Floyd Patterson vs. Ingemar Johansson IV - September 1962 - Gothenburg, Sweden

That fight was on July 5 1964.

 

Those are fair points. So are the following...

Johansson after the last Patterson fight, in reverse order:

Win 26–2 Brian London PTS 12
Win 25–2 Dick Richardson KO 8 (15)
Win 24–2 Wim Snoek KO 5 (10)
Win 23–2 Joe Bygraves TKO 7 (12)

Patterson after the last Johansson fight, in reverse order:

Loss 55–8–1 Muhammad Ali RTD 7 (12),
Win 55–7–1 Pedro Agosto TKO 6 (10)
Win 54–7–1 Oscar Bonavena UD 10
Win 53–7–1 Charlie Harris KO 6 (10)
Win 52–7–1 Vic Brown UD 10
Win 51–7–1 Charley Polite UD 10
Win 50–7–1 Terry Daniels UD 10
Win 49–7–1 Roger Russell TKO 9 (10)
Win 48–7–1 Levi Forte KO 2 (10)
Win 47–7–1 Charley Green KO 10 (10)
Loss 46–7–1 Jimmy Ellis PTS 15
Loss 46–6–1 Jerry Quarry MD 12
Draw 46–5–1 Jerry Quarry MD 12
Win 46–5 Bill McMurray KO 1 (10)
Win 45–5 Willie Johnson KO 3 (10)
Win 44–5 Henry Cooper KO 4 (10)
Loss 43–5 Muhammad Ali TKO 12 (15)
Win 43–4 Tod Herring TKO 3 (10)
Win 42–4 George Chuvalo UD 12
Win 40–4 Eddie Machen PTS 12
Win 39–4 Santo Amonti TKO 8 (10)
Loss 38–4 Sonny Liston KO 1 (15)
Loss 38–3 Sonny Liston KO 1 (15)
Win 38–2 Tom McNeeley KO 4 (15)

 

I think that Eddie Machen would have forced a rematch against Ingo in 1961, trying to avenge the 1958 knockout defeat against Johansson. Machen wins and possibly is no.1 ranked mandatory challenger to champion Floyd Patterson, remember Eddie went 12 rounds in a losing effort against Sonny Liston on Sept 7 1960.

 

I wonder whether Johansson and Patterson could just keep beating each other and rematching until Ali beats whichever one temporarily won the musical chairs game.

 

Sonny does a sneak attack on Ingo in the dressing room pro wrestling-style, puts on a big robe that says ‘Ingo’ on the back and pulls the hood far over his head.

When he gets introduced in the ring, he pulls back the hood to reveal it’s really Liston.

Floyd faints in his corner but is revived just as the first bell sounds.

Sonny KO1.

Historic timeline is restored.

 

I’d have to favor Patterson but ingo was still dangerous. He floored Patterson twice in their rubber match, so a win in the fourth bout wouldn’t be impossible

 

Ingo was finished after the first fight. He had given up being a Boxer and embraced being a celebrity.

If Ingo were serious about Boxing, he would have never lost to Patterson. I am sure, eventually, Liston would defeat him. But Ingo's ceiling was really high. He just needed a proper trainer.

Obviously, none of that happened, though. Johansson had accomplished all he had set out to do. He had checked out.

 

Muhammad Ali once sparred with Ingo in the early 1960's, Johansson would later remark, That Kid Is Very Fast.

 

You've stated very well why Ingo got out and why I'd pick Floyd in a 4th fight. Can you imagine Ingo trying to take the title from Sonny Liston? I'd have retired too.

 

Yeah, I don't see Ingo fairing well at all.

I actually have a lot of respect for Liston's skill. He's like the missing link between Harold Johnson and George Foreman. He had his limitations, but overall he was an exceptional Heavyweight specimen. Technically sound, always on balance, and very composed over the course of a fight.

I think Ingo was a tremendous missed talent. Good for him for retiring when he did, but selfishly I wished he had hung on and we saw what he was capable of accomplishing under the guise of a great trainer, like Ray Arcel or somebody. Still, I don't think he'd be able to catch up with where Liston was at that point. Too small and too far behind the curve to ever develop the skillset for beating Liston.

 

Depends on how motivated and focused Ingemar would be for this one. Having the hometown crowd behind him would certainly help, but he would have to completely refocus himself on training and get in top notch shape in order to have a chance at pulling this one off.

Would have loved to have seen a 4th fight between the two as the trilogy was very entertaining imo.

 

This.