Floyd Patterson, 1960 vs Michael Spinks 1985, World Heavyweight Title.

Mmm very interesting matchup. 2 deserving hall of fame who have seen their legacies badly diminished and destroyed by their most famous losses.
To be fair, i have to go with the jinx, who would have IMO prevailed by very close UD, a late stoppage is not impossible.

 

This would be a good fight. I would like to see it.

 

I think it's pretty competitive. Patterson isn't fighting a hulking puncher so his arguably biggest negative is not a problem here. He's also not a big upright target like Cooney was, nor old like Holmes was.
I'm not outright picking Patterson yet-need to mull over it a bit-but from the outset I think this is a very winnable fight. Goes the distance either way.

 

As many have already said this is a close fight. My first instinct is to take Patterson by a narrow decision but I don’t say that with any real certainty

 

Outstanding fight on paper. I love both fighters but I lean more toward Spinks in this one but I wouldn't begrudge anyone that leaned towards Patterson.

Prime Spinks with good knees was pretty damn good at keeping his range and was good at neutralizing guys that had strong left hooks. Spinks would have to be strong with his jab against such a brutal combination puncher like Floyd. If he keeps his range, works that jab and stays away from Patterson's deadly left hook, I think he takes a decision win.

 

Patterson

He was more of a true heavyweight than Spinks

 

Another great match up Richard M. There's a lot of context to weigh up here, not least, the respective opponents at this stage of their careers.
Larry Holmes was already looking at the end of the line. Get that damned record and I'm out. When a Fighter is thinking like that, he's already running on fumes. Larry was basically exhausted and, in the press conferences, was alternately bored or tetchy. No disrespect to Spinks but he got Larry at the right time.
Johansson was ludicrously over confident for the rematch with Floyd, talking about his "Toonder right" as if it had a life of it's own and boy, did Ingo love being the Champ ? He literally forgot everything that took him to the Title.
The Floyd that Johansson faced in that rematch was almost psychotically vengeful and I reckon Ingo knew it from the first round. He was hesitant and when he saw how Floyd was looking to launch the hook, the "Toonder right", had the night off. The finish was visceral and scary.
Spinks didn't exactly let it all hang out against Larry did he, despite the fact you could hear Holmes creak as he moved. It was a cool headed performance, designed to get the win without provoking Holmes' inner lion which Michael was noticeably wary of. In all honesty, would any of us choose to watch that fight again if we didn't have to ?
I honestly believe that only the very best Heavyweights could have beaten Patterson the night he rematched Ingo. Spinks has all the Boxing ability and IQ to frustrate Floyd but would he have the mental fortitude to stay on the outside and not get drawn in ?
I can see many scenarios where Mike beats Patterson but not the Floyd that iced Johansson.
From the fourth, Patterson is in Spinks' chest and making Michael fight. Spinks often looked uncomfortable in those situations but Floyd is not Murray Sutherland or Lotte Mwale.
Floyd by KO in the 8th.

 

I'm going with Patterson here, after thinking about it.

 

I like Patterson by ko in late rounds. Close fight in parts and Patterson maybe hits the floor.
Good matchup!

 

Good post and I agree with a lot of it except for the part about Larry bring at the end of the line. He certainly wasn't in his prime but remember he went on to beat Ray Mercer, probably should have got the decision against McCall and gave prime Holyfield a good fight almost 10 years after his fights with Spinks. He was still a very good heavyweight champion at the time of his loss to Spinks. I do think to this day that Holmes should have got the decision in the 2nd fight but it was very close.

 

I like Patterson here. Spinks dropped a lot of power in his move to heavyweight and his chin worries me.

Holmes hurt him multiple times and Patterson hits harder than Larry. The big thing however is that unlike a slowed Holmes and guys like Cooney Patterson has blinding speed so Spinks loses so much of the advantages he had over Holmes and co. Spinks didn't know which way Tyson was coming from. Patterson is no Tyson but he might not have to be either.

Spinks is a talented boxer tho so perhaps it's an open affair. Patterson for me still.

 

Floyd takes this and I don't think it's particularly close.