what fighters who've been ko'd multiple times

Fair comment, but I would say from Liston on, Patterson avoided no one.

I appreciate he was never champ again, but from after the Liston bouts to the Ali rematch, he redeemed a lot of respect that was lost in his title defences.

And coming into the WBA tournament was genuinely feared, not in the Liston/Foreman/Tyson sense, but in the 'as a contender the last thing I want to do is to fight a very lively veteran' sense.

 

I respect his post Liston career. Machen was a conclusive win, Chuvalo resourceful and Cooper devastating. I thought he defeated Ellis, and showed he was still a top five HW by decisioning Bonavena in 1972. The case has also been made that he should hold two wins over a near peak Jerry Quarry.

He competed over 20 years, and might have remained a top ten contender for a few more after Ali II. Guys like Ali, Foreman and Frazier would have obviously been beyond him during the early 1970s, but I think a third bout with JQ could have been merited after Ali II, as well as a rematch with Ellis. He might have surprised people with pairings against Young [where Floyd's combination of hand speed and body punching may have been a HUGE factor], Lyle [much slower and far less experienced], and Norton [who wasn't as awesome as he sometimes looked, and far too slow to catch Floyd cold].

Patterson didn't always stay on his feet, but he never stayed on the deck either [he was back on his feet both times the referee waved the count complete against Liston].

Floyd's dedicated conditioning and lack of quit should serve as a model to all heavyweights. He never gassed, no matter how old he got. In retirement, he ranks with Carnera as the most physically active and fit of all former HW champions [Primo continued his athletic career as a wrestling attraction, while Floyd ran marathons after training years for a third bout with Ali that could never materialize.]

 

And as soon as I submit post #17, I spot this. Floyd could well wind up getting a lot more comments like ours in this thread.

 

I think Arguello fits the criteria here.

 

Patterson doesn't even belong on the list IMO. Liston "KO'd" him but
Floyd wasn't lying in a puddle, he was getting to his feet. Ingo yes but he kept rising. Two Ali Tko's? Floyd has the bad back and still wouldn't quit and in the rematch his was basically even with Ali until Muhammad blasted his permanently damaged eye (thanks Devil Green :twisted
He was always a feared opponent, no one could take him lightly with those combos and the HOF numbing left hook. The Patterson 'ragging' continues. :?

 

Former LW Champion Claude Noel after Pryor I and former JWW Champion Billy Costello after Pryor II supply some credence to this. Alexis was agonizingly forced to retire after being diagnosed with a heart condition following Costello. Billy had all the best of it up until a single crushing knockdown blow completely turned the tables. The WBC LWW Title may have been Arguello's for the taking from Leroy Haley, to Bruce Curry, to Costello, to Lonnie Smith to Arrendondo to Roger Mayweather, as long as Alexis maintained one shot potency. [JCC would clearly be the one to put a halt to this.]

 

Great post! Considering the era (had he come along in the late-60's early 70's he would have been a chisled 200+ pounder with all his afformentioned skills) he would have been a top contender and a tough 'out' for anyone. Consi
der this: With a win over Maxim, a 3-0-0 run thru Quarry-Quarry-Ellis, we're talking a 59-5 record against top flight comp. 2 losses to Ali, two losses to Liston, the 1st Ingo (which he avenged). No one put Floyd out. Small Heavy with power. His own personal 'demons' were his downfall. Imagine if he took the Ingo 2 mindset into ALL of his fights? I guess we all wouldn't have loved him like we did if he had. ATG fighter and great individual. I cried when he passed. As much as I love Ali, given his legacy, it should have been Floyd carrying that Olympic torch on that day. But, that's the way it goes isn't it?

 

Good points.

I grew up during Patterson's championship, was a boxing fan along with my Dad and we were both disappointed that Patterson dodged people like Machen, Folley and kept Liston waiting for years when they were top contenders. Not to mention him wasting his title fighting people like Brian London and Rademacher.
I'm sure my opinion of him stems from that.

The more I read here about him, I admit he was a workhorse and a very skilled fighter. He gave the game his best and beat a lot of top notch fighters.

He was also a humble man and a class act outside of the ring.

 

mike weaver

 

Terry Norris, Julian Jackson, Nigel Benn, Tommy Morrison, Frank Bruno, Luisito Espinosa... after being stopped 4 times Espinosa had some of his best wins.

 

I would say guys like Lew Jenkins and Bob Satterfield would have still been on a warning list for managers bringing up a prospect even in their late stages of the career.