Harold Johnson: Amazing Technician

Umm No

Um No




I think you are giving Willie Pastrano too much credit here. Not only did he recieve a gift decision over a near 35 year old harold johnson, but harold in his prime was simply the much better fighter in every department. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Resume wise it is not even close. not to mention Pastrano could not even beat a 46 year old Archie Moore! Harold picked up a victory over a prime archie moore and was ahead on the cards after 14 rounds in there epic title fight. Harold also had far more success in the heavyweight picture than Pastrano did.

 

Pastrano good work at heavyweight? LMAO

Johnson only "Slighty" better? LMAO


How bout Pastrano did jack **** at heavyweight, and harold did ALOT better



Lets compare the wins


Harold beat:

Clarence Henry- Top 5 Ring Magazine heavyweight contender. Dangerous puncher, one of the best contenders of the 1950s

Ezzard Charles- Ring Magazine # 2 heavyweight Contender, ATG, who would go on to give Marciano a 15 round barnbuner the next year.

Archie Moore- Over the weight lightheavyweight match. Moore was a top ranking heavyweight contender and a obvious ATG.

Nino Valdez- Ring Magazine top 10 and Future # 1 heavyweight contender. 6'3 210lb with top power and top jab. Johnson SHUT HIM OUT.

Eddie Machen- Ring Magazine top 5 contender. One of the best heavyweights never to win a title in history.

Wayne Bethea- Ring Magazine top 10. Strong Durable 200lber

Jimmy Slade- Ring Magazine top 10. Good Skills

Bob Satterfield- Ring Magazine top 10. One of the most dangerous punchers of the era




Pastrano beat


Rex Layne- top 10 rated but Layne by 1955 was prett far washed up

Pat Mcmutry- Undefeated HW prospect. Decent fighter, who never amounted to world class.

Willie Besmanoff- top 10 but a very average fighter talent wise

Brian London- top 10 but a very average european fighter. London actually KNOCKED PASTRANO OUT in the rematch.

Tom Mcneeley- Unrated. More of a Toughman Combatant that Proffesional boxer.



I believe I made my point that Pastrano does not even belong on the same planet compard to Johnson in terms of Heavyweight Success.

 

O really. Perhaps you need to start pulling out your historical references. I have mine.


Angelo Dundee, who trained Pastrano, admits in his biography that Johnson was robbed of his title by a split decision. Russell Peltz, the legendary Philly promoter, said so too and so did almost all the ringsiders.

Also a posters who posts here under the name "Albinored". He is actually a boxing historian who wishes for me to keep his name secret, although I am allowed to quote him. He was apart of Team Ezzard Charles camp back in the day. Here is what he had to say

"Johnson had an answer for ever move jones made...johnson was known for his ability to block a punch with his hand and then turn that same move into a counter punch.....but in this one he made it into an art form. superb boxing...good sharp hitting...a masterpiece. when willie pastrano was told he was matched with johnson he referred to just this aspect of johnson's skills and admitted he was afraid. (As it turned out, the fix was in and pastrano just ran for fifteen rounds and johnson was robbed)"


He swears to this day that the bout was fixed

 

Don't give me that. Pastrano was in the prime of his career. He recorded his career best wins around the time he fought johnson, pastrano was actually quite average in the 50s. He couldnt hack it against even 2nd rate heavyweight contenders so he dropped down to 175lb vs Johnson. Harold on the otherhand had been through many wars in the 50-early 60s..he was getting worn out by this time. He was a fighter who relied on his speed and reflexes.

Wrong. Pastrano's prime was around that time he took apart Gregorio Peralta.

Johnson had very graceful movement himself. The key thing is Speed. Harolds hands in his prime were much faster than in 63. Pastrano hated Speed. Also Pastrano if he could not outjab his man, he was not going to win the fight. To think pastrano would outjab a prime harold johnson is preposterous. The Harold of the mid 50s, back in his prime was far more aggresive than the one of 63. Pastrano did not like effective aggresion. Pastrano would play right into harolds hands getting out jabbed, then getting outlanded in close by quick johnson combos. He would lose the boxing match at every concievable angle. That extra speed johnson had in his youthness would allow him to have his way with Willie.

 

How. Who of those men I listed in Pastranos resume were as good as peak versions of Clarence Henry, Nino Valdez, Ezzard Charles, and Archie Moore? Please tell me. And Please do not name a washed up Rex Layne. Clarence Henry alone would have knocked out every single man on Pastranos list.

None of those guys were top ranking heavyweight contenders in contention for a title shot the way Johnsons victims were. Nino Valdez was a # 1 contender 2 years in a row, and even the great rocky marciano is accused of ducking him. Clarence henry was a top 5 contender 3 years in a row and is arguebably a top 50 heavyweight of all time. Ezzard was an ATG, and Moore was a # 1 heavyweight Contender favored to win the vacant belt in 56. Eddie Machen was top ranked and so feared patterson wouldnt give him a shot.


Brian London and Pat Mcmutry both got blasted away easily by Nino Valdez, and these are pastranos best wins. I have Mcmutry vs Valdez on film, its embarrasing the first right hand Nino Lands Pat goes down and out he looked so badly outclassed.

Ha thats just the thing. Pastrano was a HEAVYWEIGHT starting out, who simply could not hack it against the 2nd rate contenders so he was FORCED to move down to lightheavyweight so he could finally compete at a world class level.