Floyd Patterson 'Chickened Out To Fight Cleveland Williams'

Cleveland Williams was not a nearly man. He was a never man. There is a revisionist ESB obsession that The Big Cat should have been champion just because he fits in with the modern ideal of what a super heavyweight should be even though he was a natuaral 205-212lb at his best.

By the time Patterson “chickened out” of this tournament since losing to Ernie Terrell (the last noted fighter he met) Williams beat 24 lb lighter 24-10 Kirk “wheel” Barrow. His next fight was against the last man to beat wheel Barrow the 19 lb lighter Roger rischer who at that time was a 7 time loser who could only claim to have lost to machen on points and been KO‘d by Archie Moore. Then Williams met Tommy “low risk” fields who won only 16 of nearly 30 fights. He was 21lb lighter than Williams.

These were not risky fights. Williams was treading water since the Terrell loss. Usually a contender treads water after a significant win.
In short, since losing to Terrell and before he could have fought in this tournament, Williams beat 3 nobody’s after losing to the last somebody. Why did he deserve to be granted a fight with Patterson?

 

Exactly, and that Patterson beeing too small myth is also BS proven by him beating Bonavena and Chuvalo who were the same size as Williams but did better than him. :deal

 

Bonavena and chuvalo were a level above Clevland Big Cat Williams. Both could actualy beat contenders.

This Big Cat myth has to go away. No other fighters resume is based almost purly on potential shown against lesser men rather than how he actual did when he stepped up.

 

So Patterson was so chicken of Williams (who had beat 3 nobodys since he lost to Terrell) that Floyd chose to fight the man who was unbeaten since a draw with Williams?

If somebody is scared of a guy usualy they are as scared of the man who drew with him and his equal on paper?


Machen won one round of 12 against Patterson, Williams drew with machen…

 

Williams fought a much better version of Machen in 1962 than Patterson did 2 years later. Machen had to be mentally hospitilized in 1963....

 

Another simple fact might be that because Floyd was actualy rated above both machen and Williams that Patterson prefered the contender who had the best resume?

Seriously, who is the better contender, the guy who was treading water after a draw with the last rated opponent he fought or williams who was treading water after a loss to the last rated opponent he faced?

what was there to fear? Williams drew with machen then lost to terrell. patterson fights machen because williams lost to terrell where as machen was still winning. machen is the better contender.

 

But all Williams had done in his last 4 fights up until may 64' was beat 3 nobody’s after losing to the last somebody. Why did the Cat deserve to be granted a fight with Patterson in 1964?

 

Just as well the ring magazine ratings made more sense tnan the NYSAC, I just dont get how Williams is rated higher than Terrell when by june 1964 Terrell had beat Williams? And why is machen lowe than Williams? He drew with him then went 5-0 in the time williams went 3-1? Does williams get kudos for losing?

 

And if that moronic scenerio had come to fruition, we would have had the modern curse of multi-champs YEARS before it started ruining boxing.

You know, I love Williams. Big banger, but with more weaknesses then some will admit. IMO his legacy has been predicated and enhanced by his two Liston bouts that surfaced on YouTube in the last decade.
Anyone that thinks Williams (in 64 or perhaps in any time frame) would walk right thru Patterson is delusional.