No he was not IMO, you're bringing up an ancient Holmes as an example. The latter 3 did not have iron chins whatever you believe.
Just read in Ring magazine, April 1969, that Madison Square Garden was trying to put together a card with Frazier-Quarry and an Ellis-Patterson rematch for early that year. Patterson turned it down because he wasn't "mentally ready."
Ralph Kramden vs. Harvey, fight was all set by matchmaker Ed Norton, but Harvey got cold feet at the last moment.
The fight I wouk d have liked to see was the original Foreman-Ali date....the one that was postponed due to Foreman getting cut in sparring. Ali used the interim to make Foreman crazy and Foreman passed the time with Zimbabwean hookers . Foreman was physically and mentally ready for the first date.....we all know what happened in the final date.
Norton tried to get Shirley, who was even bigger that Harvey's friend as a late substitute, but she couldn't be found.
this is one fight I would have liked to have seen. I think Larry would have won, but who knows. Larry was the better fighter all around.
Rocky was pretty much an a hole about giving rematches. He won the title each time on a rematch, but never bothered with the trilogies and ducked the Drago rematch.
He certainly didnt fear Ellis seeing as how he kicked his ass the first time around, if fear is the implication.
Yeah, when I read that it surprised me. You'd think Floyd would've jumped at the opportunity to fight Ellis again on his home turf. But that's what was reported.