Ingemar Johannson gives Cleveland Big Cat Williams A Title Shot In 1959.

Williams was also a good combination puncher, Ingo had none. Williams had a good jab, Ingo did not. Cleve was a awesome body puncher, Ingo was never the most fit guy in the world. Cleve was bigger than Ingo, and still moved around better. I see Cleve with all the advantages. But I will be fair to Ingo's power. He would shake Cleve a few times before Cleve destroys him. Cleve stops him in under 5 rounds. This is not a fight that would got that far though. The Patterson-Johansson bouts were brief, but Floyd was a better technician than either Ingo or Cleve. Ingo's got the right hand and Cleve likes to get it on, so I'll go with Cleve KO 2.

 

Swagdelfadeel, concerning Cleveland Williams, I thought of another commendation for Cleveland Williams the other day that I forgot to use. Joe Frazier...

 

Elaborate.

 

Good fight. Both men could punch and neither had a great chin nor great defense. Ingo’s resume is of higher quality but also a lot shorter. Williams has slight edge in size but I don’t know if it’s enough to make a big difference. My gut instinct is to go with Ingo by knockout after a competitive slug fest.

 

Ingo would not be fighting Liston, who was taylor made for Williams. Ingo was schrewd, calculating, defensive and would wait and time Williams. Styles. Both had great power, Ingo's boxing IQ was so much greater.

 

Impossible to call it either way. Two inconsistent guys who can take you out or be taken out.

In truth its probably a series

 

By waiting he could also be letting Big Cat get off first.

 

As thoroughly described and delineated in the thread I made yesterday, Williams is not, by any objective metric, on Johansson's level, and a first round starching, ala the Machen fight, is not out of the question.

 

The difference being Cooper had loads of opportunities whereas Williams was gut shot while a ranked contender and severely diminished as a fighter when he returned to the ring.

 

The two had a 3-round sparring session on the undercard of some heavyweight fight in the early 70s. Frazier said Williams was skillful still, and a beast. Unfortunately, I can never remember what card it was fought on.

 

Considering Ingo, Cleve, Floyd, and the Bear could all punch, take a look at how Ingo did vs. Patterson. Then compare how Floyd and Cleve did vs. Liston. Who fared better? If Williams fared better vs. Liston than Patterson, who beat the heck out of Ingo, I see no hope for Ingo. I don't think styles would interfere in this discussion.

 

ya, I've hunted 4 video, but never turned anything up.

 

Cleveland Williams entering that rare air of most overrated heavyweight on here.