Nobody dropped Floyd for the count with a single shot, and I don't believe Earnie could have done it either. But Patterson has to be mindful that the horribly overlooked and underrated Shavers hook carried dynamite as well, dropping Lyle, Young, and initially stunning Norton. (As he showed in the first match with Henry Clark, The Acorn also could also deploy a fine jab with his long arms when he chose to concentrate on it.) Earnie was not a great finisher, and Floyd had tremendous resilience. (He could also be extremely dangerous when stunned, as Ingo discovered in their rubber match.) Ellis had Shavers going in the corner prior to the referee's break, and JQ blew him out. I like Patterson's speed, skills and shortness of punching to prevail here. If this one lasted for any length of time, Floyd's endurance and conditioning would tell greatly.
I get a headache thinking of Floyd after getting tagged by several Shaver right hands not to mention follow up left hooks. Floyd would be down but could he recover? Ellis did have Earnie in trouble in that first round (the ref was considering stopping it shortly) as did Quarry with that overhand right to the button but Floyd wasn't a come out gunner early like that. I see Floyd down, hurt and battered early but hanging on while Shavers slows into the mid rounds, then coming on with sharp landing combo's to stop Earnie around the tenth.
