What if Patterson beat Liston?

[VG_Addict]

Let's say Patterson successfully defended against Liston. Would Ali have fought HIM for the Heavyweight title?

[Boxing Bob]

You're really reaching here as Liston dribbled Patterson like a basketball. If by some miracle Patterson had beaten Liston, Ali would have easily beaten Patterson. Patterson had a small edge in power, but everything else favors Ali not to mention he was the naturally bigger fighter. Can't ko what ya can't hit. Ali in a lopsided decision

[rightsideup]

You're really reaching here as Liston dribbled Patterson like a basketball. If by some miracle Patterson had beaten Liston, Ali would have easily beaten Patterson. Patterson had a small edge in power, but everything else favors Ali not to mention he was the naturally bigger fighter. Can't ko what ya can't hit. Ali in a lopsided decision

the above is close to my view but I think ali stops patterson.

[Ray Corso]

Ali over powers both of them, with speed, techniques and power!! Thats right both get pummled by Ali and thats no fantasy!
The thought that Ali has no power wasn't true, he hada great straight right hand that had plenty on in and you never saw anyone try to walk threw his shots. Once he widened his stance all of his opponents looked to slide off or just stayed out of range. Once you saw him start to touch his forehead with his right glove thats when he was looking to load up! That right discouraged the likes of Foreman, Frazier, Williams and a few others known for good heavyweight chins! Then plenty of them got stopped!!! Ray.

[The Iron Man]

You're really reaching here as Liston dribbled Patterson like a basketball. If by some miracle Patterson had beaten Liston, Ali would have easily beaten Patterson. Patterson had a small edge in power, but everything else favors Ali not to mention he was the naturally bigger fighter. Can't ko what ya can't hit. Ali in a lopsided decision

I think on hand speed they were pretty close. Patterson had amazingly fast hands, I would favour Ali though just thought that was a point worth bringing up.

[Sugarj]

When Patterson finally did meet Ali in 1965, he was hopelessly impaired with a back injury. That performance has no basis on which to compare say 1962/63 Patterson with the Ali of the same years. Yet it took Ali 12 rounds to get him out of there.

If you watch Patterson fight Ali in 1972 the contest is much closer for a few rounds and Patterson certainly won a few. Ten years earlier it could be argued that Ali had really tough battles with Doug Jones and Henry Cooper. He was under-developed.......and Patterson was far superior to these two.

Patterson had hands every bit as fast as Ali. I think it would have been a superb fight in the early 60s.

[Daddy T]

kind of a weird thread - its like asking what if spinks beat tyson or frazier beat foreman

[Capaedia]

Let's say Patterson successfully defended against Liston. Would Ali have fought HIM for the Heavyweight title?

If they let Patterson bring a gun into the ring against Liston, yes I think he would've eventually given Ali a shot.

Emphasis on eventually. Cus would probably have him avoid Ali like he did Liston

You're really reaching here as Liston dribbled Patterson like a basketball. If by some miracle Patterson had beaten Liston, Ali would have easily beaten Patterson. Patterson had a small edge in power, but everything else favors Ali not to mention he was the naturally bigger fighter. Can't ko what ya can't hit. Ali in a lopsided decision

Patterson has a significant edge in power. He is also pretty much Ali's equal in speed. He is a great technician and his defense was pretty good too.

When Patterson finally did meet Ali in 1965, he was hopelessly impaired with a back injury. That performance has no basis on which to compare say 1962/63 Patterson with the Ali of the same years. Yet it took Ali 12 rounds to get him out of there.

If you watch Patterson fight Ali in 1972 the contest is much closer for a few rounds and Patterson certainly won a few. Ten years earlier it could be argued that Ali had really tough battles with Doug Jones and Henry Cooper. He was under-developed.......and Patterson was far superior to these two.

Patterson had hands every bit as fast as Ali. I think it would have been a superb fight in the early 60s.

Good post.

[Boxing Bob]

If they let Patterson bring a gun into the ring against Liston, yes I think he would've eventually given Ali a shot.

Emphasis on eventually. Cus would probably have him avoid Ali like he did Liston



Patterson has a significant edge in power. He is also pretty much Ali's equal in speed. He is a great technician and his defense was pretty good too.



Good post.

Liston had an even greater edge in power over Ali and it didn't serve him well. Again, in my opinion, Ali by lopsided decision.

[Scott9945]

When Patterson finally did meet Ali in 1965, he was hopelessly impaired with a back injury. That performance has no basis on which to compare say 1962/63 Patterson with the Ali of the same years. Yet it took Ali 12 rounds to get him out of there.

If you watch Patterson fight Ali in 1972 the contest is much closer for a few rounds and Patterson certainly won a few. Ten years earlier it could be argued that Ali had really tough battles with Doug Jones and Henry Cooper. He was under-developed.......and Patterson was far superior to these two.

Patterson had hands every bit as fast as Ali. I think it would have been a superb fight in the early 60s.

I watched Ali-Patterson II live on closed circuit TV, and I've seen the fight several times since. I'm convinced that Ali carried Floyd early in that fight, allowing him some dignity that he didn't get in their first match.