As a fan, I met him the weekend before he knocked out Cooper and did him a small favour related to the fight. He stayed at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch. I’d written to him in advance, so it was great to meet him. Re’ him not attending fight, it might have been he had a fight coming up on the 29th. He was interested in hearing about it, and was going to watch the recording. When I knocked on his door, he had just returned from a run and we went straight across to his gym where he did a workout. Later we went to his doctor, as his back was bothering him.
amazing. you must have been more than just another fan to floyd. skipping madison square garden on march, the 8th because of his own fight that was still 3 weeks away?!? - i just don't get it! this could not be the reason for not going.
Floyd Patterson did have issues with his back, he did during his first title bout against Muhammad Ali in 1965, Al Silvani his cornerman was hoisting his Floyd around the back to alleviate the back pain. It must have been very exiting to have met Floyd Patterson, he was a great man, and champion.
Severe back problems, yet despite being incapacitated by this from about the third round, and being the”glass” chinned boxer went 12 before the fight was stopped!
The only reason Cooper took the fight, 10 months after Floyd being “carried”by Ali was because Coop’s manager felt he was ripe for the taking and a victory over Patterson “would look good on our e’Nery’s record!” What did look good, was the knockout over a cut free Cooper.
I remember very clearly going to junior school the day after the fight, on my birthday (9th March) feeling very happy because Smokin' Joe had won the fight. My Mum was a Smokin' Joe fan, so therefore, so was I. I remember being the only kid in school being happy with the result. Most kids in school wanted the extrovert Ali to win, but not me! Where has the last 50 years gone?