Which one do you rank higher: Ezzard Charles or Floyd Patterson at heavyweight?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by The Fighting Yoda, Jul 21, 2021.



Charles or Patterson?

  1. Charles

    15 vote(s)
    55.6%
  2. Patterson

    10 vote(s)
    37.0%
  3. Equal

    2 vote(s)
    7.4%
  1. The Fighting Yoda

    The Fighting Yoda Active Member Full Member

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    Inspired by the interesting thread (Norton or Walcott) who do you rank higher between Charles and Patterson at heavyweight?
     
  2. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Charles, but close but comfortable margin.
     
  3. Pepsi Dioxide

    Pepsi Dioxide Boxing Addict Full Member

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    My first instinct us to say Charles, but Floyd did stay competitive for a long while at heavy. I'd have to go have another look and compare both records.
     
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  4. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Patterson. Charles had a fair but not amazing career at heavyweight. Patterson remained a dangerous heavyweight from the mid 50s until the early 70s when he retired. Charles had a brief peak at heavy, but was just the overall better fighter. Great Middleweight + Great Light Heavyweight + Good Heavyweight= one of the P4P Greatest.
     
  5. TipNom

    TipNom Active Member Full Member

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    Charles because of resume. I think Floyd probably would've beaten him though
     
  6. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Charles by was better but it’s close. Would have been an interesting match between the two
     
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  7. lone star

    lone star Active Member Full Member

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    Mar 10, 2018
    I’ll call it equal. I think Charles is the better all round fighter but Patterson made history two times maybe three. Youngest to win it at the time and the first to regain the title. And I think he’s the first Olympic champ to win the heavyweight title.
     
  8. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I went with Charles but not with any real conviction.
     
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  9. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Ezzard Charles was an extremely talented heavyweight who reigned as champion until stopped by Jersey Joe Walcott in 1951, his reign was not that long. Floyd Patterson reigned from Nov 30 1956 until June 26 1959, then June 20 1960 until Sept 25 1962. Floyd became the first man to regain his title after losing it in 1959. He had title defenses against Tommy Huuricane Jackson, unproven Pete Rademacher. Roy Cut N Shoot Harris, Brian London, Ingmemar Johannson, and Peter McNeeley. Patterson went on to fight on longer after losing his title to Sonny Liston in 1962. Of course the weak argument will be that who did Patterson fight compared to Charles. But realistically you can only fight what is put in front of you in your respective era, an argument that will not hold water as no one can travel back in time backwards or travel into the future. Pure nonsence. Ezzard, as I said was very talented but did not enjoy the success that Patterson did.
     
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  10. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Charles by a country mile. He beat two great heavies. Patterson does not have any wins of that scale.
     
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  11. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    As I posted up above, you can only fight what is put in front of you in your respective era, fighting people in the future or the past does not make any sense. Respect your opinion but everybody lives and dies on resumes, a thing that does not make any sense. If that was the case, then Gerry Cooney deserved to fight Larry Holmes, he beat some heavyweight relics with a name in Jimmy Young and Ken Norton.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2021
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  12. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

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    I voted equal. There's nothing between them. Neither would quite make top 15 for me.
     
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  13. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Patterson fought what was in front of him and lost sometimes.
     
  14. Rumsfeld

    Rumsfeld Moderator Staff Member

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    Interestingly enough, Charles had more title defenses in his reign that Patterson did combined, despite Patterson reigning for more total years.
     
  15. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

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    There is nothing between them because they wouldn't LET there be. If they'd only opened up their hearts and stopped listening to what society thought was okay, we could've really seen something special.
     
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