Patterson was only really outclassed in the 60's by Liston & Ali. With Ali & Liston on the sidelines, could Patterson have slipped in and took the WBA title by beating Ernie "The Hugger" Terrell?
In the mid 60's it would have been a close decision either way. Likely Patterson getting "jobbed" as he was against Ellis and Quarry. Prime for prime Patterson wins a decision over Terrell, who was not a big puncher although an awkward opponent to fight. The height would create problems for Floyd, who rarely if ever fought men as tall as Terrell. However while Terrell had a very good jab, he did not necessarily fight tall and allowed himself to get into punching exchanges which Patterson would likely get the better of with his handspeed. He also tended to run out of gas late, which would allow a peak conditioned Patterson to take over in the late rounds.
I'm glad the GreatA pointed out the robbery in the Patterson v. Ellis fight. Patterson should have been a 3-time Heavyweight Champion. I was quite young but I'll always remember the outcome of that fight. It was the first time I witnessed a big-time rip-off decision and it broke my heart. If my memory serves me correct, the fight took place somewhere in Scandanavia, maybe Sweden? Patterson got knocked down early, maybe the first round, then dominated the rest of the fight and they gave an undeserved decision victory to Jimmy Ellis. Still bothers me to this day.
He actually didn't get knocked down in the fight, although he was hurt in one of the early rounds, but came back the next round to break Ellis's nose which bled freely throughout the rest of the fight. In round 14, Patterson seemed to score a knockdown which wasn't called.
Among Floyd's conquests, Bill McMurray and Charlie Powell were 6'4," while Hurricane Jackson, Charley Polite, and Tod Herring were all at least 6'3." He shut out Polite over ten, and took out the other tall victims on his ledger. As TGA has pointed out, Terrell didn't usually box tall, but leaned forward into his own version of a peak a boo guard. No, I do not see Ernie's height and reach posing any kind of issues for Floyd, based upon his half dozen decisive wins over other tall opponents. Patterson's low crouch and peek a boo guard would make it difficult for Ernie to grapple with him inside. Floyd would station himself in a cozy shelter under the rain and plug away with hooks and uppercuts to the body. On the outside, Patterson's lateral movement would prevent Terrell from getting set. When Ernie did ship out his jab, Floyd would slip it, duck underneath, then back to work inside. A pedestrian UD win for Patterson would result. Terrell was able to manhandle and physically wear down the frail Bob Foster. Chuvalo and Bonavena gave Patterson an opportunity to demonstrate considerably superior ruggedness and endurance. Patterson UD Terrell, over ten, 12, or 15 rounds. Too fast, too smart, too skilled, too mobile, too well coordinated, too resourceful, too rugged and resilient for Ernie to stop. In this one, the gangling Terrell would have the size disadvantage. Thad Spencer proved that Floyd was big enough and powerful enough to also drop Ernie on his face early. An exchange of knockdowns would be no shock.
Out of the examples only Hurricane Jackson was world class though, and we know he was an in your face type of opponent. Terrell did not always fight tall, but he had an 82" reach jab in front of him. It would not only create problems for Floyd, it would create problems for almost anybody. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K70RUqCBtj4[/ame]
Point taken. Have you watched Spencer-Terrell complete? Ernie was much better against Thad than he had been with Ali earlier in the year. Spencer was actually slightly shorter than Floyd, with a minimally lesser reach. He took the decision on all three cards by a margin of six to eight points, getting off the deck to do so. That was Thad Spencer at his very best, still short of what Patterson was doing against Cooper, then JQ 2X and Ellis (in three fights which many believe Floyd deserved to sweep cleanly). Patterson dominated Machen by a margin of ten points. In Eddie's next match, Terrell outpointed him over the championship distance by a margin of only three to six points. Floyd dominated Terry Daniels and Henry Cooper, and UDed Chuvalo and Bonavena during his long post title career. It may be most fortunate for Ernie that Patterson was not among his three opponents for that WBA Title.
Floyd UD. Just the better fighter then Terrell. Terrell does have the size and reach that would make some problems for Floyd, though.
It's perhaps the best I've seen of him. Never saw the Zora Folley fight though, which was arguably Terrell's best win.
The Floyd Patterson who fell asleep and lost deservedly to Jimmy Ellis could also loose against Terrell. The Floyd Patterson of the George Chuvalo or Oscar Bonavena fights would beat Terrell, and could even score a late stoppage. Woller
