How did Floyd Patterson retain his speed even until 37?

Maybe he's just so fast,or he conditioned himself very well,with also rounding up his style so it doesn't really rely on him swarming and outspeeding his opponents,his style starts to change for him to box and land enough flurries and sharp shots to get the decision.

 

Lol.

 

Because hand speed sticks around for longer than foot speed and 37 isn't all that old.

 

Same way Corbett kept his by the time he sparred Tunney; clean living and god given genetics

 

Usually as you age you gain weight, Patterson was a small boned guy but he lived clean and kept the weight off… Patterson speed comes from using his hips properly, punching short creates that “illusion” I don’t remember any fighter ever becoming slower unless it was someone steadily gaining weight or moving beyond their natural weight class / changing style.

 

Something seems to happen when fighters take damage over time or simply age too far… the legs go first, I’m not sure why but it’s the easiest symptom to ID with a shot fighter look at Moore’s legs for a LONG time physically he wasn’t fully there, he adjusted like Juan Manuel Marquez you make guys step into your punches because you can no longer go forwards quite the same, shorter fighters need good legs once the spring is gone you need to adapt.

 

He definitely seemed more suited to retaining the style compared to Tyson, Tyson was bulkier with more power and that probably led to quicker deterioration, I guess a gazelle probably retains its speed a bit better than a lion as they age

 

Mike also threw and paces himself faster and harder,while as Patterson went old eh started to become a boxer puncher that throws good enough sharp combinations to win.

 

He kept his weight to his optimal range, obviously hand speed doesn’t decline as fast as foot speed, but I noticed he also retained his foot speed as well.
I suspect that was largely down to his discipline.

 

Can't serve two masters. Some try, but it always
catch up to them, partying, women, and drugs will
take a toll , (Tyson, R.Leonard, A.Pryor
W.Gomez , Benitez, Duran etc. to name a few)
Patterson lived relatively a clean lifestyle to most
world class boxers in history , he also didn't
take many bad beatings.
So he was able to retain most of his youthful
attributes as he aged.

 

I recall a 1996 bbc documentary on boxing olympians. They visited Floyd in his gym working the punch bag. His hands were still blisteringly fast

 

In '72, 37 years was pretty god damned old. Especieally for someone who had been fighting on a world level for close to 20 years.

Floyd just took care of himself well and had good genetics.

 

Did he? His hand speed looks better in the mid 50s-early 60s than it does later on.
It's just that even when slowed down, Floyd was still quick.