Floyd Patterson 'The Clay - Liston Rematch, Was A Hoax'

[Senor Pepe']

Floyd Patterson,

November 23, 1965

After just going 12 Rounds with Cassius Clay in Las Vegas, and nursing
a 'bad back', the former two-time Heavyweight Champion and now #1
Heavyweight reflected on the Cassius Clay - Sonny Liston rematch in
Lewiston, Maine.

'There is no way, that Cassius could have knocked Sonny out with that
one-punch. Cassius just doesn't punch that hard. I took his best punches
full force, and with a bad back. They did sting, but they didn't hurt.'

'Not once, was I hurt from the force of a single-punch. Eleven and half
rounds, and I never was dazed or staggered. For Sonny to fall from that
single-punch, it had to a 'hoax', a trick that was played upon the public.'

[I am Legion]

So are you. Now **** off.

[Senor Pepe']

Dan Florio (Floyd Patterson's Trainer)

We had prepared Floyd, by putting him in the ring with 'big punchers',
like Jimmy 'King' Fletcher.

Jimmy dropped Floyd a few times, and I was worried that Clay might
put Floyd away in 'One Round'.

So, I told Floyd to brace himself when he got into the ring with Clay,
so he could absorb the right hand punches better.

But Floyd came back after each round, and said Clay had no power,
and his punches were nowhere near as hard as Jimmy Fletcher's.

That's when I knew, the Clay - Liston fight was a 'hoax'.

Here, Floyd takes a 'harder right hand' than Sonny Liston took, and
Floyd was still standing.


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[Azzer85]

I enjoy watching Ali-Terrell and Ali-Patterson

Because when a man refuses to prounounce your name, you should beat it out of him.

[Senor Pepe']

Originally Posted by Azzer85

I enjoy watching Ali-Terrell and Ali-Patterson

Because when a man refuses to prounounce your name, you should beat it out of him.

Yes, I agree.

Especially when Muhammad Ali wouldn't call Larry Holmes....'Big Jack'.

[BillB]

Originally Posted by Senor Pepe'

Yes, I agree.

Especially when Muhammad Ali wouldn't call Larry Holmes....'Big Jack'.

He also refused to admit that he couldn't carry Holmes' jock strap.

[ron u.k.]

You're really schooling all of the Classic section here Pepe!
None of us knew that Ali wasn't a big puncher!

[Seamus]

i think it is beyond doubt that the success of Clay/Ali's career up to the comeback was largely the result of hoaxes, set-ups or extremely cautious matchmaking.

To argue any other way is get one's head lost in the mists of pop culture myth making.

[Stevie G]

Originally Posted by Senor Pepe'

Floyd Patterson,

November 23, 1965

After just going 12 Rounds with Cassius Clay in Las Vegas, and nursing
a 'bad back', the former two-time Heavyweight Champion and now #1
Heavyweight reflected on the Cassius Clay - Sonny Liston rematch in
Lewiston, Maine.

'There is no way, that Cassius could have knocked Sonny out with that
one-punch. Cassius just doesn't punch that hard. I took his best punches
full force, and with a bad back. They did sting, but they didn't hurt.'

'Not once, was I hurt from the force of a single-punch. Eleven and half
rounds, and I never was dazed or staggered. For Sonny to fall from that
single-punch, it had to a 'hoax', a trick that was played upon the public.'

I liked Floyd,but he was probably in denial over the fact that the man who knocked him out in one round (twice !) was,himself,knocked out in one round !

[Senor Pepe']

Dan Florio,

We were watching Floyd get hit by Cassius's 'Sunday Punches', and we
were waiting for him to fall.

He was still standing, after 6-Rounds.

In Round 7,

I looked over at Gino, and he just looked at me with the look that,
'Either Floyd just grew a 'granite chin', or Clay was nothing more than
a fast-handed fighter, with no punch.'

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[Longhhorn71]

Too bad Floyd had a "bad back" that nite.

[SolomonDeedes]

Originally Posted by Stevie G

I liked Floyd,but he was probably in denial over the fact that the man who knocked him out in one round (twice !) was,himself,knocked out in one round !

Also, bear in mind that just because Pepe writes that Patterson said these things, it doesn't necessarily make it true!

[Senor Pepe']

Originally Posted by SolomonDeedes

Also, bear in mind that just because Pepe writes that Patterson said these things, it doesn't necessarily make it true!

And just because a 'bigger and stronger' Cassius Clay was hitting
Floyd with Sunday Punches while moving 'forward' and not be able
to stop the 190 lb. weak-chinned former Champion - doesn't mean
he couldn't knock out Sonny Liston with one punch,,,while skipping
side-ways.

Free Tickets for Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki are still available.

[PowerPuncher]

The punch you don't see knocks you out/down Pepe

And anyway it was Walcott's fault, the fight shouldn't have been stopped, Liston was allowed by the rules to wait for Ali to goto the neutral corner instead of standing over him

[BillB]

Originally Posted by PowerPuncher

The punch you don't see knocks you out/down Pepe

And anyway it was Walcott's fault, the fight shouldn't have been stopped, Liston was allowed by the rules to wait for Ali to goto the neutral corner instead of standing over him

You're right.
By the rules a fighter has to be counted out by the referee, before it is considered a KO. Walcott never started a count on Liston.

Walcott had been in the ring for over 30 years. He knew better than to stop that fight. He wasn't that stupid.

He had been slipped a few bills to do his part in making sure Clay won.