Johnny Nelson marks 20 years since final fight
Twenty years ago today, Sheffield’s Johnny Nelson boxed for the final time. He left the ring as WBO cruiserweight champion - a world title holder who defended that belt more times than any other in his division.
Aged 38 at the time, he climbed off the canvas in Rome, to outpoint Italian Vincenzo Cantatore.
It was a 45th career win.
On the anniversary, it is worth remembering that Nelson’s greatest opponent was often not across the ring but within his own mind.
Nelson had grown up in Brendan Ingle's Wincobank gym, arriving there as a shy and insecure teenager.
In a Sky Sports profile, Nelson described himself as shy and emotionally raw in his youth: “I was that shy, whenever an adult spoke to me, I’d actually start crying.”
He later recalled how deeply criticism affected him: “If people say it enough, you actually believe it,” he said, reflecting on early labels that he was not tough enough for the sport.
Ingle recognised what was holding him back. “You have not got the confidence yet to match your ability.” That line became a turning point.
His early record demonstrated the demons within.
Nelson lost ten of his first 13 amateur bouts and then his first three as a professional.
In his most honest reflections, he admitted worrying that opponents might not even show up - not in a literal sense, but because he felt so unworthy of being in the same ring.
He convinced himself he didn't have what it takes and did not believe he could justify the faith others had in him.
Ingle’s guidance was not limited to technique, though.
He took fighters into working men’s clubs and even into prisons to spar with inmates, a method designed to force fighters out of their comfort zones and build character.
Nelson said Ingle wanted his boxers to discover belief through experience and pressure.
The approach paid off. In 1999, after years of steady improvement, Nelson stopped Carl Thompson in Derby to win the WBO cruiserweight title.
He went on to defend it 13 times and retired without losing the belt in the ring, becoming Britain’s most successful cruiserweight champion on paper.
Since retiring, Nelson has remained a constant presence in the sport.
He works as a TV pundit, valued for his calm and measured analysis, and has spent time mentoring in prisons, passing on the lessons he first learned under Ingle.
He has also become a prominent advocate for better mental health awareness among athletes, speaking openly about confidence, resilience and the pressures that accompany injury and retirement.
Today, the 58-year-old says: "I didn’t retire from boxing through choice. It was knee then back injuries that meant I couldn’t train to the level needed. And believe me, injury doesn’t just test your body, it tests your mind.
"It was a dark time, the frustration, setbacks, and often just feeling like any sort of rehab was a waste of time.
"Sometimes it felt isolating so I know first-hand how low and frustrated it can make you feel. If you’re recovering from injury or living with pain or on painkillers, know this; your journey to recovery won’t be perfect or linear, it doesn’t need to be.
"But it is important to speak up. To voice how you’re feeling. As men, we often struggle to talk; we might even think it’s weak. It’s definitely not! Making uncomfortable conversations comfortable gets you through the tough times."