Floyd Patterson v Harold Johnson

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Gazelle Punch, Dec 30, 2022.


  1. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    It’s 1961/62 instead of meeting Liston, Floyd decides to take on the great Harold Johnson. A fight that somehow never happened how goes this one?
     
  2. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    If Floyd was busy I think he could take it, but I'd say 7 times out of 10 that Johnson could outbox him from a distance.
     
  3. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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  4. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Johnson's form was wonderful but he reached a bit with that jab. Imagine Floyd got the ranges right? Could be over very, very quickly with those fast hands and that spring going over the top of that jab.
     
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  5. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I don’t think there is a wrong answer here.
     
  6. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I was thinking of the Satterfield v Johnson fight and Harold lost one to him and won one, then I thought of Machen v Patterson which I haven’t seen in some time but Machen and Johnson weren’t that dissimilar to get an idea. I’d prob edge out Patterson but wouldn’t be surprised if Harold won one of three
     
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  7. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Harold Johnson was an excellent light heavyweight and even beat a few decent heavies. But I can’t see him capturing the heavyweight title. And frankly I just think that Paterson was better at that weight
     
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  8. LoadedGlove

    LoadedGlove Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Not a match really. Johnson was a brilliant defensive Fighter but Floyd was immensely aggressive and brave.
    Patterson within 6.
     
  9. klompton2

    klompton2 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    I think Patterson would knock him out. I dont think Johnson does anything as well as Patterson.
     
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  10. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Think Johnson is a bit underrated for his abilities. I see him somewhere between slightly below Ezzard Charles and better than Eddie Machen. He has wins over both coincidentally.
    Charles
    Machen
    Bivins
    Nino
    Henry
    Satterfield
    Moore
    Brothers
    Godoy
    Slade
    Jones
    Is a list of his best wins…prob forgetting someone. I think Patterson is a rough fight for him based on the Satterfield bout but let’s not pretend these two aren’t on the level. I’d even wager Patterson’s team didn’t want anything to do with Johnson.
     
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  11. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    I like Patterson at the higher weight. But Johnson could definitely hold his own.
     
  12. Devon

    Devon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    At 175lbs I favour Johnson, at heavyweight I might favour Patterson, but not sure. Both matchups going the distance.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson won the heavyweight fight either. He did beat some quality names at heavyweight also, Nino Valdes, Ezzard Charles and Eddie Machen (Johnson being past his best as well in the latter).

    Johnson had a brilliant jab, but that wasn’t it, he was very sharp, quick, had brilliant technique, telegraphed nothing and could counter very effectively, had a brilliant sense of range and where he was in the ring, and a great instinct of how to defend according to the range he was in and he could set up punches in a variety of ways, he could bait them into something he could counter, he could time their movement patterns, he could even throw the lead right followed by an up jab, he could hook off of the jab, he could jab off of a missed lead hook to catch them off guard through the middle as they pull back (I watched him do that), he was extremely intelligent and is still immensely underrated for his boxing ability and ring IQ.

    He’d measure and bait Patterson with the jab and counter effectively when Patterson commits, time Patterson with one twos and Patterson ducks, begin to find his timing.

    Johnson has more strings to his bow here and he’d use them accordingly and it’d allow him to get the better of more scenarios.

    Patterson may be able to sneak into range and land some sneaky, fast punches, but I think Johnson generally would ride them and not let it happen too often by having a great sense of range.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2025 at 3:54 AM