I've always regarded Patterson as amongst my favourite HW's of all-time. A fine fighter and one of boxings true gentlemen, yet not nearly often enough does he recieve enough credit for the former. When the true greats are mentioned Floyd's name only ever crops up as a footnote despite being the youngest ever World Champ (until Tyson) and first man ever to regain the title. Patterson may have been just 6ft and 180-odd lbs: small for a Heavyweight, however other than that he was a pretty formidable package with more than enough assets to nullify his weight shortcomings and succeed at the highest level. He had perhaps the fastest hands in the divisions history, superb natural skills, excellent footwork, a good defence and under-rated power in both hands. Although the manner of Johannson I and both Liston defeats affect his legacy Floyd had under-estimated fighting heart and deserves credit for mixed it with quite a few bigger, stonger men. His only real weaknesses were a less than sturdy chin and a lack of self belief. Floyd's most notable wins include the Johansson rematch, Chuvalo, Machen and Bonavena. In his swansong at 37 he gave Ali a reasonably close fight before being stopped late. As it is he'd be around #14 on my list alongside the likes of Bowe, Tunney, Jeffries etc. Not bad. Some career highlights, enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9pOAk6pulo *What are your thoughts? Feel free to contribute in a positive way to the thread. What are your fave Patterson fights? Where does he rate in your all-time list? What Was was his greatest atribute? etc.
As the resident Floyd nut-hugger here at ESB, I totally concur. I believe he would have improved much quicker under someone other than D'Amato who IMO needlessly protected him (why was he even defending his title against guys like Harris, London, McNeeley, etc...?) Many of his knockdowns were the result of being off balance and he always got up. I believe he could have defeated the likes of Machen, Folley, Williams, etc..in the late fifties. Let's look at his record: 55-8-1. Four of those losses were to Ali & Liston two all-time heavy HOF greats. leaving 55-4-1. He avenged the Johannson loss with two knockouts, the first one wickedly brutal! (I've often wondered how much better Floyd might have been had he brought that Ingo 2 mindset to everyone of his fights but it was his passivity and lack of a killer instinct that often did him in, or at least rendered him less effective.) Now w/o Ingo the record now is 53-3-1 Those three losses were to seasoned vet Joey Maxim (with Floyd barely 19 years old) and virtually every writer at ringside had Floyd winning. Then the loss and a draw with Quarry (Floyd just let both those fights slip away.) He had Quarry beat in the first fight (decked Jerry, opened a bad cut over his right eye which he never went after) then went passive in the last two rounds letting Quarry salvage a draw. The second fight IMO was a snoozefest with a passive Floyd just going thru the motions. Then the controversial decision to Ellis in 68 with Floyd's passivity AGAIN costing him. Give him the Maxim win along with both Quarry bouts and the Ellis scrap (all fights he should have won easily with more aggressive effort) and you're looking an adjusted record of 59-5. Of course, had he gotten the nod in the Ellis scrap he may have had to run into Smokin' Joe, not exactly your ideal opponent with Floyd 34 pushing 35. :-( In closing, a classic example of a gentle man and an undersized heavyweight with a ton of God-given boxing talent who could never assume the proper mind-set needed to take his talents to even greater heights than he did... my bigoted $0.02
Floyd patterson is definately underrated. I find it interesting how very few people include him on Ali's list of best wins. Usually you here Frazier, Liston, Foreman and Norton mentioned, but seldomly Patterson. This is a rather injustice in my opinion. Floyd was the first man ever to win the lineal title twice, and took the crown for the first time at some 21 years of age? Additionaly, he had a combined 6or 7 title defenses between his two holdings of the title, and faced a handful of all time greats. He was an olympic gold medalist and his pro career stretched between 1952 and 1972, one of the most competitive stretches in the divison's history. What's more, is that he acheived these feats while being a somewhat small and young heavyweight during a time when the tides were changing and the standards of what defined a heavyweight were rising. I don't know where I'd place Floyd on an all time list. There were so many magnificent heavyweights that fought over the last 100 years, that I'm not sure I can put him in the top 10, but I certainly wouldn't hold it against anyone for doing so.
Just imagine if he choose to stay at the light heavyweight division, he would have prolly been the GOAT for that weight. I mean he literally walked right through archie moore!
His greatest asset was his superb conditioning and his punching power. Floyd, while not a big heavyweight, probably could not make 175 and still be at his best. His frame was too big to make lightheavy. He fought in great shape from 190 to about 197. I had the opportunity of meeting him and we spoke for about a half hour. Really nice person. Down to earth.
I thought the first quarry fight and ellis fights were horrible robberies that belonged to floyd. ellis got the fight over patterson cause the fight was held in johannsens backyard. patterson knocked ellis down and broke his nose.
Floyd patterson is so underated. He had the most rare combination of handspeed/power/boxing skill of any fighter who ever lived
Patterson is an all time great his hadspeed was amazing he puts his combitions togerther so well and with great power. The way he destroyed Moore at only 21 was something special.
Lets not forget archie moore was still light heavyweight champ and he gave marciano a really good fight, then floyd walks right through him as if he's nothing.
yes sir!! that moore domination was brutal. however i do think marciano took something out of moore(just like the rock did with every opponent) but still very impressive preformance by floyd.
