If any light heavyweight could have moved up and upset the Patterson apple cart in the late 1950s, Johnson would have been on the short list. How would Johnson have done?
Interesting match but not all that competitive.. Johnson, as we all know, was a fine technician, an excellent counterpuncher with a solid jab, left hook, and right hand arsensal. A bit on the cautious side; he was not as aggressive as Floyd. I think Patterson takes control of this fight early and piles up rounds until the 11th stanza when he mounts a sudden violent two-handed attack that floors Harold. Patterson finishes him in the 12th, and after the ref counts to 10, Floyd helps the older fighter rise from the canvas.
I voted for Patterson to win by KO. When it came to big men who could punch, Floyd had problems. But a smaller slick boxer was not generally an issue for him
I’d pick Patterson for winning two of three in a trilogy but I’d pick Charles to win outright. If Johnson’s chin were a bit better I’d pick him off of ability alone
Y’all know I am a Patterson fan so I might not be completely objective here, but trying to be, I legitimately believe that if Patterson could make the weight and keep his boxing chops and his power at LHW, he would be in the discussion for GOAT.
Could he have continued to make light heavyweight in the era of same day weigh ins? Going into the 1960s, Patterson was 190 pounds. Could he have trimmed down to 175 on the day of the fight and kept his strength without a day to rehydrate? He could make 175 with day before weigh ins.
