Over the years there have been a number of so-called iron men in South African boxing, and among them are Billy Lamberton, Joe “Axe Killer” Ngidi, Charles Oosthuizen, Gideon “Toughie” Borias, Gregory Clark and Pierre Coetzer.
However, one that stands out was Johnny Wood, who was known as the “Iron Man” and won the vacant South African middleweight title more than 55 years ago.
Born Johannes Christian Wood on 6 November 1944 he had his first professional fight as a featherweight on 13 April 1962, a four-round points win over Brian Mitchell senior and in his second pro fight also over four round he won on points against Dennis McNichol in Johannesburg.
However, the Boxing Board withdrew his licence because he was too young, and he had to wait until 5 September 1964 for his next fight.
Fighting as a welterweight, he beat Ticky Azor and then scored victories over Jackie Olivier, Frans van Heerden, Manny Agrella and Panie Ludick to complete a very successful year.
Under the guidance of Cyril Carrol from Germiston, he scored two wins before meeting Alex Dekker on 17 July 1965 in a clash for the vacant South African middleweight title, winning on a fifth-round stoppage.
However, in a return match with Dekker, he lost the title on a seventh-round technical knockout due to a cut eye when the bout was stopped. At the time, there was no going to the scorecards on an injury stoppage.
Coming into the ring with his trademark blue and white striped boxing trunks, he made successful defences of the title against Willie Jansen (tko 4) and Jan Happy Pieterse (dis 2), before losing it on points over 12 rounds against the South African welterweight champion Willie Ludick on 29 July 1966.
After winning on points against the talented American Bobby Cassidy, he once again lost to Ludick over 12 rounds in a challenge for the SA middleweight title.
He then travelled to Dallas, Texas to meet Cassius Greene on 16 April 1968 losing on a fifth-round stoppage and about six weeks later stopped Kid Texas in two rounds at the Praca de Touros Monumental in the then Lourenco Marques. After scoring wins over Spider Kelly (pts 6) and Jan Kies (rtd 5), who both at one time held South African titles, and Terry McTigue (rtd 4) from Northern Ireland, he challenged one of the legends of the South African ring, Pierre Fourie, who had only been fighting as a pro for a bit more than three years, for the South African middleweight title.
Both fights took place at the Ellis Park Tennis Stadium in Johannesburg on 2 August and 15 November 1969.
In the first fight, the referee stopped the fight in the 12th round, with Fourie winning on a technical knockout and in the second fight Fourie won on points. Both fights were for the South African middleweight title and were closely contested.
At the time, Wood felt that the first fight should not have been stopped and he believed he had done enough to win the title in the second match.
Fourie would go on to have an outstanding career, winning the South Africa light heavyweight title and would lose on points on two occasions against one of the all-time great light heavyweight champions, Bob Foster, in 1973 in a challenge for the WBA and WBC light heavyweight titles.
He would also go on to have two memorable clashes with Victor Galindez for the WBA light heavyweight title, with some critics of the opinion that he had done enough to win one of them. He finished with a record of 52-7-1; 10.
After the setbacks against Fourie, the spark was gone, even though he stopped Kosie Wiese in the eighth round.
In his last fight on 17 October 1970 at the Ellis Park Tennis Stadium, he lost on a seventh-round technical knockout against Jan Kies in a clash for the vacant South African middleweight title.
He finished with a record of 22-7; 13, with only four of his losses coming inside the distance.
Wood took part in 12 South African title fights and will always be remembered for his courage and durability.