Why did Liston give Patterson a immediate re-match?

A question I could never get straight either???? Probably the most pointless match in the history of heavyweight title fights - totally ridiculous - suppose Patterson may have been desperate to redeem himself maybe?? Don't really know - was it to fill time until Clay was deemed totally ready??

 

Champions deserve rematches.

Patterson went against what people wanted him to do and did give Liston a much deserved Title fight. Maybe Liston respected that.
Patterson also said that if he were to beat Liston in the rematch he would also give him another shot at the title.

Rematch might have also been good money.

 

They probably had a return fight clause in the contract.

I'm not against champions receiving rematches, but immediate rematches should only be bestowed on fighters who proved they were good enough to give the winner a real fight. Patterson didn't deserve the immediate rematch.

 

because Patterson was a great champion.. And he was very anxious for a rematch I believe.

 

I think Patterson wanted it alot and he was eager to get in the ring with Sonny again. He also talked of a third fight which sounds crazy but I gotta respect his heart. His chin may have been weak but his heart was big as Texas. I'm proud to be a fan of his.

 

Most champions had there rematch.

I bellive Liston Patterson had a rematch clause if Sonny won.

 

One of the few I loved in the ring or out. That was a mensch.

 

I saw the movie Phantom Punch starring Ving Rhames as Sonny Liston. According to the movie, the mob told Sonny to take a dive against Floyd, but he didn't do it. And he refused to do it in the rematch, too. Makes no real sense, I know.

 

...Seriously? I've never heard of that movie. I watched Rhames play Don King, I didn't know about Liston. I'll check that one out. Glad you mentioned it.

 

Yeah. Rhames played a good Liston. He captured his personality pretty well, but he didn't really do a good job of emulating his fighting style. Didn't have the jab or anything. Matter of fact, most of the fight scenes were poorly cherographed. And don't get me started on the loser that they hired to play Muhammad Ali. :verysad Fail.

 

Late 50's, early 60's a lot of "re-match clauses" were in the contracts in case the champ lost.

The public didn't like them and for awhile the Boxing Orgs. banned them.

From 1959 to 1965 (6 years) only 4 people fought for the Heavywt title...Patterson, Ingo, Liston & Ali.

 

Didn't do a good job of Ali at all. I don't think he even talked.

 

Big Patterson fan myself. What's fascinating too is that he was able to do so well even in his 30's.

 

Floyd himself made the decision to give Liston a shot. Patterson alone is responsible for the fact that Sonny did not become the Harry Wills of his generation, forever a non champion. Liston owed him for that.

Beyond this, Floyd was similarly battered and beaten in short order by Ingo, and avenged that defeat in stunning fashion, then took the rubber match. His history with Ingo made a return with Sonny not wildly out of order.