im gonna come out and ask, was floyd patterson great?!

I think so. He does seem underrated though, doesn't he?

 

As been pointed out before, if Floyd had fought the post-Liston fighters as challengers, then got beat by Liston at the end of his career, I think he would be rated higher.

He probaby would have beaten Folley also, but the best Cleveland Williams might have taken him out via pure power like Liston did.

Floyd was a good man...and right at the cusp of being a great fighter.

 

Floyd also beat Eddie Machen, George Chuvalo, Oscar Bonavena, Hurricane Jackson, Jerry Quarry(robbery), and Jimmy Ellis(bigger Robbery).......add archie moore and Ingemar Johannson and you got a very good resume.



i dont know why you included london

 

Floyd was a very good fighter with excellent tools. His only problem was size. And maybe, to a lesser extent, his chin. I mean he was prone to getting knocked down, but he also got up and fought back very effectively most times.

As a HW, I wouldn't rank him as great. But he was definitely one of the better ones amongst the middle rung HWs.

But I have to say this - as a man, he definitely was one of the ATGs.

 

Comin' outta NY in the early '50s, the ballyhoo for Floyd was tsunami-like. He was gonna put NY back on the map, the next SRR, the game's Messiah. He sure as hell looked the part at the Gramercy Gym and his early fights at St Nich's, Eastern Parkway and the Garden.

But the first hint of clay feet was his lackluster win against a gritty journeymen, Dick Wagner. The blazing combinations didn't chase Wagner outta the ring; he stood his ground.

Floyd's youth and workrate was the difference, but he couldn't find an effective way to break Wagner down. Floyd was all uncoiling combinations. If someone didn't drop in the wake, he just re-tooled and looked for another opportunity.

His hands were fast but he was predictable, like a pitcher that only had a fastball.

The deficiency was even more marked against a shopworn Joey Maxim in eight rounds at Eastern Parkway. The veteran, behind a high guard, shell defense, and a spot-on pumping jab, made Floyd's flurries land largely on arms and shoulders, albeit eye-catching to the almost 100% Patterson crowd.

I was rootin' for Floyd, but sittin' ringside, I saw it the way the judges did, unanimous for Maxim.

I came away thinking, Floyd was a phenom (that kind of hand speed came along once in a generation, but if a man weathered it, Floyd had no plan B or C. His durability wasn't even in question at that point.)

It was then that I realized as big as he might become, he wasn't gonna be the next Robinson.

 

What was Floyd's problem?

Lack of size, power? He had Cus D'Amato as his trainer so a game plan shouldn't have been a problem?

 

Brian terrific fighter!
Seriously London makes a few bob doing the after dinner circuit,one night he was heckled by a woman who shouted "how can you stand there and defend boxing when one of your opponents ,Muhamad Ali is in such a bad way"? Brian looked down at her and ,dead pan replied "well don't blame me love ,I never laid a glove on him".

 

Imo he is great , Don Dunphy (i think) said he was a very important part of HW boxing history, i think that sort of sums it up. But he actaly had some good wins and was part of that great trilogy with Johannsen, which he had the edge going 2-1 with. Great imo

 

I believe he was great the last great small heavy.

 

People look back more fondly and think fighters are better than they were. He was obviously a good fighter, was the best at one time, but fought many handpicked challengers - even as champ! Good hand speed, bit of pop, dodgy chin but he wasnt really a heavyweight anyway! For me he falls short of being a heavyweight great, I beleive some contenders/title holders since who are not considered very great would have KOd him.

So I vote NO.

 

i think its hard to put him above the likes of Spinks..or even Michael Moorer...

 

Most defo an ATG.
Just born in the wrong era, much like Holmes.
that being said his accomplishment's and persona have garnered him ATG status. IMO.
A Patterson today would wipe the mat with most Lt Heavy's Cruiser's around.

defo an ATG.

 

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Floyd was an excellent fighter an older Floyd even injured gave Ali a rough go, but he had his weaknesses. I heard the Maxim fight was a losing effort for him by some eyewitnesses. He had a good career and found himself as an older fighter,mentally but as ATG, he feel short of the top 10 IMO, closer to top 15 or so