How controversy kept East St. Louis’ Johnson off the Olympic podium

In the hallway in the O’Fallon home of Arthur Johnson sits a small glass case which holds world championship belts from a legendary boxing career.

A two-time world junior featherweight and one time bantamweight champion, Johnson got his start in boxing at a young age and fought his way off the streets of East St. Louis. He won 12 national championships, finished with an amateur record of 170-25 and was the first American boxer to win a gold medal in the Goodwill Games.

Johnson also was a member of the United States Olympic Team in the 1988 Seoul Games. Fighting in the flyweight division, Johnson finished 2-1, losing a controversial decision in the quarterfinals.

Now 28 years removed from his Olympic experience, Johnson said representing his nation is one of the true thrills of his life.

“To be able to represent this country in the Olympic Games was indeed an honor,’’ Johnson said. “What it means is that you are the best in your nation and one of the best in the world. Looking back now, it means so much more. The United States is the greatest country in the world. I had the thrill of representing this nation several times.

“It’s something I will never forget.’’

Though retired from the ring since 2003, Johnson still keeps a close eye on the sport which has been such a big part of his life. He will follow the American boxers during the Olympic Games and through his organization — the Arthur Johnson Foundation — trains and works with inner city kids in the St. Louis area.

Johnson already has seen his fighters excel. Last month, brothers Carl and Carlton Richardson of Washington Park won Ringside World Boxing championships.

“For me its all about giving back and through my Foundation I’m able to do that,’’ Johnson said. “Right now we’re taking a little break until school gets started but in about a month we’ll get back at it because the kids are really excited about what we have going on here.

“We have a building in East St. Louis that we’re renovating and will hopefully be ready by the end of this year and of course we’re continuing to work on raising funds for the Foundation. We’re always trying to help the kids.’’

Olympic Experience

Just 22, Johnson was a member of one of the greatest United States Olympic Boxing Teams in history. The team which included Roy Jones Jr., Riddick Bowe, Ray Mercer and Kelcie Banks, combined to win eight medals with Kennedy McKinney, Andrew Maynard and Mercer winning gold medals.

“That was a great team and had a lot of guys who would go on to become world champions .... Some like myself would go on to win three or four world championships,’’ Johnson said. “We all dreamed of being world champions but for that time, it was about representing your nation and doing the best we could possibly do.

“Unfortunately in boxing and other sports sometimes in the Olympic Games, there are things you have no control over. You can do your best and sometimes it isn’t good enough.’’

Johnson was already a champion before the 1988 Seoul Games. In 1986, at age 20, the East St. Louis native won the gold medal in the Flyweight Division at the Goodwill Games in Moscow.

In doing so, Johnson became the first American boxer to win a gold medal in the Goodwill Games.

“It was a tense time in the world and for me at the age of 20 to be able be able to win a gold medal was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life,’’ Johnson said. “To be able to stand on the platform with a gold medal around my neck and to see the American flag going up and National Anthem being played, that’s something you dream about while growing up. It was a truly great moment and one that propelled me into the rest of my boxing career.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is that I went over three years without losing to another American fighter. I was at the top of my game and so when I went to the Olympic Games in ’88, I was the No. 1 ranked amateur boxer in the world for my division. I was the favorite to win the Olympic gold medal.’’

But it didn’t happen.

Competing in the flyweight division, Johnson defeated Andrea Mannai of Italy 5-0 in his first round bout then scored a second round TKO over Bishnu Bihudur Singh of Nepal to reach the quarterfinals.

“I was young and confident going into the quarterfinal,” Johnson said. “Had that fight been held any place else in the world that day, there is no doubt I would have been the winner.’’

Fighting against the eventual gold medalist — Kim Swang-Kung of the host country South Korea — Johnson not only lost the fight but was beaten 5-0 on a judges decision.

“I think there were other things involved. In an event like that where you’ve got the host nation’s athletes involved, there are sometimes things that happen which are out of your control. The host nation wants their athletes to do well and politics become involved. It’s not always fair but it’s the way it is. It shouldn’t be that way though,’’ Johnson said. “The guy was a good fighter, but I honestly felt like I won the fight.

“The thing that stung was that it was a unanimous decision in favor of him. That’s what really hurt. But while it’s taken time, throughout the years, I’ve been able to let it go,. Now when I’m with my kids I tell them that even though they may compete to their best ability sometimes the decision may not go their way and they have to remain strong and move on. I know what that’s like and I know what its like at the highest level.”

One of the best ever

Johnson went on to a long and successful career as a professional boxer, winning three world championship belts. He was trained by Angelo Dundee — who also trained several other world champions including Muhammad Ali — and would finish his career in 2003 with a record of 22-6 with 14 KOs.

But for all he accomplished as a professional, Johnson’s legacy will is as one of the greatest amateur boxers ever.

“When I was at my best it wasn’t like I said to myself my goal is to go 32 years without losing to another American boxer. My goal everyday was to work as hard as I could and be the very best I could be,’’ Johnson said. “It’s something that I tell my (boxers) everytime I’m with them. Control what you can control. Do what you can do to make yourself the best you can be. If you do that, win or lose, you are going to be successful in the boxing ring and in life. If you know that you have given your best, that’s all you can do.’’

This story was originally published August 17, 2016 at 9:00 AM with the headline "How controversy kept East St. Louis’ Johnson off the Olympic podium."