2020 Boxing News. He went and visited during the early summer years. However, he eventually recovered and began winning fights again, including top victories over Eddie Machen and George Chuvalo; the Chuvalo match won The Ring's "Fight of the Year" award. In September 1969 he divorced his first wife, Sandra Hicks Patterson, who wanted him to quit boxing, while he still had hopes for another title shot. After getting up from the second knockdown, Floyd abandoned his jab and connected with a left hook that knocked down Johansson. Patterson carried his hands higher than most boxers, in front of his face. The beleaguered ex-champ was being bullied around the ring, falling to his knee early on from what referee Arthur Mercante ruled a slip. If the fight had been decided on appearance alone Patterson would have walked away the easy victor. The fight between the world-heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and the challenger Floyd Patterson took place on November 22, 1965 in a packed Convention Center in Las Vagas, Nevada (Muhammad Ali vs Floyd Patterson I). Jim Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson picked Patterson to win. Muhammad Ali vs Floyd Patterson (1st meeting). Nathan Fogg recounts the story of two heavyweight greats – Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson – meeting in the ring for a rematch on September 20, 1972. Overnight, Patterson seemed to lose his public support as a result of his swift knockout.[14]. ", This page was last edited on 2 October 2020, at 12:01. Sign up for the free Boxing News newsletter(s) here. Muhammad Ali vs Floyd Patterson (1st meeting). Subsequently, in a third and final attempt at winning the title a third time, Patterson lost a controversial 15-round referee's decision to Jimmy Ellis in Sweden, despite breaking Ellis's nose and scoring a disputed knockdown. [29], Patterson suffered from Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer in his final years. Liston battered Patterson with body shots and then shortened up and connected with two double hooks high on the head. [16] Ali called Patterson an "Uncle Tom" for refusing to call him Muhammad Ali (Patterson continued to call him Cassius Clay) and for his outspokenness against black Muslims. Nov. 22, 1965. The fight also carried a number of social implications. When Ali was stripped of his title for refusing induction into the military, the World Boxing Association staged an eight-man tournament to determine his successor. Johansson triumphed over Patterson on June 26, 1959, with the referee Ruby Goldstein stopping the fight in the third round after the Swede had knocked Patterson down seven times. [5] However, after Rocky Marciano announced his retirement as World Heavyweight Champion on April 27, 1956, Patterson was ranked by The Ring magazine as the top light heavyweight contender. [12], Patterson lost his title to Liston in Chicago on September 25, 1962, by a first-round knockout in front of 18,894 fans. As for Ali, on a night where ‘The Greatest’ was below his own self-set standard of brilliance, his artistry and dominance was still on show. Johansson had landed both right hands over Floyd's left jab. In retirement, he and Ingemar Johansson became good friends who flew across the Atlantic to visit each other every year and he served two terms as chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission. On November 22, 1965, in yet another attempt to be the first to win the world heavyweight title three times, Patterson lost by technical knockout at the end of the 12th round, going into the fight with an injured sacro-iliac joint in a bout in which Ali was clearly dominant. With glazed eyes, blood trickling from his mouth and his left foot quivering, he was counted out. Muhammad Ali vs Floyd Patterson #Legendary Night# HD - YouTube IT was a battle between two hall-of-famers at very different stages of their respective careers. Boxing. [4] At that time he was spotted by Cus D'Amato, and trained at the Gramercy Gym. Patterson turned pro and steadily rose through the ranks, his only early defeat being an eight-round decision to former Light Heavyweight Champion Joey Maxim on June 7, 1954, at the Eastern Parkway Arena in Brooklyn, New York. Patterson fought Jerry Quarry to a draw in 1967. She can be unfaithful, she can be mean, she can be cruel, but it doesn't matter. In Las Vegas that night, Patterson attempted to become the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times, but Liston once again knocked him out in the first round. If you love her, you want her, even though she can do you all kinds of harm. permission to use this video on my tube channel, my email:ttim52359@, SportsVision & Intercontinental Promotions, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). ", On boxing: "It's like being in love with a woman. An overhand right caught Patterson flush on the ropes, and the champion began to unload. Patterson's amateur record was 40 wins (37 by knockout) and 4 defeats. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1952 Summer Olympics. After the fight Ali paid tribute to his twice-beaten foe, “Patterson is a great, great fighter. But the power in Ingemar's punches was gone. It's in defeat that a man reveals himself. See what's new with book lending at the Internet Archive, Uploaded by See Also: Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson (2nd meeting) Quotes "The image of a Black Muslim as the World Heavyweight Champion disgraces the sport and the nation." Patterson continued on, defeating Oscar Bonavena in a close fight over ten rounds in early 1972. After Marciano's announcement, Jim Norris of the International Boxing Club stated that Patterson was one of the six fighters who would take part in an elimination tournament to crown Marciano's successor. Savanah Joe Patterson was his first cousin from out of Arkansas. [11] Patterson said John F. Kennedy also did not want him to fight Liston. After an inauspicious start it was in the third round when the tempo picked up, Ali unleashed his right and Patterson began to cut the distance, working well on the inside. [21] The defeat proved to be Patterson's last fight, although there was never an announcement of retirement. As a result, D'Amato turned down any challenges involving the IBC. [24] They had two daughters, Jennifer and Janene. However, Patterson did not use his speed to his benefit. Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Before the fight the undisputed heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, who had already defeated Ali in the first matchup of their famous trilogy, was brought into the ring and introduced to the crowd. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Leading up to the fight, Liston was the major betting-line favorite, though Sports Illustrated predicted that Patterson would win in 15 rounds. m-baer After a series of defenses against fringe contenders (Hurricane Jackson, Pete Rademacher, Roy Harris,[7] and Brian London), Patterson met Ingemar Johansson of Sweden, the number one contender, in the first of three fights. At the age of 21, he became the youngest boxer in history to win the title, and was also the first heavyweight to regain the title after losing it. [3] Three years later, he won the gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as a middleweight. A third fight between them was held on March 13, 1961 and while Johansson put Patterson on the floor, Patterson retained his title by knockout in the sixth round to win the rubber match in which Patterson was decked twice and Johansson, once in the first round. If you don't believe the title is already in America, just see who I pay taxes to." At the age of 21, he became the youngest boxer in history to win the title, and was also the first heavyweight to regain the title after losing it. He stayed there for almost two years. - Patterson before the fight "Patterson says he's gonna bring the title back to America. Championship. The final image of the former heavyweight champion of the world’s career; departing from the arena with his left eye almost completely swollen shut in front of 17,378 spectators at Madison Square Garden. [28], The New Paltz High School football field was named "Floyd Patterson Field" in 1985. Championship. Nov. 22, 1965. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, where Floyd was a truant and a petty thief. Although Patterson fought around the light heavyweight limit for much of his early career, he and manager Cus D'Amato always had plans to fight for the Heavyweight Championship. He beat Moore by a knockout in five rounds and became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history, at the age of 21 years, 10 months, 3 weeks and 5 days. Johansson lay unconscious for five minutes before he was helped onto a stool. Eventually, due to a monetary dispute with Jimmy Jacobs, Patterson removed D'Amato from handling his business affairs and agreed to fight Liston. There would be bigger nights and better fights to come for Ali, but Patterson’s was nonetheless an impressive scalp on an already packed record. In the 6th round, Johansson caught Patterson with a solid right. In a rematch four months later, Patterson lost a controversial 12-round decision to Quarry. Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. [27] Floyd also trained Canadian heavyweight Donovan "Razor" Ruddock in 1992 for his fights with Greg Page, Phil Jackson, and Lennox Lewis. 02387149. In 1966 he traveled to England and knocked out British boxer Henry Cooper in just four rounds at Wembley Stadium. Ali danced around Patterson, controlling the range with a casual flick of the jab, whilst Patterson found occasional success with a lunging left hook – a punch which had already floored Ali at the hands of Sonny Banks, Henry Cooper and Joe Frazier. All I did was close his eye.” His forceful win had brought to an end the thrilling 55-8-1 (40) career of an Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion. [23], Patterson lived in New Paltz, New York for many years with his second wife, Janet Seaquist. They are the first father and son to win world titles in boxing. For fans of Patterson, and of boxing in general, the seventh and final round makes difficult viewing. Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962. [30] His body was buried at New Paltz Rural Cemetery in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York.[31][32]. Patterson remained a legitimate contender. This was due in part to Cus D'Amato, who did not want Patterson in the ring with a boxer with mob connections. The rematch was set for April 1963; however, Liston injured his knee swinging a golf club and the fight was delayed three months to July 22. He attended high school in New Paltz, New York where he succeeded in all sports.[2]. Following these defeats, Patterson went through a depression.