The Official Floyd Patterson Thread

[Mr. Ryan]

Floyd Patterson is one of the most compelling stories in boxing, a sport in which us writers are drawn to the human element of the game, and Patterson provided that in abundance.

He once criticised himself as a "coward", but anyone who was able to get up as many times as he did had a ton of balls. After losing a dubious decision to Joey Maxim for the 175 title, he moved up in 1956 and KO'ed Archie Moore to become the youngest heavyweight champion ever at 21. He lost it to the aloof Ingemar Johansen, getting bounced off the canvas 7 times in 3 rounds before the ref stopped the action. He returned in brutal fashion, destroying the Swede in the return to become the first champion to regain the title. After a scintillating rubber match in which he prevailed, he met his master in Sonny Liston, who stopped him twice in a total of 5 minutes to lose the title.

Patterson came back with one of his most entertaining performances, besting George Chuvalo over 15 to earn a crazk at the new champ, Muhammad Ali. Patterson took the stance that he was America's Hope to rid the heavyweight division of an anti-American muslim who had betrayed his friend Malcolm X and was with the Nation of Islam, who he felt were the equivalent of shaking hands with the KKK. Patterson was an integrationist, a poster boy for the NAACP. Ali ruthlessly branded him the great white hope, a white man's favorite and a "good negro".

Ali wooped the man, ending the bout in 12 brutal rounds. After Ali went into exile in '67, Patterson dropped a decision to Jimmy Ellis in the WBA Heavyweight tournament and never was a serious contender again.

In his later years, Patterson presided as the commissioner of the NY State Boxing Commission, before an appearance in front of the grand jury determined that he had suffered severe memory impairment and stepped down. The Bedford Stuyvesant native died last year, a hero who proved that even the greats shed tears.

[Dempsey 1919]

Originally Posted by Asian Sensation

Floyd Patterson is one of the most compelling stories in boxing, a sport in which us writers are drawn to the human element of the game, and Patterson provided that in abundance.

He once criticised himself as a "coward", but anyone who was able to get up as many times as he did had a ton of balls. After losing a dubious decision to Joey Maxim for the 175 title, he moved up in 1956 and KO'ed Archie Moore to become the youngest heavyweight champion ever at 21. He lost it to the aloof Ingemar Johansen, getting bounced off the canvas 7 times in 3 rounds before the ref stopped the action. He returned in brutal fashion, destroying the Swede in the return to become the first champion to regain the title. After a scintillating rubber match in which he prevailed, he met his master in Sonny Liston, who stopped him twice in a total of 5 minutes to lose the title.

Patterson came back with one of his most entertaining performances, besting George Chuvalo over 15 to earn a crazk at the new champ, Muhammad Ali. Patterson took the stance that he was America's Hope to rid the heavyweight division of an anti-American muslim who had betrayed his friend Malcolm X and was with the Nation of Islam, who he felt were the equivalent of shaking hands with the KKK. Patterson was an integrationist, a poster boy for the NAACP. Ali ruthlessly branded him the great white hope, a white man's favorite and a "good negro".

Ali wooped the man, ending the bout in 12 brutal rounds. After Ali went into exile in '67, Patterson dropped a decision to Jimmy Ellis in the WBA Heavyweight tournament and never was a serious contender again.

In his later years, Patterson presided as the commissioner of the NY State Boxing Commission, before an appearance in front of the grand jury determined that he had suffered severe memory impairment and stepped down. The Bedford Stuyvesant native died last year, a hero who proved that even the greats shed tears.

There are some inconsistencies here. Floyd didn't fight maxim for the lightheavyweight title, Moore already was champion then. The chuvalo figth was 12 rounds, not 15. Other than that, pretty good post.

[Mr. Ryan]

Originally Posted by butterfly1964

There are some inconsistencies here. Floyd didn't fight maxim for the lightheavyweight title, Moore already was champion then. The chuvalo figth was 12 rounds, not 15. Other than that, pretty good post.

I stand corrected, thanks. The Maxim fight was only 8 rounds. Patterson was not yet 20 so couldn't legally go 10 rounds yet.

[Mr. Ryan]

Patterson was too small as a heavyweight, he weighed only 182 for the Ingemar Johanson first fight.

[dempsey1919]

Patterson is one of the best fighter in HW history the youngest Lineal HW champ the first to win the title back after losing it to Johanson and as he said once they say I was the camp that got KD the most but I was also the champ that got up the most.