What are some boxing myths that can be broken with FACTS?

Patterson simply wasn't a great champion.
He was in real trouble with some real mediocre fighters, too often.

 

A suprising, but true fact.

Joe Louis was offered some nice 'dough' to help train Ingo in Miami Beach,
for his upcoming March 13, 1961 bout with Floyd Patterson.

Seems like the late-Night 'chick-hunting' was getting to the Swede.

 

Truth is, Johansson probably left the championship in some nightclub somewhere soon after he'd won it.

Johansson was good in '58 and '59 when he destroyed Machen and then Patterson. But his love of the night attractions, women, wine and good old fashioned fun was his downfall.
And then Patterson clobbered him in the rematch, badly.
By March 1961 Johansson was badly damaged goods.

Of course, Patterson supporters will say the trilogy proves Floyd's superiority. Maybe. But if Johansson had come in all three fights the same condition he did the first (and he wasn't exactly a spartan trainer then !) I think things would have been different.

 

Ingo,,,,,,,,,,still one cool Swede,,,,,who made of boat-load of 'kronor'

February 8, 1961
'Joe Louis Nixes Offer To Help Train Ingemar'

Joe Louis turned down an 'attractive' offer from Feature Sports, Inc.
to work out with Swedish boxer Ingemar Johansson, for his forth-coming
Title bout with Floyd Patterson, here at Miami Beach on March 13.
Joe told Bill Fugazy Jr., co-owner of the fight firm, that it was against
his principles to take such a job.

Bill Fugazy Jr,. stated, that he thought the offer was two-fold, one to help
train a fighter in need of proper guidance, and two, to help a former champion in need
of money.

Another mistake in the Joe Louis Road to 'brokeness'.

 

why was it against louis' principles? Because he knew it was to help him out of money trouble?

 

The 'principles' reason was never stated in detail, other than he just
turned the offer down.

Going by the $ numbers, it was probably $15,000 for a months work,
plus expenses.

 

I think so. He had decent footwork, though. But his head movement and punching (other than the straight right) was not on a high level.

 

Same can be said of Holyfield. I wouldn't call Floyd a "great" champion, but more than decent. After the loss to Ali in 1965 he arguably never lost to anyone else ever again. He beat top contenders during a period of 16-17 years. At 21 he beat Moore in more impressive fashion than Marciano did.

 

that's a lot of dough. maybe the man just had his pride

 

Feature Sports, Inc, and Bill Fugazy Jr, were just trying to help the
former champion out.

They didn't have to offer him anything.
At the time, Joe was losing money trying to promote fights in Los Angeles.

 

that's ****ing tragic. it's been said but he gave so much and was left with nothing. i mean, the man made mistakes to be sure but an icon like that deserved better

 

No, I don't think the same can be said of Holyfield.
He only got knocked down by Bert Cooper and Riddick Bowe in his first 16 years as a professional.
Patterson was off his feet several times, and struggling against lesser fighters, more often.

Patterson was whipped badly by Ali and Liston, the two best around. He was brutally whipped by Johansson the first time too. Personally I think he would have been whipped badly by Frazier too. Ellis and Quarry, who Floyd gets props for arguably outpointing, were whipped quite badly by Ali and Frazier too.

Floyd having trouble with the overweight faded and jaded Ingo in 1961 was par for him.

 

It's hard to have sympathy for a man who admits he gambled away thousands (perhaps a million) on the golf course and the poker tables though.

Besides, Joe Louis was too much of a man to warrant anyone's pity.

 

I think Floyd Patterson was a fine HW and definately great when you consider that he could have made the 175 limit, at least early in his HW reign. Instead he chose to fight where the money was and cashed in. It was a very smart business move. It may have hurt his all-time standing somewhat but when you are counting dollars and cents its hard to argue his logic. Furthermore the knockdowns he suffered, more often than not, had a lot more to do with his style of jumping in than him actually being in trouble. I dont fault him for losing to Johansson. Johansson had one of the best right hands in history. Its also hard to fault him for losing to Ali (especially with a bad back) who was in my opinion the greatest HW ever. The Liston losses are somewhat troubling more for their quick manner than anything but a lot of guys got blown out by Liston. Its not like he was a bum.