How tall was Floyd Patterson really?

I'm almost sure you're correct, Pug. I never met Floyd but the late Jay Larkin, former head of Showtime Boxing, told me he was shocked when he met Patterson in person. Shocked at how short he was. I agree he was probably a half inch shy of 5 feet 11. Maybe this is why he developed the leaping left hook.

 

Floyd was a snappy dresser but this was the Seventies. At least he wasn't wearing double knits.

 

God yes. people care about guys heights about as much as chicks on Tinder around here… actually funnily enough it’d track with the physique threads and obsession with how “In-shape” someone looks oh dear.

 

Well damn, been a minute since I've seen this photo.

Doesn't this make Patterson the biggest overachiever in HW boxing history? The guy was 5'9-5'10 and would've been small even by cruiserweight standards today (he was a middleweight in the amateurs for goodness sake!), yet he became 2x champion and continued being a threat even while past his prime in a pretty stacked division. Remarkable.

 

I've long since considered Patterson underrated. Not underrated as a HW, but from a p4p perspective.

 

He'd be a hell of a LHW in today's division. Would be a combo of Bivol's speed and Beterbiev's power.

 

How many big HW’s did he succeed against? Patterson never really had to beat anyone out of his reach (SHWs-HWs) Patterson’s size tracks with his period / the success he would’ve had against big HW… no taking credit from him he’s a hero but he capped out at around 200lbs opponents (cruisers) who were decent and was a 185-190lbs or so guy himself. Not really an overachiever he was very gifted IMO and beat guys his size or just over.

 

I like how you didn't address a single thing I brought up.

 

Unless I misunderstood… you called him an overachiever despite his size and I disagree.

 

He's the only lineal 2x champion who started as a middleweight in the amateurs and was weighing as low as 160 as an adult pro. He continued being a threat in a stacked division in the 70's despite being old and small.

And he beat several large heavyweights who were 6'2-6'4 and 210-220 lbs while he himself was 5'9 and weighing about 188 lbs. That's incredible.

 

It’s the amateurs he was young Ezzard Charles was a featherweight at one point and finished at 160lbs in the AM’s and won the title from Old man Louis instead of Old man Moore… saying 2x lineal doesn’t make it better? He lost to INGO and got it back from INGO lol INGO was another 190lber - who were the good “big men” he beat as a 190lber? Continued being a threat to other guys around his weight maybe… who else did he beat?

 

Charles wasn't a 2x champion, nor was he a gold medalist. Try again.

You are shifting the goal posts. First you said how many big HWs did he beat, now you're asking how many "good" big men did he beat?

 

Agreed and, it’s not just about beating bigger guys but how you beat them also. Floyd slaying
“Big”Todd Herring while still also exhibiting his signature benevolence: -

This content is protected

 

He beat him like a baaaaaaaaad habit!!!!!

 

I mean yeah, I guess Charles doesn’t count by your very specific interpretation for “overachieving” 2x lineal isn’t a great achievement IMO when it’s losing and winning with Ingo lol… okay Patterson only beat 3rd rate normal sized HWs mostly he fought and was successful with guys his own size. How is a Gold Medal at the olympics overachieving exactly?