Leotis Martin vs Floyd Patterson

Oof this would be brutal. Patterson the more proven fighter SHOULD prevail a KO after a grueling affair.

 

Patterson even at the time of Leotis Martin’s Liston win would’ve beaten him IMO, not a ‘styles make fights’ thing, it’s the age, there’s a big difference between 35 and 39, much more so than 28 and 32 which was the age difference when Patterson fought Liston, and it’s obvious that Patterson would’ve declined less by 35 than Liston by 39.
Patterson was much better technique wise, much tighter punches and a lot quicker, he’d edge into mid range, he’d throw jabs to the head and body, then fake a jab and roll into mid range and force exchanges and would beat him to the punch there, Martin didn’t have the power or accuracy of power punches to make Patterson have to respect him, Patterson could take risks and when it does get to mid and close range, Martin had a bit too loose technique, Patterson was much tighter and quicker which would allow him to beat him to the punch at mid range, up close, he could throw him off and get fast punches off also. On the outside Martin doesn’t have the mobility necessary to stay away from Patterson for enough time for him to get the better of rounds overall, not saying he has bad feet, they were decent, but Patterson was one of the greatest at taking away your jab and movement, and getting into range in a split second by getting you to step in just that little bit too much and that’s when he’d get under and get punches off, he did it to Ali and Ellis who were both much better movers than Martin.

 

The way I see it, Martins KO of Liston didn't prove how good Martin was. All it proved was how far Liston had fallen (Although it was a GREAT win for Martin.) Patterson would KO him, although not easily. Very hard fought KO.

 

Tbh the Martin KO was a fluke. Liston would have won otherwise and at that point was better than Martin. It'd have been the closest win Liston had since Machen but Martin was forced to retire from this fight. It was not an embarassing showing for Liston at all even if it was a loss. In Listons next and final fight he'd KO Wepner who was the biggest opponent of Listons career.

 

The Martin loss was absolutely not a fluke. Liston had clearly aged and wasn’t the fighter he once was. Martin also put on an excellent performance. Perhaps the best of his career.

 

He was clearly ahead…. Until he gassed out.


He gassed out for a reason and it wasn’t because of a fluke.

 

He’d have won if he didn’t get KTFO? Lol.

Martin retired after that fight because of a detached retina. There was no corrective surgery for it at the time.

 

Peak Floyd slaps silly any version of Martin

 

Consider Martin a dead man.

 

Martin could hit like nobody's business and was heck of a fighter. If both are in top form he definitely has a good chance at knocking Patterson out. Martin just happen to be unfortunate that when he finally had all the backing he needed to fully focus on boxing his career came to an end.

 

Liston was ahead by 3 points on 2 of the 3 scorecards. Meaning before the punch Liston needed 1 of the last 4 rounds to win.

I didn't say Martin put up a bad showing or that Liston was in his prime but Martin knocking out Liston was a fluke. The only guy to knock Liston out was Ali.

Going the distance with Liston and winning a few rounds is an impressive performance regardless but the outcome itself was a fluke.

 

Liston was ahead by 3 points on 2 scorecards and by 2 on the other one with 4 rounds left. Meaning Martin needed to sweep the last 4 rounds on 2 scorecards to win. So yes Liston probably wins. Not a sure thing but close.

 

The knockdown pulls Leotis even on one card and within one point on the other two. You’re basically assuming Sonny pops right up and then wins the remainder of the fight, which may not be the case.

Regardless, the ‘if a fighter didn’t get KO’d he’d have won’ is a fanciful dodge because he DID get KO’d and that’s the most decisive finish to not only a fight, but any competition in any sport. It matters not one iota who was ahead at the time of the KO.

If a guy suffers a freak injury and loses you can say it’s a fluke … Leotis intentionally threw a hard punch and took Liston out clean and cold. No fluke to that any more than it was when Liston won fights by KO.