Pete Rademacher v. Floyd Patterson

Can anyone verify that Ali was attempting to set a fight with Floyd Patterson before agreeing to fight Spinks?

 

I've got to tip my cap to Pete: Nobody else will ever be able to say they floored the heavyweight champ in their debut fight.

 

Are you sure you're not talking about Liston ? Patterson was ancient and had already lost twice to Ali but the time Muhammad fought Spinks.

 

Having 7 pro fights with at least one win over a ranked contender is leagues more justifiable than giving someone a title shot who had never stepped into a pro ring. And the only reason why we're still talking about it today is because of how ludicrous it was and not because it was some great contribution to the sport. Now I can understand a point made by another poster that Floyd had just beaten a ranked contender in his last fight just a month or two before fighting rademacher and that perhaps a soft touch was due. In such a case he should have at least fought a journeyman or gate keeper that had some pro background and had put his time Into the sport.

 

Which of Leon's 6 pro wins was over at least one ranked contender? Take your pick from these 6 wins : Bob Smith, Peter Freeman, Jerry McIntyre, Pedro Agosto, Bruce Scott, Alfio Righetti. Spinks also drew with Scott LeDoux to complete his magnificent seven.
29th July - 22nd Aug was the gap between No 1 contender Jackson and Pete 3 and a half weeks, not "a month or two."
Against Moore, Patterson's purse was $80,214, for Jackson he got $123,859 and Harris $101,382
Your suggestion that he should have defended against "a journeyman or gatekeeper" does not make economic sense considering he was paid $250,000 to face Rademacher.

 

Alfio rhigetti was ranked.. Ledoux and agosto were household journeyman. No matter how you try to cut it, rip it apart or twist it, it was still leagues better than never having stepped in a goddamn boxing ring..

 

Pete had never stepped into the ring? He was the Olympic Gold medalist, four time north west GG winner and national champion!

He had a size advantage over Floyd, and at 29 years old was physically prime for a heavyweight.

People talk about Teofilo Stevinson fighting Ali in the 1970s. It's the same thing.

 

Pete had never stepped into the ring? He was the Olympic Gold medalist, four time north west GG winner and national champion!

He had a size advantage over Floyd, and at 29 years old was physically prime for a heavyweight.

People talk about Teofilo Stevinson fighting Ali in the 1970s. It's the same thing.

 

Yes! That is why the story seemed so incredible and perhaps indicative of Ali realizing how much he really had left in the tank.

 

I'm well aware of that. And I'm pretty sure YOU were well aware that I was referring to "pro" experience.

How did these things make him qualified for a title shot?

No.. Its not the same thing, and for the very reason that I put in bold above.. It was "talked" about but never happened. And incidentally Stevenson is commonly recognized as the greatest amateur heavyweight of all time and not just a one time Olympic gold winner.

 

Most of you guys had an absolute cow over the fact that Wladimir Klitschko fought Alex Leapai.. And Leapai was a legit pro with a 30-4 record and a recent win over a ranked contender.. If he were to fight a debuting challenger tomorrow, most of you would scream to the high heavens that he should be stripped of his title.

 

Patterson's manager should have said the champion doesn't defend against amateurs.

I mean, where are we going to draw the line ? A good amateur is told he needs to raise $250,000 to get a shot at the professional world champion. What if it was just some guy off the street, do we have a price for that ? What if Elvis Presley had a crazy idea to fight Patterson, maybe he could raise a million. Well, that's okay, economics on Floyd's side.

 

Rademacher was made of money
Even Zora Foley
Couldn't resist the phony