Eddie Machen. How's He Go Against Peak Cooney?

Ernie himself said as much after Machen's fight with Patterson, calling Eddie "washed up".

https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/123108967/

His rating upon his return from the mental institution, was absurd. He was clearly a shell of himself by that point. He’d done absolutely nothing to warrant the number 2 rating he received.

 

I wouldn't like to argue against any of that MM. A fine post indeed.

 

There's not exactly an abundance to go on with Cooney but i think some opponents would would suit him quite nicely.

 

Terrell was indeed ranked above Machen and was the betting favourite, but Machen was a ranked contender, in a World title fight.

Machens fight prior to Terrell was a points loss to Floyd Patterson, that is no mean feat against a former 2 time heavyweight champion, my point being i am not willing to besmirch Machen by saying he was not a realistic contender.

I just feel against taller fighters like Terrell, and in our fantasy match up with Cooney, Machen struggles to make a impact, and with Cooney he would be conceding massive weight difference and a fighter with dynamite in his fists.

Our sport of boxing have had plenty of match ups where there were foregone conclusions, however these foregone conclusions were at times incorrect.

 

As stated previously, Machen was washed up by Terrell's admission. His ranking was a joke. He'd done absolutely nothing post-shooting to warrant the rating he had in his first bout against Terrell.

"Machens fight prior to Terrell was a points loss to Floyd Patterson, that is no mean feat against a former 2 time heavyweight champion"

A performance that saw you lose all but one round is "no mean feat"? Seriously? Machen's performance was pathetic.

"Machen had style then but it was always defaced by caution. That was before the trouble and he became so mixed up he wanted to shoot himself in the head."

"The skills were hurt beyond repair. It was all out of him. It wasn't Patterson's punches alone that defeated him Sunday. Despair took good care of Eddie Machen."

"He'll never know what he could have done with Patterson 7 years ago when he had more than most. Maybe Patterson wonders, too."

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald/123108108/

here's the description of the Patterson-Machen fight, by an observer

"He had no zip, no reflexes. He was just pushing his punches. He had nothing... He wasn't even 25 percent of the old Machen. He looked like a guy who was sleep walking... It wouldn't have drawn more than $15,000 or $20,000 any place in the United States. Patterson says he's willing to fight his way back to a title fight. I think he should fight someone like Doug Jones or Cleveland Williams."

 

As stated i think he loses to Cooney, and would approach the fight as he did against another tall fighter Terrell.

Now the question is were Liston, Terrell, and Patterson happy to let the fights with Machen go to points decision, or did Machen survive because of his defensive abilities.

Liston sure as hell could not be described as washed up etc.

Now your quoted negative statement regarding Machens mental state, i would suggests it means Machen should get even more praise, surviving the rounds while in poor mental health.

Machen was good but not great, he came up short most times on the big stage, life at times did not deal him the best hand of cards, and sadly his damaged life ended dramatically early.

Perhaps in some of his ring exploits he did take the refs instruction of "Defend yourself at all times" a little too literally, maybe Ingos Bingo had something to do with Machens mindset after that fight.

 

His right was injured in training, and he used that right to the body to drop big Nino Valdez for the full count (on YouTube). So he had to box with the left alone.

 

Again against Terrell and Patterson he was passed his prime. Not sure how a prime Patterson does against either of them. Why should Mahen get praise for surviving the rounds?

Roy Harris, and Brian London also made it to 12 rounds or very close to it. You didn't exactly have to be George Chuvalo to do it.

Not sure what you mean regarding Liston being washed up.

 

Why should Machen not get praise for surviving the rounds.

I mention Liston as Machen survived the full fight distance with him, Machen being the only fighter to see the final bell against Liston in a four and three quarter year period of Listons career, and at the time when Liston was rated as number one contender for the title.

Who can say when Machens mental demons truly started, the unanswered head shots against Johansson did him few favours, his mental health sure was fragile, yet he still fought against some decent opponents.

Rightly or wrongly Machen was ranked and fought for a world title, for whatever reason he went into cautious/defensive mode in some fights, and he survived to the bell, am i going to judge him no, he as we know was up for a toe to toe if he so chose.

Another ex fighter who left this life with a degree of mystery about his demise.