Floyd Patterson Appreciation Thread

I'd believe it more if you said two promiscuous women than two hookers. You'd think a world famous athlete could drop the panties without paying for it.

 

I like no fighter more than Floyd Patterson,..maybe none as much as him.

 

Was there a falling out between Floyd and Tracy? I can't remember how their relationship progressed or ended.

 

I agree with you CT. Floyd was already nice when Ali was nasty to him - and Floyd remained nice in spite of Ali’s unwarranted attacks. . It would be impossible not to like Floyd so Ali would’ve had good feels re Floyd despite himself but once Floyd was established as a relative non threat, Ali def. lost the malicious edge he had for Patterson.

You could probably find random quotes of Ali saying some nice stuff re Frazier at different times also but Ali’s substantive position on Joe was ultra mean and intended to demea. The worst part was that Ali didn’t seem so emotionally invested - meaning he wasn’t preoccupied with feeling hate and ill will toward Frazier - probably didn’t feel anything of the kind anyway - Ali just ran his mouth with a caustic tongue recklessly without due respect, sympathy or empathy for fighters, fellow humans, who did in fact simply present a great challenge to him, no more, no less.

As great a fighter as Ali was, he was also the greatest exponent of psychological warfare, getting under his opponent’s skin. One could read that as a deficiency, meaning, could Ali not just rest on his abilities, get in the ring and do his thing without protracted denigration of his opponent in the lead up? It wasn’t all just for the sake of publicity and boosting the gate. Ali played it as if it was an absolutely necessary component to his armoury.

Even Joe Louis, widely considered greatest HW Champ as at the time, presented as a threat to the self proclaimed Greatest. Ali never stopped talking down Joe’s chances against him and underplaying Louis’ abilities - as if trying to convince both himself and everyone else that he (Ali) was the superior fighter.

Ironically, I think a lot of people bought into Ali’s “take” on his alleged advantages over Louis - personally, had they fought, I think it’s a far closer fight than is generally concluded. I would guess if they had been contemporaries, Ali would’ve been quite nasty toward Joe also, the degree of Ali’s smack talk being in direct correlation with the very real threat The Bomber would present to him.

You have to applaud Floyd’s courage for remaining true to himself and his sensitivities - it’s actually a LOT easier to disconnect from same (aka hardening yourself up) -

 

And by the same token, Ali promoted Johnson in part because he could take some of Johnson's aura for himself. If he'd actually had to fight Johnson under older rules -- i.e., if Johnson had been a live threat instead of a dead legacy to appropriate -- Johnson probably would have come in for similar abuse. (Although I think Johnson is one of the few guys who puts Ali on tilt, rather than vice versa. Ali ain't winning a trash talking match with a guy who beat the entirety of white America at same.)

 

That’s a good one. Johnson was highly intelligent, articulate, super cool with a particularly acerbic wit in tow. I can hear Jack now: -

Johnson: “Well Mr Muhammad, you seem a touch peeved. All I said was that you and that Fancy Dan Corbett would make nice dance partners - as to who leads?, I simply said you two could sort that out.

I devoutly hope that I didn’t hurt your feelings. Now if you just tell me one particular spot where you don’t want to be hit, I will surely try to accomodate you but I can’t make any promises re the rest of your anatomy. I mean no harm, it’s simply my professional, pugilistic obligation to have to beat you black and blue. No hard feelings and maybe you can drop by my saloon for a drink after our little “set to” - of course only after you’ve allowed yourself sufficient time to recover from my considerable fistic tattooing of your own good self. It’s just a job, repeat, no hard feels……why, we might even end up getting along like Mr Ketchel and I, Stanley got over his beating in good time also…..”

Ali: “This man is CRAZY, oooh, I’ve never wanted to whup a man so bad….but he’s kinda scary, actually, he’s real scary, not least for his own absolute self belief, I thought I was the most fearlessly confident fighter ever..,I sh*t myself when Sonny pulled a gun and fired….this man laughs in the face of such things……what does he know that I don’t …..what’s with that enigmatic, Mona Lisa smile and the gold teeth also…..?”

 

Jack would know which buttons to press, for sure. I could see him simultaneously calling Ali "Clay" and painting Ali as a second-fiddle, milquetoast Uncle Tom by comparison to Johnson. Much like Ali portrayed Patterson. The 1960s press might even play along.

 

Floyd Patterson was a true man and a great human being. He conducted himself as a champion and public figure should carry himself. He suffered setbacks in his youth emotionally, but he used those negatives to improve himself in tough times. He had a good management team that prevented him from any involvement with the sinister elements out there. What is very impressive was the tenacity to accomplish the unthinkable, to rise after a crushing defeat at the hands of Ingemar Johansson to recapture the title, many had tried before and failed. Maybe the younger generation considers their contemporaries to be far greater today, but there was no one like Floyd Patterson who conducted himself as a very mature adult man, something that has been lost in the current times among athletes and celebrities. A great example to the youth of the world and history. Mr. Patterson deserves a standing ovation for demonstrating his bravery in and out of the ring.

 

Our man DLH certainly thought he could put the panties on…..but unfortunately, he paid for it.

 

Sad, hilarious stuff. (Name of your sex tape)

 

You know, I believe it just reached it's natural end with no drama. They drifted apart and remained in touch if memory serves.

 

Esquire Article August 1966
In Defense of Cassius Clay by Floyd Patterson

After reading this, I seriously believe that Floyd should’ve been canonised.

The man was ridiculously nice and, it seems, insanely honest. I might’ve also said he was forgiving but he didn’t even frame things as if there was anything to forgive - he simply looked to and identified the very best in people - he would certainly opine on what he thought was wrong but in an objective manner without malice. -

Otherwise, he gave people a pass on their not so nice actions and words, no matter how brutal and mean those actions and words were, - to be called a “Rabbit” a “Coward” and an “Uncle Tom” ? - I’ll admit, if Ali had said same to and about me, it might’ve been beyond my sensibilities to even be civil to Ali ever again let alone defend him as Floyd did.

https://www.esquire.com/sports/a45515/muhammad-ali-in-defense-of-cassius-clay/

 

That would be a very Patterson way for it to end.

That cultural moment when heavyweight boxers were public intellectuals...Late 60s/early 70s were a strange time.

 

I read this once, Patterson was running late for something before dinner and a kid wanted to speak to him. Floyd apologised profoundly that he didn’t have time to talk turned to the mother and said “Could he come to dinner with us?” She allowed him and Floyd returned the kid home in a Limo at a discussed time and thanked the mother for introducing him to such a polite fan. The sphere of his conduct reached all folks. Honestly, it’s hard not to want to rate him higher for just being a good man.

 

The more you read about him (aside from an apparent early stint in reform school, which I suspect can be put down to upbringing), the more sense it makes that he was Cus D'Amato's personal project. There aren't many people like Patterson, period, but there certainly aren't many boxers. Some kind of artificial push into boxing may have been needed.

In better circumstances, the guy would have been an accountant or something.