Was Patterson the best fighter AFTER losing his title?

A peak Frazier had more timing and his eyesight was better. prime Frazier was pinpoint, could double up the hooks and score on the way in at any range. He even beat lightheavyweight bob foster to the draw. About 60% of Fraziers defence was getting the first shot home but he lost that extra second after the first Ali fight ...and that was worth 60%.

Watch Foreman against Ted Gulick just before he fought Frazier. No wonder everyone thought Frazier would beat Foreman! Gullick could hit Foreman on the way in, beat him to the punch but was not an elite fighter like Frazier was still thought of. Gullick had the eyesight and the timing but not the pop in his punch. Prime Frazier would have.

Many fighters fought Liston and lots lasted longer than Patterson.

 

Still wouldn't have mattered.


You mean the Gullick that got KO'd early?



Not really. Most everyone got stopped quick by a prime Liston, and the ones who lasted any amount of rounds were either big dudes, which Patterson was not, or fought very defensively/cautiously/cute.

 

That's a very interesting thought. You may be onto something here.

 

I wondered how you acquired those statistics.Did you calculate that from Joe Frazier's duck/slip ratio or you just making those up?