Floyd Patterson vs Sugar Ray Robinson 1959

I don't think Patterson would take out Robinson that quickly.

I could see it going into the later rounds.

 

I don't remember Robinson mentioning a proposed fight with Patterson in his autobiography.

But he did say that there was serious talk of him challenging Archie Moore for the light-heavyweight title and that he never forgave Moore when the fight fell through.

 

Robinson owed a lot of money to the IRS in the late 50's and apparently they took his entire purse for at least one of his world title fights.

What surprises me then is that Robinson took nearly two years to defend his title after beating Basilio and was stripped by the NBA for inactivity with Fullmer and Basilio fighting for the vacant title.

He mentioned a potential third bout with Basilio in the same interview where he talked about fighting Patterson.

Robinson said that he had to take financial advice on this because of tax implications.

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But the simple fact was that he had to raise funds in order to pay his debts.
I would have thought that Robinson would look to cash in on his status as world champion and defend his title shortly after regaining it.

Instead he didn't fight at all for over 20 months before facing a journeyman in a non-title bout.

 

in an hypothetical scenario where it DID happen, we would all been talking about how Robinson was never stopped in his career.... except "that one time".

 

Technically speaking, he was stopped by Joey Maxim but that is just a technicality.

i see this going bad for Robinson,

 

Robinson did eventually get a third bout with Fullmer in Los Angeles in 1960 I believe. Sugar Ray appeared to box Gene's ears off only to get a draw. Fullmer was looking for that lefthook the entire fight while Ray cracked him with righthands.

 

Fantastic video. Perhaps the best I've seen on Sugar. It should be mandatory watching for all of the posters on forums before they talk about Robinson. The first left hook at the start and the gasp of the crowd was sweet.

Pattersons chin gives Robinson a good chance in my view. Patterson is fast but Robinson is faster. Sugar will land his left hook here. He's coming in at 160 pounds and Patterson is coming in at 185. It's not an insurmountable weight difference and Pattersons chin is not good.

I'll pick Floyd but Sugar is a very live dog.

 

Patterson's chin was less of a problem than his balance. The problem is there's no way IMO even peak SRR has the clout to even bother Patterson, plus Patterson was every bit as fast as SRR.

At no time in SRR's career does he avoid leaving the ring vertically against Patterson, unless he just goes into a fight deliberately trying to just to survive.

And the thought being actually entertained is another example of the disrespect for Patterson on this forum.

 

If there was any 147lber that could beat Patterson it’d be Robinson…

 

lol

 

I believe it was their second fight when Ray Robinson fought Bobo Olson in 1956 that Olson said he was planning on challenging for the heavyweight title (I think it was before Rocky Marciano officially abdicated?) if he won.

He didn’t so we’ll never know.

But that may have given Robinson the idea to explore a shot at heavy.