Johansson often gets overlooked but don't be fooled this man could fight also had very underrated power
Patterson has the same problem that Walcott had. His damn chin let him down. Although I never saw Walcott scared of anyone Patterson legit looked scared of Liston. Body language was all wrong. Highly skilled fighter top 20-25 imo and like previous poster said could def upset some of those below him. Ps man was an absolute warrior despite looking defeated. Can’t say he ever gave up and for that he deserved anyone’s respect
To be fair to Marciano Moore was a year younger and in better shape going into the Marciano fight. However, age aside Patterson was a very bad style matchup for Moore just like he was for Henry Cooper and most likely would’ve dispatched Moore quickly anyway. That said both had a ton of heart and were always in phenomenal condition. On a broadcast when Marciano, Patterson, and some other people were doing commentary over Patterson’s recent fight with Chuvalo a reporter put Marciano on the spot and insisted Marciano would make easy work of Patterson, but Marciano disagreed and said a fight with a guy as talented and well conditioned as Patterson could go either way.
This. Johansson trained like an animal for the first Patterson fight, but after winning the title didn’t seem to have the same hunger for boxing anymore.
That wasn't Floyd's fault. To say Floyd couldn't have bested Folley in the late fifties is lame. Cooper did in 58 (watch the fight; perhaps Zora 'phoned in" his effort here but Cooper clearly outworked Zora); Zora got him in the rematch (no footage exists as far as I know) but Floyd destroyed Henry when they fought. Styles make fights: Machen couldn't have KO'd Floyd in the late fifties and perhaps couldn't have beaten him in any fashion. They fought in July 64; granted Eddie was a little long in the tooth (beat a young Quarry and all but went the distance against young Frazier after that) but the scorecards for that one? 9-2-1, 9-3, 10-2! Pete R.? Eras folks; Pete was a career non-pro (many were in those days). Young Floyd took the fight in Pete's hometown. Pete was an Olympic Champion fighting regularly and decided to turn pro. 5+ years older, and outweighed Floyd by a ton. OK a Pete right dropped Floyd; he was more embarrassed than hurt and after that the fight was an embarrassment. Pete did clearly beat Chuvalo a few years later. Enough 'ragging' on HOF Floyd,
I love Patterson's style and heart, but Rocky was the better and greater fighter. Doesn't matter how polished you are if you're not the most effective, which Rocky was, in devastating fashion, against his opposition. Case in point, Sung Kil Moon and the fighters he beat. Moon was crude but extremely effective.
Just a quick aside. Who Knocked Out Patterson? Johannson? He got up 7 frigging times! And...in that 3rd round in the first one Ingo clearly clocked him on the back of his head which the ref should have given Patterson extra time to recover. Interesting that, in the rematch Floyd had Ingo's back to him as well and didn't fight dirty spinning Ingo around to face him. What if Ingo had 'clocked' Floyd at the very end of the 3rd in their 1st scrap? Different result? Sonny never laid Floyd into a wasted puddle. Floyd fought the 'people's fight' both times, read: stupidly. Still rising from punches Sonny said he had NEVER hit anyone harder with. With all the 'china chin' nonsense leveled against Patterson's jaw and his penchant for going down, wouldn't you think, at least, one or two guys during his career would have put him face down...8-9-10 yer' OUT! NOT!!! My $0.02
I agree with most here that Patterson should be considered the greater fighter but that we should still keep Marciano inside the Top 25.
The point is both Folley and Machen deserved title shots in front of Harris,McNeeley,Rademacher, Jackson, & London. Rademacher was 14.25lbs heavier than Patterson