If Patterson had faced Zora Folley in 1959?

If Floyd had an off-night, sure. But my money would be on Floyd.

 

In hind sight, it would have been worth the risk!

 

Their common opponent at the time period .....the illustrious Pete Rademacher..
and almost common result:

1958-07-25 : Pete Rademacher 198 lbs lost to Zora Folley 200 lbs by KO at 1:15 in round 4 of 10

• Location: Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA
• Referee: Charley Randolph

"Zora Folley, 200, from Chandler, Ariz., knocked out Pete Rademacher, 198, Columbus, Ga., in 1:15 of the 4th round. Folley had Pete down four times in all. On the last knockdown, referee Charlie Randolph didn't bother to finish the count. Folley was never in trouble, and it took but one short right chop to the jaw that traveled hardly twelve inches to start Pete on the downhill road. This was in the 3rd round. Another short right to the chin sent him down again. But before the round ended Pete charged Folley into the ropes and they fought savagely seconds after the bell sounded. Rademacher came out with a rush in the 4th but ran straight into a beautiful right cross, and down he went again. Folley closed in, there was a flurry capped by a ripping uppercut to the chin, and that was it." -Associated Press

• This was Rademacher's second pro fight
• Rademacher and Folley met twice as amateurs with both winning a decision
• Olympic Boxing Club matchmaker George Parnassus, immediately after this fight, wired heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson an offer of $250,000 to fight Folley in Los Angeles in September or October of '58

 

I’m not sure Foley was really much better than Machen and Patterson beat Machen. It would have been a good fight if they could have fought though.

I’m not sure when Floyd could have fought him, he didn’t meet Cooper for the title In place of Foley because Ingo was rated higher. In 1959 Ingo was the #1 challenger through beating Machen.

Foley, Machen and Pastrano had been the highest ranked Americans and all lost to Europeans Cooper, Ingo and London within the same period.

Floyd took London as a tune up weeks ahead of the showdown with #1 ingo.

Talk of avoiding Machen and Foley is not really warranted. Bad timing prevented both challenging Floyd. Previously Machen and Foley drew in a title eliminator so Floyd took Harris as the next highest rated challenger. When Floyd was next available to fight both had just blew fights with Europeans.

 

Cus Damato: regarding the Foley vs Machen draw "That fight was so bad, neither guy deserves a title fight".

Cooper then won on points over contender Zora Folley, and took the British and Commonwealth belts from new champion Brian London, in a 15-round decision in January 1959. The winner of the fight was penciled in to fight for Floyd Patterson's heavyweight title, but Cooper turned down the chance; London fought instead and was knocked out by Patterson in May 1959. When Cooper beat London, he got crosswise over Title fight contract amounts , so London as the loser, got the Patterson title fight in Indianapolis.

"Henry Cooper, encouraged by his upset victory over Brian London that earned him the British and Empire heavyweight titles, today demanded a $140,000 guarantee before he dares step into the same ring with world champion Floyd Patterson. Cooper suffered the only knockdown of last night's brawl before 18,000 at Earl's Court Arena when a hard right to the chin in the 5th round dropped him to one knee. However, he jumped to his feet before referee Ike Powell started to count. London continued to blast away at his rival and in the 7th it appeared the fight would be stopped because Cooper's face was a mask of blood. But then Cooper started to rally. Employing a rugged body attack mixed with left jabs to the head, Cooper soon slowed down London's bull-like rushes and eventually took command in the 9th round. Both fighters were bleeding profusely when referee Powell raised Cooper's hand in victory at the finish." -United Press International

• *Unofficial AP scorecard (the UPI did not turn in a card) - 11-4 Cooper

• *At the finish Cooper was bleeding from the nose and cuts above and below the left eye. London was bleeding from cuts above and below the right as well as from the nose and mouth.

• *Although Cooper had signed an earlier contract with British Promoter Harry Levene agreeing to a $72,000 guarantee to fight Patterson, he now demanded $140,000.

Post fight comment

• "There are at least two other heavyweights in the running for a title shot at Patterson. Cooper may be more valuable than London at the gate, but London is not eliminated. He put up a good fight last night. Many people are anxious to fight for the world heavyweight championship. None of them is in a position to dictate to the champion." -Cus D'Amato, Patterson's manager, balking at Cooper's demand.

 

Pattersons win over Machen doesn't mean a whole lot..Machen was coming off a long layoff where he went mentally insane and spent months in a nut house..he was definitely not at his best

Folley fought and beat a much younger, better version of eddie Machen

Folley should have easily gotten title shots over tomato cans mcneeley, London, and radamacher, don't make excuses for Floyd..

foleys loss to Cooper was a questionable decision that seemed like hometown cooking to me...either way, folley iced Cooper out cold in 2 in the rematch.

D amato kept Floyd clear of all the dangerous heavyweights in the late 50s until Floyd finally defied him. D amato wanted no part of folley

 

Dmato with such a cop out with that comment. He was scared shitless of foley and Machen. Both far superior fighters to London, and much higher rated. London finally fought Machen in 1961 and Machen kicked the ever loving **** out of him

Foley was rated

1957 # 2
1958 # 3
1959. # 1
1960. # 4
1962 # 3


How he never got a title shot but tomato cans like london, mcneeley, and radamcher did is a travesty. Choosing feather fisted Roy Harris over higher rated folley was also a management move

 

What horrible logic that is...just the type of logic chokelab buys into. The number 1 and 2 draw...so choose the number 3 despite not having beaten the 1 or 2


Now let's sit back and watch chokelab overrate all his favorite euros of the late 50s like tomato can London

 

It's not like Floyd was at his best, either. Floyd had lost three of his last seven and had been floored 14 TIMES in those seven fights.

 

Yes, to two hall of famers Liston and Johansson. They were known for putting people on the floor.


Floyd clearly had a lot more in the tank. Fought the fight of the year in 65 vs Chuvalo, knocked out Cooper in 66, arguably best Quarry in 67, robbed against Ellis in 68 and beat bonavena in 72

Like I said a lot more left in the tank.

 

I don't think "decent fighter with a fair punch" was good enough. Patterson beats Folley.

 

Folley was a very good boxer with a good right hand punch.

Highly productive, highly rated for a long time

Very deserving title challenger

 

And Tom McNeeley.

Patterson wasn't on the best run entering the Machen fight, either.

That's my point.

It's not like Eddie was a train wreck and Floyd was at his peak. Eddie had racked up 20 wins after Johansson destroyed Floyd. Floyd had scored four wins during that same period.

But Floyd was better than Machen and Folley.