Could Patterson have given Liston a better fight?

I think Patterson could have lasted longer if he utilized a lot more footwork. However at the end of the day he simply was not big enough, strong enough, or physical enough, and his chin simply could not hold out against Liston's heavy artillery.

 

If Patterson could (and should) have fought as well as he did against Chuvalo it would gave been an interesting fight. Even though Whithurst had been competative, until then no elite fighter had really gave Liston a good fight apart from Machen - and Floyd was better than Eddie. On paper, Floyd should not have been such a soft touch at all. Liston never had two easier fights. It made no sense.

My own personal thoughts on this is that Floyd made a huge mistake trying to speak up for Sonny. Floyd being a gentleman asking the public to be fair about Sonny just gave Liston what he wanted. You don't let a wild predator think you have respect for him. It just makes them hungry. It's not what Ali did was it? There's no holding back a hungry wolf if a dog is wagging its tail at him.

Pre fight Floyd just did not give Sonny anything to think about other than that Floyd had what Sonny wanted. Sonny and Tyson were deeply psychologically predative. Mind games and having a mental edge allowed them to dominate on instinct.

 

Floyd's physical frame and style were made for Liston,really.

 

Floyd wasn't big enough, didn't have the chin. Liston was the protype for today's big heavyweights. In the past champs were smaller men like Marciano, Charles, Walcott, and Patterson.

 

So was Whitehurst and Marshall...

 

Patterson was paralyzed with fear. I don't think anything he said about Liston mattered. He would have went down with any solid punch Liston threw.

Liston wasn't a predatory animal. He said several times that he didn't like fighting. He didn't like getting hurt and he didn't like hurting people.

He did it because he had no other way to make a living.

 

He was defeated and beaten before he even got in the ring, because he lost the most important part of the fight. The fight in his own mind.

 

He was given two chances and despite everything in the world being on the line couldn't improve the results... So my answer is no...

 

I think he would have always lost to Liston, probably by KO. I do think he could have managed to give him a decent fight had they fought a 3rd time though.

Patterson was 38-2 (29) overall and 8-1 (8byKO) in HW World title fights prior to fighting Liston. His only losses were to Joey Maxim (bullshlt decision) early in his career and a KO loss to Johansson. He stopped Johansson twice. He was the youngest HW Champ (until Tyson) and he was the first two-time HW Champ. Prior to Liston he also had wins over Yvon Durelle W8 and KO5, Archie McBride KO7, Tommy Jackson W12 and KO10, Archie Moore KO5, Pete Rademacher KO6, Brian London KO11, and Tom McNeeley KO4 among others.

Both went 0-2 vs. Ali. Ali went 4-0 (4) vs. them. Ali dropped Liston, he did not drop Patterson. They both beat Eddie Machen by decision and they both stopped Roy Harris (Liston did it much quicker).

After Liston he won 5 in a row (3 by KO) including two clear decision wins over Eddie Machen and George Chuvalo. The guys he fought after Liston were usually bigger than many of the fighters he had faced before, Patterson was a little bulkier as well. He was outweighed 6-16 Lbs. in 4 of those 5 fights that followed Liston. In the other fight he was heavier by 1 Lb.

Patterson lost to Ali by 12th round stoppage but he did not go down. In Patterson's last pro fight he was stopped in the 7th round by Ali but did not go down. Ali was too big, too quick, too elusive, and too durable.

He drew with Jerry Quarry after 10 rounds and lost a 12 round majority decision to Quarry in a fight that was part of the WBA tournament. Patterson was down 3 times vs. Quarry and he dropped Quarry once. Some people feel that Patter deserved the decision in both of these fights.

Patterson lost a close decision to Ellis for the WBA HW title.

He also beat Tod Herring KO3, Henry Cooper KO4, Terry Daniels W10, Oscar Bonavena W10, and Pedro Agosto KO6 among others... after his losses to Liston.

After Liston Patterson was a little more flat footed but he was still quick and still had a decent punch. He was a crafty veteran at this point. I actually think had he fought Liston for a 3rd time in '64 or '65 he may have went a few more rounds.

 

Patterson went down four times, not three, against Quarry.

 

Perhaps if Floyd ran like Frazier did in the second Foreman fight he would have last a couple of more rounds before the inevitable KO.

 

Like Frazier in the second Foreman fight, he could have made it a longer encounter but ultimately it would have ended the same.imo.

 

Physically, yes he could have given Liston a better fight.

Mentally, not really