What If Floyd Patterson Had Fought Zora Folley Instead Of Brian London In 1959?

LoadedGlove · Jun 10, 2020

klompton2 said: ↑

Patterson all day long. As Jason said above, Folley was a fine technical boxer but he didnt have that extra something that Patterson had, that "X" factor. Patterson was faster, more dynamic, hit harder, and frankly was more well rounded. Folley was reactionary. He waited and waited and waited to find a counterpunch. He also didnt have a great chin regardless of what people say about Patterson and I think between Patterson's speed, versatility, and power and Folley's almost lazy approach to fights Patterson would have at the very least outpointed him and Id give him a decent chance of a stoppage. Remember how the London fight came about in the first place. Patterson was signed to fight Johansson, his number one contender, in a big ball park match that summer. Folley had lost his number two rating to Henry Cooper through his chronic inactivity in the ring. Cooper had a signed contract to face Patterson for about $70,000 but Cooper then fought London in a very dramatic and exciting bout which he won despite getting dropped and cut to ribbons. After that fight Cooper demanded DOUBLE what he agreed to fight Patterson and essentially priced himself out of the fight so Patterson instead fought London. Had Folley not lost and Cooper not priced himself out of the fight (and we saw later why he did that) Folley likely would have gotten that title shot and likely would have lost.
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Blimey ! Never knew that back story. Old Jim Wicks over egging the pudding eh ?

LoadedGlove · Jun 10, 2020

mcvey said: ↑

Are you sure London dropped Coooper in their second fight? Cooper had a nose bleed from the first round to the last and two cuts under his eye,London had puffed and discoloured eyes.Cooper won clearly as I recall and there is no mention of London flooring him in Cooper's autobiography.
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klompton2 said: ↑

Yes, Cooper jumped in with a punch and London landed a left followed by a right swing to the back of Coopers head and then moved out of the way and Cooper went to his knees. He was up immediately and Im not sure if it was even scored.

Cooper was clearly the better of the two but he had his hands well full with London who was on the attack and in his face all the time. The point is that Folley could have had the shot if he could have beaten Cooper and Cooper could have had the shot if he hadnt priced himself out of it, which he did with Chuvalo too. I think Coopers people knew that with his straight up and down style he would have been a chopping block for Patterson (which he was when he finally fought him). No other explanation makes any sense as to why he would go back on a signed contract to challenge for the greatest prize in the sport and demand double what he had already agreed to. Sure he had won the commonwealth and british titles but he couldnt have seriously entertained the idea that those titles alone made him worth double his original asking price. I seriously doubt he made more than the $70,000 he originally agreed to when he defended his domestic titles against Gawie de Klerk in his next fight and he certainly didnt get the opportunity to fight for the HW championship.
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Jim Wicks wanted no part of Chuvalo. George was desperate for the fight and even came to the UK to do publicity and interviews to try to make it happen.

LoadedGlove · Jun 10, 2020

I reckon this would have been a superb fight. Both guys were right at their respective peaks. Folley wasn't dynamic but he was crafty and although he wasn't an extravagant mover, his small movements, the little slips and ability to ride a shot were the hallmarks of a class Fighter. He also had very quick hands.
Patterson was much quicker on his feet than Folley and, I reckon, would have made Zora come after him then would have got in and out.
Floyd was also far more willing to take a risk to land the big shot. I see Patterson winning around the 10th, stopping a tiring Folley after a superb technical match.

klompton2 · Jun 10, 2020

LoadedGlove said: ↑

Jim Wicks wanted no part of Chuvalo. George was desperate for the fight and even came to the UK to do publicity and interviews to try to make it happen.
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Very true. I think Wicks even admitted it later. Chuvalo was all wrong for Cooper. He would have taken a lot of punishment on the way in but he would have eventually bulldozed his way to a win over Cooper.

mcvey · Jun 11, 2020

KernowWarrior said: ↑

5th round, Cooper was dropped to his knee, but arose before ref started the count.
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Thanks, I didn't know that.

mcvey · Jun 11, 2020

klompton2 said: ↑

Yes, Cooper jumped in with a punch and London landed a left followed by a right swing to the back of Coopers head and then moved out of the way and Cooper went to his knees. He was up immediately and Im not sure if it was even scored.

Cooper was clearly the better of the two but he had his hands well full with London who was on the attack and in his face all the time. The point is that Folley could have had the shot if he could have beaten Cooper and Cooper could have had the shot if he hadnt priced himself out of it, which he did with Chuvalo too. I think Coopers people knew that with his straight up and down style he would have been a chopping block for Patterson (which he was when he finally fought him). No other explanation makes any sense as to why he would go back on a signed contract to challenge for the greatest prize in the sport and demand double what he had already agreed to. Sure he had won the commonwealth and british titles but he couldnt have seriously entertained the idea that those titles alone made him worth double his original asking price. I seriously doubt he made more than the $70,000 he originally agreed to when he defended his domestic titles against Gawie de Klerk in his next fight and he certainly didnt get the opportunity to fight for the HW championship.
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Thanks for the confirmation and additional info.Wicks and Cooper didn't want any part of Chuvalo that I do know.
I was on my first foreign holiday when Cooper fought Patterson,Majorca,my cousins and I listened to the fight on the roof of our villa.If I remember rightly Floyd took Henry out with a right hand.

Richard M Murrieta · Jun 11, 2020

klompton2 said: ↑

Patterson all day long. As Jason said above, Folley was a fine technical boxer but he didnt have that extra something that Patterson had, that "X" factor. Patterson was faster, more dynamic, hit harder, and frankly was more well rounded. Folley was reactionary. He waited and waited and waited to find a counterpunch. He also didnt have a great chin regardless of what people say about Patterson and I think between Patterson's speed, versatility, and power and Folley's almost lazy approach to fights Patterson would have at the very least outpointed him and Id give him a decent chance of a stoppage. Remember how the London fight came about in the first place. Patterson was signed to fight Johansson, his number one contender, in a big ball park match that summer. Folley had lost his number two rating to Henry Cooper through his chronic inactivity in the ring. Cooper had a signed contract to face Patterson for about $70,000 but Cooper then fought London in a very dramatic and exciting bout which he won despite getting dropped and cut to ribbons. After that fight Cooper demanded DOUBLE what he agreed to fight Patterson and essentially priced himself out of the fight so Patterson instead fought London. Had Folley not lost and Cooper not priced himself out of the fight (and we saw later why he did that) Folley likely would have gotten that title shot and likely would have lost.
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Really good post, I did not know what led up to that match against Brian London, good info.

InMemoryofJakeLamotta · Jun 12, 2020

mcvey said: ↑

It would have been a real fight instead of a glorified sparring session. A really competitive scrap and Zora would be in there with a fine chance,and if his right hand found Patterson's chin,he could spring the upset.
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Brian London>>>>>your favorite modern day super heavyweight champion

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