If Patterson had faced Zora Folley in 1959?

London, mcneeley, radamacher was pathetic opposition...especially with Zora Folley and Eddie Machen waiting in line...not to mention Cleveland Williams.

Harris was the perfect victim for Floyd. Not very atheltic, couldn’t hit hard, couldn’t really take a punch...cannon fodder

 

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=4UkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5756,2177449&hl=en
Machen challenging Floyd in 56

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=3IkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3268,3137950&hl=en

Bobby Gleason “Nino can punch and cus doesn’t like to fight punchers”

 

Machen and a Folley number 1 and number 2 by RING magazine and NBA June 1958

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=jPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6070,494524&hl=en

 

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=M80EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4221,4190345&hl=en

"A lot of fighters ducked me and it wasn't only Floyd Patterson when he was champ"- Zora Folley

"We put up gaurantees but patterson would always back out" - Bill Swift, Folleys Manager

 

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=8VYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7173,1286870&hl=en

“i can't believe after all these years, Floyd is finally going to get in the ring with me. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.” EDDIE MACHEN 1964

 

Number 1 Eddie Machen takes on hurricane Jackson in hopes for title bout with win

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=vIoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3364,3161872&hl=en

 

“Fifth-ranking Nino Valdes, slow at 214 pounds, was anything but impressive as he decisioned the left-hooking Mike DeJohn of Syracuse, NY, at Rochester's War Memorial Auditorium.“

Now how can “fifth ranked” nino (at the end of 1958) jump above guys who beat him to #2 between beating dejohn and losing to Charlie Powell in his first fight if 1959?

but you are forgetting Machen and Folley had already slid below your buddy Brian London in the rankings when they lost to Cooper and Ingo.

 

Almost every champions had fillers. I named you some of Ali's, but I could go on with Louis's, Frazier's, Holmes's - you name it. Why do you go on about Floyd's and not attack other champions the same?

The worst you can say about Floyd as a champion is that he defended against the nr 3 contender instead of the nr 1 in 1958, and that he defended against the nr 2 contender - whom he was contracted to meet! - instead of the nr 1 (whom he faced the next year) in 1961. That's it!

Surely that can't be worth all this indignation?

 

In the Autumn of 1958 Machen, pastrano and Folley each lost their high rankings to Europeans. They had each been #1, #2, and #3 in the world.

Patterson was next going to defend his title in May 1959.

It’s not complicated to understand that the next two challengers would be Europeans rather than Americans Machen or Folley.

 

Valdes was number 2 ranked. Deal with it


Here is RING Magazine February 1959

Champion Floyd Patterson

1. Ingemar Johansson
2. Nino Valdes
3. Zora Folley
4. Henry Cooper
5. Willie Pastrano
6. Archie Moore
7. Eddie Machen
8. Brian London
9. Sonny Liston
10. Mike Dejohn


Folley was above London according to RING and NBA

Here are the NBA rankings February 1959

Champion Floyd Patterson

1. Ingemar Johansson
2. Nino Valdes
3. Henry Cooper
4. Zora Folley
5. Willie Pastrano
6. Eddie Machen
7. Brian London


Here are July 1 1959 NBA rankings


Champion: Ingemar Johansson

1. Floyd Patterson
2. Henry Cooper
3. Zora Folley
4. Sonny Liston
5. Roy Harris
6. Eddie Machen
7. Alonzo Johnson
8. Charlie Powell
9. Brian London
10. Joe Erskine

 

So he fights the low ranked Brian London coming off a loss?

Johannson was a perfectly fine defense...and he got clobbered.

London was a joke of a defense

 

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=pOoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4174,1367114&hl=en

"If Harris record showed more knockouts against known opponents, there would be a tendency to give him something of more than a long shot of winning against Patterson."

" It has been the impression here for some time that the man who will beat patterson must be a bold fighter with a heavy punch. He must be able to walk through floyds blinding flurries and drive home the big punch"

 

No, not as a filler when he was about to face the nr 1 contender.

Why do you persist to make a point out of fillers even when Floyd faced his nr 1 contender? And why aren't you doing the same concerning Stander, Roman, Wepner, Coopman, Tubbs, Bruno as well as Holmes's and Louis's many fillers?

 

I don’t know what it is you don’t like about the 1958 version of Brian London. In 1958 Machen and Folley sucked. They dropped the ball. Brian had a good 1958, he stopped #3 Pastrano and Joe Erskine.

In the Autumn of 1958 Machen, pastrano and Folley each lost their high rankings to Europeans. They had each been #1, #2, and #3 in the world.

Patterson was next going to defend his title in May 1959.

It’s not complicated to understand that the next two challengers would be Europeans rather than Americans Machen or Folley.

At the end of the day Brian London eventually beat Zora Folley. Floyd Patterson eventually beat Eddie Machen. Cry me a river over Machen and Folley having a bad year in 1958.

 

Eddie Machen vs. Johnny Summerlin
(Redirected from Fight:61895)
1956-12-05

Referee: Joe Palmer 3-6
Judge: Richie Fazio 3-7
Judge: **** Albino 3-7

"Undefeated heavyweight Eddie Machen today was offered a bout with Tommy (Hurricane) Jackson as a stepping stone to a title match with new heavy king Floyd Patterson. Machen's ability as a counter-puncher as displayed in last night's triumph, might make him a capable foe for the flurrying champion. Although Machen failed to record his 15th knockout in winning 19 bouts, it wasn't because the Californian was head-hunting. Johnny Summerlin withstood the heavy pounding much to the amazement of his shorter opponent and the 1,915 spectators who paid a gross gate of $4,951 to see the televised and broadcast battle. Machen was in command throughout the match." -Associated Press

Unofficial AP scorecard - 7-2-1 Machen

Post fight comment

"We have offered Machen a bout with (Hurricane)Jackson and we would like to put the winner of that fight in with Patterson." -IBC matchmaker Billy Brown