Which of these three do you think exhibited the most bravery in the ring? And is there a heavyweight who showed more than your pick?
Braddock. The man simply could not be intimidated by anybody and he came up against some prety steep odds. "Jimmy Braddock is one cat you aint gonna scare chapie. You gota knock him out". Jack Blackburn
Frazier. He got in the ring with Foreman twice. While Floyd did go in against Ingo and Liston multiple times, I'm not sure he had any memory of what hit him once he'd been stunned. Braddock was fearless against Louis, but he didn't climb back into the ring with either Louis or Braddock for a rematch. It may well be that Smoke and the Cinderella Man were both fearless, bit I think Joe was a little braver. He kept getting up against Big George, and would not quit.
We got one each for the others and your both right (I know that's not really possible) - but I pick Floyd. Getting back into the ring with Liston is insanley brave. And he must have crawled up of the canvas more than any other fighter in history.
At first I was going to say Patterson for the Liston rematch, but Floyd was never brave enough to show his face after a bad defeat- unless he really did look like Groucho Marx. For ANY fighter to show 'more' bravery than Frazier is impossible really. He has to win- or at least be ranked joint 1st. :good
Frazier showed his "bravery" when he picked Terry Daniels and Ron Stander for his next two defences of the title, and Foreman was supposed to be another mediocre opponent for him.
Frazier.He shook off incredible punishment in the first Ali fight, would have kept getting up against Foreman, and walked through an entire division of really good heavyweights.The other two aren't bad either.
Patterson brought a disguise to the Liston fight so when he lost he wouldnt be humiliated. Patterson is definently not the most brave heavyweight ever, in front of guys like Braddock, Frazier, Ali etc.
That's right, he did bring a disguise. Arriving at the stadium to fight the most intimidating champion who has ever lived, khe new he was going to be destroyed in the ring. Still he came. This is the very definition of bravery. For the rematch, Patterson was asked if he had a disguise this time round: "Those things are gone for me now." Patterson had trained himself to the brink for that fight, or so they say - but he still must have known what he was in for. Still he came. He was a vulnerable Light Heavy who fought heavyweights and was forever hauling himself from the canvas to continue the duel. You are far to hard on him.
Patterson is a very tough fighter, one of the toughest ever. But the fact he still brought a disguise to the fight, plus he also admitted to being so scared of Liston that he could barely fight. Those two things put Frazier and Braddock ahead of him in my opinion though.
I have no problem at all with you putting Frazier and Bradock ahead of Patterson FRAZIER - People talk about the Foreman thing, but it was Manilla for me. He came out to fight Ali whilst basically blind and unable to defend himself. And he was still walking forwards. BRADDOCK - The beating he took at Louis' hands was insane. It may be the worst gloved one ever apart from Dempsey-Willard. And he stood to make MORE money losing than by winning. But your "proof" is misleading. Patterson abhored the public eye, he porbably would have worn the disguise if he'd won! And even if it was specifically for the loss, I still say that knowing you are about to be smashed to bits and still getting into the ring makes him an appropriate member of this threesome.
I'll go with Patterson he fought much bigger fighters then himself, against Liston he knew he had no chance not even a punchers chance really but still fought him twice. Also after the first Ingo fight ppl wrote him off and most figured he had no chance but he came back to win the title. He should have fought at 175 where he would be one of the greatest but instead fought these bid monsters and still did well. All three guys were extremely brave but my vote goes to Floyd.
