Floyd Patterson Discussion?

Judging from the Johansson and Liston fights, I have extreme doubts on Floyds chin vs that quality of a puncher. Floyd simply cannot take Marcianos best punches, particulary the Suzy Q right hand. Whats worse for floyd, he loved to brawl. he would come right into marciano. this is suicide.

 

Would you hold him in a higher regard than Bob Foster? I mean bob couldnt do **** against heavyweights and floyd was a world champ at that weight.

 

I think post-title Floyd Patterson probably does better against Marciano than the younger, more aggressive Floyd. He outpointed bigger, stronger guys like Bonavena and Chuvalo although Marciano was much more effective with his pressure than they were.

Patterson was terrific at LHW I thought, didn't seem to have any real chin problems at that weight either. Men like Archie Moore and Yvon Durelle could have surely exposed his vulnerabilities if he did have them.

It's only when started facing 200 lb men that he started hitting the canvas. Still, Patterson showed a ton of heart in most of his fights and probably got up around 30 times throughout his long career. If you didn't keep him down, he wouldn't stay down.

Witness the handspeed and punching power of a prime Floyd Patterson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pazrZZbvi6w
3:20 :good

About Bob Foster, he seemed to have a fairly solid chin at 175 lbs but whenever he stepped up against heavyweights, he looked really vulnerable. One of the big problems he had was that despite being rather tall for a light heavy, he just couldn't put on any weight to his lanky frame and thus gave away close to 30-40 lbs every time he fought top HW's like Ali and Frazier.

 

Floyd had a very interesting style of fighting. He was a very good puncher and very aggresive. In his earlier fights for example vs. Jimmy Slade and Hurricane Jackson he was just as strong or stronger than his opponents. His fighting style never changed but as he went up against bigger guys, he was not as effective. That being said, he was a heck of a fighter. He matured into a well built and extremely well conditioned 190 pounder. He weighed 197 for Chuvalo and looked real good. He was the kind of fighter that would probably never loose to someone his size or smaller. As far as the type guy he was to talk to, I met him couple of times and you could not ask for a nicer person. Real genuine and down to earth. He flew a pipercub airplane and we once flew all over the Marlboro N.Y. area talking boxing. I attended his memorial mass and big turn out. Real gentleman.

 

Not to mention much more skilled and much better all around puncher than those two. I also believe Marciano was stronger than both, despite being lighter. Floyd won two controversial close decisions over Bonavena and Chuvalo. Floyd was usually on the wrongside of bad decisions though, so I wont complain. Quarry I and Ellis were pathetic decisions.

 

Patterson was a true gentleman of the sport that sometimes didn't give himself enough credit.

He was already beaten coming out of the dressing room, by the time the bell sounded for the first round against Liston. He could have boxed a lot better and put a better showing of his title defense if his mind was on straight.

 

I know, his lack of a good jaw is what makes it 50/50. Because in most other areas he's equal to or better than Marciano.

 

Patterson may not have been the sturdiest of fighters, but he was one of the gutsiest, which is far more important. He holds the record for going down, and he holds the record for getting back up. Ingo had to practically bury him in that first fight.

Patterson was a long night’s work; he was tremendously quick, carried zap and put on pressure very well. And a nice resume to boot.