Why did Patterson give Brian London a Title Shot?

Patterson's reign was all about avoiding Sonny Liston. Cus protected Floyd, filled his time with guys like London. There was no justice in the division at the time.

 

It was also a good chance to get an international gate. He really wanted to fight Henry Cooper. Cooper refused. Does anyone know why?

 

Cooper turned down the fight, so it was offered to London instead. London was actually fined by the BBBC for taking the fight, as at the time only the British champion could challenge for the world title.

 

Patterson handled both of them if anything he sorted out Henry easier than London .Floyd would have viewed Henry as more dangerous. London would be regarded as easy money.

 

Patterson fought the weakest contenders and was the most egregious "ducker" of anyone in the single belt era. That wasn't even his worst challenger, imagine someone today offering a title shot to someone who had never had a professional fight in his life.

 

yet still managed to become undisputed hw champion 15 years younger than, say, wladdie.


with 4 more atg fights (wlad has none) as well as HoFers (wlad has none).. not bad for someone who you think is a ducker.

but I would agree that at such a young age, he lacked confidence in himself... yet with this lack, he still outstripped wladdie in decade terms.

 

I posted about this last night in the Ezzard Charles vs. Floyd Patterson thread. Basically, over a six-week span, Johansson had knocked out Machen to become the number one contender, Cooper had decisioned the #2 contender Folley and London had stopped the #3 contender Pastrano. Patterson signed to fight Johansson, but wanted a tuneup (because he'd only fought once in the past year). They offered Cooper $75,000 and a title shot, but he wanted $150,000. So they offered London $75,000 and he accepted, and Patterson fought the tuneup against London before fighting Johansson.

 

Very interesting. Thanks

 

Because they offered Cooper $75,000, he wanted $150,000 ... so they offered London $75,000 and he took it.

 

Sure, fought a lot of ATG's (usually losing) either after losing the title, or lost to them in title defenses. He basically made Ingo a HOF'er by not being a dominant champ. If Wlad lost to Haye, then Wlad came back and beat Haye, and Haye retired, Haye would have had a better resume than Johanson.

Patterson was probably the 3rd best HW of his era, Wlad was #2.
Wlad is a vastly better HW than fringe top 20 Patterson.

 

So much negative BS against Floyd. atsch
Why so much hate?
Cooper refused the fight and [YT][/YT]we know Cus 'steered' Floyd into contenders. Not Floyd's fault.
We could start another thread about Floyd fighting Folley-Machen-Williams in the late 50's (another thread)
To the poster that referenced Radamacher...the whole scheme of things was different in the old days. Bobby Jones, one of the greatest golfers that ever lived, NEVER turned pro.
Pete was a career amateur that, finally, turned pro at 28.
Floyd 180 lbs. and something fought Pete who was 7 yrs older and 200 lbs. ++. After Pete's right, Floyd rose with a smile on his face and decked Pete a hundred times (hyperbole).
Interestingly, after dispatching London, Floyd fought Ingo about one month later which was interesting given Cus's avoidance tactics.

 

Put a 1960 Wlad against a 2005 Patterson! Eras andy but no one seems to listen....

 

The Johansson fight was actually signed first. The London fight was wedged in there as a tuneup.