If Floyd Patterson defended title vs Machen Folley and Williams

An interesting series of dream fights that should have taken place. And a pretty formidable gauntlet for Patterson to run. I believe Floyd would have outpointed Machen as he did in real time in 1964. Same with Folley. Both would have been competitive, hard fights but I believe Floyd would have risen to the occasion. Williams may well be the wild card in this grouping. While I would put him below both Machen and Folley in terms of resume and all-around ability, his punching power does present the possibility of him duplicating what Johansson did in his first go with Patterson. I believe that if Patterson could get past the early rounds he would win either a unanimous decision or stop the Cat in the later rounds. And I believe Patterson would. Of the three, I feel less certain of the Williams bout than the others.

If Patterson gets through these three, his legacy as champion improves by quantum leaps.

 

Yes. Floyd Patterson beats all of them. He was better than they were. He beat better fighters than they did. Patterson beat most of the guys who beat them. Head to head, Patterson beat Machen. And, Sonny Liston beat Machen, Folley and Williams. So Patterson fought Liston.

Sometimes you don't fight everyone.

 

It was? If Bob Satterfield could knock out Williams, so could Floyd Patterson. Patterson was 10 times better than Satterfield.

 

Hed beat all of them. He would certainly be favored. Williams might be the toughest based on his size but he was so one dimensional and lumbering I think Patterson would be too fast and box rings around him. They could all be hurt and Patterson could definately hit them with something they didnt see coming so I wouldnt rule a KO out in any of those fights.

 

Yup and you had to keep him there to win and given that Patterson was a full class better than those three I, and pretty much everyone else at that time would make him a favorite to beat them. You can quibble that they deserved a shot which is fine but Id bet cash money that Patterson would open a favorite over all three if they fought any point in their careers.

 

I think Floyd would have beaten Machen and Folley,Williams ,because of his size and power would be problematical, especially in the early stages of the fight.Given reasonable odds I would have taken a punt on Williams to spring a surprise.. If Floyd had beaten all three I think he takes a significant leap upwards on the list of ATG heavyweight champs.

 

I think Patterson knocks out Williams and Folley. Machen he takes on points.

Williams was big and game but easy to hit. Everyone hit him. Williams was wobbled a lot from punches he did see coming. Speed for speed hes not beating Floyd to the draw either. Even if you made Foyd slower than he naturally was Patterson has too many moves, accuracy for the big Cat. Add the speed Floyd did have to the equation and its too much task for it to be a fair fight.

Yes we saw Ingo knockout Floyd but in 1959 Ingo was clever, proficient at knocking out world class guys, he effectively set up a knockout much better than the likes of Cleveland Williams. Ingo could disguise a punch coming. Williams hit like hell but was an out and out bomber. Floyd would obviously have to concentrate the whole time but Williams had a different mindset to the punchers who could knockout Patterson. He left openings and usually would get caught blind.

Zorra? Better fighter than Williams. Great technician but a tad fragile within an exchange. I watched Doug Jones sucker punch Folley out in a great fight. As exciting as that too and fro battle was Jones was no more durable or harder hitting than Floyd Patterson.

Machen would probably not give Patterson a better fight for the title than he eventually did. I think Harold Johnson would give Floyd a tougher fight.

 

I think he beats all of those guys frankly.. Cleveland Williams might have been the biggest threat due to his size and punching ability.. But his defense and lack of effective use of the jab would have given Floyd an edge.. Machen and Folley didn't have the sort of power or imposing styles that gave Floyd the most trouble, and in truth Floyd DID beat Machen later in their careers.

 

Williams would have almost certainly ko'd Patterson

 

Patterson would have most certainly KOed Williams and Roy Jones Jr.