Good point. Someone who faces Liston should not be labeled as "protected", even if his reign wasn't spotless. Outside of Liston, Johansson was one of the if not the best contender around; Flody fought him three times! So that's four fights against the #1 or #2.... five if you include Liston. That's a very high standard to call "protected".
Protected? Yes and no. Patterson (or rather Damato), brought back the tomato can title oponents, after Louis, Marciano and the champions of the 30s had seen them off. Looking for easy money. That Patterson wanted to face the best around and did is not in question. Perhaps he was a good champion with a practical manager?
Floyd Patterson was NOT a paper-champion. An absurd claim, no less. He won the legitimate vacant World Heavyweight Championship when he stopped Archie Moore (who had given Rocky Marciano a run for his money the previous year), and would defend against solid competition, including Tommy Jackson (twice) and some not so solid competition, such as Tom McNeeley. With that being said, the number one contender became the vicious Sonny Liston. D'Amato DID NOT want Floyd to fight him, but Floyd would have it no other way, and in two ill-fated fights, was stopped in the first round both times.
Damato turned down Jackie Gleason manager of nino valdez cause of valdez size and power, and they wanted him nowhere near the size speed power of big cat williams. Damato should have given one of the two machen/folley a shot, but he argued that there draw eliminated both fighters from a shot(how does that work??) Liston wanted johansson to fight williams, before fighting him to prove himself. He claimed no one wants to fight cleveland williams. He also wanted ali to fight cleveland williams before fighting him. Eddie machen spoke highly of williams too claiming williams was just like liston except faster.
I remember you said Floyd would make dogmeat out of Frank Bruno, I guarantee cus would have dodged Bruno too. Big guythat has scary power like him, is all wrong for floyd.
There was nothing out there at the time beisdes Floyd. He was an entertaining fighter who sometimes amused me like the time he left the arena in disguise after losing a fight. He callend himself a coward just because losing upset him and admired Johanson for the way he could shrug off a loss partying right after being knocked out
Frank Bruno was nothing anywhere near the monster that was Sonny Liston; Floyd Patterson would take out Frank Bruno.
No. Going in to the Archie Moore showdown for the vacated World Heavyweight Championship, Floyd Patterson only had one loss- a disputed eight-round decision at the hands of Joey Maxim. Otherwise, he had some solid contenders on his resume, including two over Yvonne Durrelle (a Archie Moore victim, as well), and most recently, a solid win over the decent Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson.
He was a worthy champion, but not big enough or with strong enough chin to face top heavyweights. Too bad there was no cruiserweight then.