawford | TKO | 2 (10), 0:53 | 26 Oct 1988 | City Hall, Sheffield, England | Won vacant Central Area cruiserweight title |
| 16 | Win | 11–5 | Andrew Gerrard | PTS | 8 | 31 Aug 1988 | Kings Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, England | |
| 15 | Win | 10–5 | Lennie Howard | KO | 2 (8) | 6 Jun 1988 | Hilton, London, England | |
| 14 | Win | 9–5 | Crawford Ashley | PTS | 8 | 5 Apr 1988 | Midlands Sporting Club, Solihull, England | |
| 13 | Win | 8–5 | Kenny Jones | KO | 1 (8), 1:40 | 25 Apr 1988 | Montrose Club, Liverpool, England | |
| 12 | Win | 7–5 | Cordwell Hylton | KO | 1 (8) | 24 Feb 1988 | City Hall, Sheffield, England | |
| 11 | Loss | 6–5 | Dennis Bailey | PTS | 8 | 2 Jan 1988 | Derngate Theatre, Northampton, England | |
| 10 | Win | 6–4 | Jon McBean | TKO | 6 (8) | 14 Dec 1987 | The Tower Ballroom, Birmingham, England | |
| 9 | Win | 5–4 | Byron Pullen | TKO | 3 (8) | 6 Mar 1987 | Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, London, England | |
| 8 | Loss | 4–4 | Brian Schumacher | PTS | 8 | 28 Apr 1987 | North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax, England | |
| 7 | Win | 4–3 | Sean Daly | TKO | 1 (8), 0:52 | 4 Oct 1987 | The Ritz, Manchester, England | |
| 6 | Win | 3–3 | Doug Young | PTS | 6 | 3 Feb 1987 | Ladbroke Mercury Hotel, Huddersfield, England | |
| 5 | Win | 2–3 | George Carmen | PTS | 6 | 19 Jan 1987 | Grosvenor House Hotel, London, England | |
| 4 | Win | 1–3 | Chris Little | PTS | 6 | 20 Nov 1986 | Quaffers Club, Bredbury, England | |
| 3 | Loss | 0–3 | Magne Havnaa | PTS | 4 | 3 Oct 1986 | Idrætshuset, Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| 2 | Loss | 0–2 | Tommy Taylor | PTS | 6 | 15 May 1986 | Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Dudley, England | |
| 1 | Loss | 0–1 | Peter Brown | PTS | 6 | 18 Mar 1986 | Westfield Country Club, Hull, England | |