How good was Comeback Floyd Patterson?

Interesting question - Floyd Patterson had a unique career in that as early as his devastating TKO loss to Ingo in 1959 people were writing him off and calling on him to retire. Again, after the Liston debacles, and after the loss to Ali. Then the disputed losses to Quarry and Ellis. But each time after these losses he would come back to surprise with impressive victories. And despite a two-year period of inactivity following the Ellis fight, he was still a top contender in 1972.

Patterson was a fighter who did not suddenly get old or fall apart in one fight and never be any good after. He was still good at the very end. I would say that he gradually slowed somewhat and was not as active in his later fights as he had been in the Ingo fights. His biggest criticism for not winning the Ellis fight was that he did not carry the fight to Ellis as much as he could/should have. Even if that were so, he still did a lot better than had been expected of him. He was always in good condition, did not get out of shape between bouts, and with the exception of the first and third Johansson fights, did not take an extraordinary amount of punishment over a 20-year career.

At the time of the heavyweight tournament, I believe he was better than he was perceived. I remember he fought a Willie Johnson in 1967 and for the first time tipped the scales at over 200 pounds. He was criticized for the quality of his opponents, and then drew with Quarry and lost a disputed decision in the tournament to Quarry. There were calls for his retirement but then he did very well in the fight with Ellis, which many, including myself, felt that he deserved to win. By the time Floyd had his last fight, Ingo was long retired, Quarry had recently retired, Ellis was no longer a top contender, and Liston was deceased. When the Frazier-Ellis fight was being finalized for the undisputed title, Yank Durham said that Frazier should have been fighting Floyd Patterson for the title. Had the Quarry fight went to Floyd (which it would have had the fight been held in New York), it is entirely conceivable that he could have emerged as the tournament winner. He may have lost a step since his 1960 win over Ingo but he still had a lot left.

 

I would say 1967. His weight had started creeping up and at one point hit 200 for the Bill McMurray fight. He was in the mid 190s for the remainder of his fights that year. This was heavy for Patterson. In June he fought a draw with Jerry Quarry, each scoring two knockdowns if I remember correctly. They were rematched in the first round of the heavyweight tournament and this time Quarry got the decision. Granted, that conclusion was arrived because of the scoring system in place in California at the time, but it appeared to signal a changing of the guard, or a passing of the torch to a younger generation of heavyweights. The entire tournament exemplified this in the first round - Spencer eliminated Terrell, Bonavena won over Mildenberger, and Quarry won over Patterson. Ellis went on to win the tourney and made his first defense of the WBA title against Patterson. By then few were giving Patterson much of a chance, but he surprised everyone. After a two year absence he returned and fought his way back into contention.

So I would say 1967, although I could see an argument being made for the time of the Liston fights. But in between that time and 1967 he had some fine victories against ranked contenders such as Eddie Machen, George Chuvalo, and Henry Cooper. I tend to discount the Ali fight as he was clearly off form that night and I have to believe his sub-par showing was primarily due to back troubles. He rebounded with an impressive four-round KO of Henry Cooper, which I would say was the last great victory of his prime years.

 

I think he was still very good post title reign. Even in his 1970 comeback he did very well and rose back into contention