Floyd Patterson

Floyd Patterson
Patterson in 1962
Statistics
Nickname(s)	The Gentleman of Boxing
Rated at	Light heavyweight Heavyweight
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Reach	71 in (180 cm)
Nationality	American
Born	(1935-01-04)January 4, 1935 Waco, North Carolina, U.S.[1]
Died	May 11, 2006(2006-05-11) (aged 71) New Paltz, New York, U.S.[1]
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	64
Wins	55
Wins by KO	40
Losses	8
Draws	1
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  United States Olympic Games 1952 Helsinki Middleweight

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 from 1956 to 1962. 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. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Although Mike Tyson later became the youngest boxer to win a world heavyweight title at the age of 20, Patterson remains the youngest to hold the undisputed heavyweight title. Both Tyson and Patterson were trained by Cus D'Amato.

Early life

Born into a poor family in Waco, North Carolina, Patterson was the youngest of eleven children and experienced an insular and troubled childhood. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, where Floyd was a truant and petty thief. At age ten, he was sent to the Wiltwyck School for Boys, a reform school in upstate New York, which he credited with turning his life around. He stayed there for almost 2 years. He attended high school in New Paltz, New York where he succeeded in all sports (to this day the New Paltz football field is named in his honor). At age fourteen, he started to box, trained by Cus D'Amato at his Gramercy Gym. Aged just 17, Patterson won the Gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as a middleweight. 1952 turned out to be a good year for the young Patterson; in addition to Olympic gold Patterson won the National Amateur Middleweight Championship and New York Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship.

Olympic results

• Defeated Omar Tebakka (France) 3–0
• Defeated Leonardus Jansen (Netherlands) TKO 1
• Defeated Stig Sjölin (Sweden) DQ 3
• Defeated Vasile Tiţă (Romania) KO 1

Patterson's amateur record over 44 fights was 40–4, with 37 knockouts.

Patterson carried his hands higher than most boxers, in front of his face. Sportswriters called Patterson's style a "peek-a-boo" stance.

Early pro career

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. Most people think Patterson did enough to win, and Maxim's greater fame at the time helped to sway the judges.

Championship

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. In fact, D'Amato made these plans clear as early as 1954, when he told the press that Patterson was aiming for the heavyweight title.^[2] 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. 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. The Ring then moved Patterson into the heavyweight rankings, at number five.^[3]

Patterson vs. Moore

After beating Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson in an elimination fight, Patterson faced former Light Heavyweight Champion Archie Moore on November 30, 1956, for the World 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. He was the first Olympic gold medalist to win a professional heavyweight title.

Ingemar Johansson knocks out Floyd Patterson and becomes boxing heavyweight champion of the world, June 26, 1959.

Patterson vs. Johansson I, II & III

After a series of defenses against fringe contenders (Hurricane Jackson, Pete Rademacher, Roy Harris,^[4] and Brian London), Patterson met Ingemar Johansson of Sweden, the number one contender, in the first of three fights. 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. Johansson became Sweden's first World Heavyweight Champion, thus becoming a national hero as the first European to defeat an American for the title since 1933.

Patterson knocked out Johansson in the fifth round of their rematch on June 20, 1960, to become the first man in history to regain the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship. Johansson hit the canvas hard, seemingly out before he landed flat on his back. With glazed eyes, blood trickling from his mouth and his left foot quivering, he was counted out. Johansson lay unconscious for five minutes before he was helped onto a stool.

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. Johansson had landed both right hands over Floyd's left jab. After getting up from the second knockdown Floyd abandoned his jab and connected with a left hook that knocked down Johansson. After that, Patterson came on with a strong body attack that wore down Johansson. In the 6th round, Johansson caught Patterson with a solid right. But the power in Ingemar's punches was gone. Patterson won the fight in the 6th round by knockout.^[5]

Patterson vs. Liston I & II

After the third Johansson fight, Patterson defended the title on December 4, 1961 against Tom McNeeley and retained the title with a fourth-round knockout. However he did not fight number one contender Sonny Liston. This was due in part to Cus D'Amato, who did not want Patterson in the ring with a boxer with mob connections. As a result, D'Amato turned down any challenges involving the IBC. Eventually, due to a monetary dispute with Jimmy Jacobs, Patterson removed D'Amato from handling his business affairs and agreed to fight Liston.

Leading up to the fight, Sonny Liston was the major betting line favorite, though Sports Illustrated predicted that Patterson would win in 15 rounds. Jim Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson picked Patterson to win. The fight also carried a number of social implications. Liston's connections with the mob were well known and the NAACP was concerned about having to deal with Liston's visibility as World Champion and had encouraged Patterson not to fight Liston, fearing that a Liston victory would tarnish the civil rights movement.^[6] Patterson also claimed that John F. Kennedy did not want him to fight Liston either.^[7]

Patterson lost his title to Liston on September 25, 1962 in Chicago, by a first-round knockout in front of 18,894 fans. The two fighters were a marked contrast. In the ring, Liston's size and power proved too much for Patterson's guile and agility. However, Patterson did not use his speed to his benefit. According to Sports Illustrated writer Gilbert Rogin, Patterson didn't punch enough and frequently tried to clinch with Liston. Liston battered Patterson with body shots and then shortened up and connected with two double hooks high on the head. The result at the time was the third-fastest knockout in boxing history.^[8] After being knocked out, Patterson left Comiskey Park in Chicago wearing dark glasses and a fake beard for the drive back to New York. After the fight, questions were raised on whether the fight was fixed to set up a more lucrative rematch. Overnight, Patterson seemed to lose his public support as a result of his swift knockout.^[9]

The rematch was set for April 1963; however, Liston injured his knee swinging a golf club and the fight was delayed to July 22, 1963. 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. Patterson lasted four seconds longer than in the first bout.

Post-title career

Following these defeats, Patterson went through a depression. However, he eventually recovered and began winning fights again, including top victories over Eddie Machen and George Chuvalo. The Chuvalo match getting Ring magazine's "Fight of the Year" award.

Patterson was now the number one challenger for the title held by Muhammad Ali. 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.^[10] Ali called Patterson an "Uncle Tom" for refusing to call him Muhammad Ali (Patterson continued to call him Cassius Clay) and for this outspokenness against black Muslims.^[11] Instead of scoring a quick knockout, Ali mocked, humiliated and punished Patterson throughout the fight before knocking him out in the 12th round.^[12]

Patterson was still a legitimate contender. In 1966 he traveled to England and knocked out British boxer Henry Cooper in just four rounds at Wembley Stadium.

Patterson tried his hand at acting. He is seen in this 1968 The Wild Wild West episode as a landowner who is in danger of losing his property.

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.

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. Patterson fought Jerry Quarry to a draw in 1967. In a rematch four months later, Patterson lost a controversial 12-round decision to Quarry. 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.

Patterson continued on, defeating Oscar Bonavena in a close fight over ten rounds in early 1972.

At age 37, Patterson was stopped in the seventh round in a rematch with Muhammad Ali for the NABF heavyweight title on September 20, 1972. The defeat proved to be Patterson's last fight, although there was never an announcement of retirement.

Retired life

In retirement, he and Johansson became good friends who flew across the Atlantic to visit each other every year and he became chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.^[1] He was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 1991.^[13]

In 1982 and 1983 he ran the Stockholm Marathon together with Ingemar Johansson.

Patterson lived in New Paltz, New York for many years and was known as a true gentleman around town.

His adopted son, Tracy Harris Patterson, was a world champion boxer in the 1990s and was trained by Floyd during part of his career. Floyd also trained Canadian heavyweight Donovan "Razor" Ruddock in 1992 for his fights with Greg Page, Phil Jackson, and Lennox Lewis.^[14]

The New Paltz High School football field was named "Floyd Patterson Field" in 1985.

Death

The grave of Floyd Patterson

Floyd Patterson suffered from Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer and had been hospitalized for a week prior to his death. He died at home in New Paltz, on May 11, 2006 at age 71. He is buried at New Paltz Rural Cemetery in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York.^[15]

Quotes

• "It's easy to do anything in victory. It's in defeat that a man reveals himself."
• "They said I was the fighter who got knocked down the most, but I also got up the most." (This quote was used in the tenth episode of the 2009 TV series V.)
• "When you have millions of dollars, you have millions of friends."^[16]
• On boxing: "It's like being in love with a woman. She can be unfaithful, she can be mean, she can be cruel, but it doesn't matter. If you love her, you want her, even though she can do you all kinds of harm. It's the same with me and boxing. It can do me all kinds of harm but I love it."

Professional boxing record

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
64	Loss	55–8–1	Muhammad Ali	RTD	7 (12), 3:00	Sep 20, 1972	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	For NABF heavyweight title
63	Win	55–7–1	Pedro Agosto	TKO	6 (10), 3:00	Jul 14, 1972	Singer Bowl, New York City, New York, U.S.
62	Win	54–7–1	Oscar Bonavena	UD	10	Feb 11, 1972	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
61	Win	53–7–1	Charlie Harris	KO	6 (10), 2:31	Nov 23, 1971	Multnomah County Exposition Center, Portland, Oregon, U.S.
60	Win	52–7–1	Vic Brown	UD	10	Aug 21, 1971	Peace Bridge Arena, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
59	Win	51–7–1	Charley Polite	UD	10	Jul 17, 1971	Erie Arena, Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
58	Win	50–7–1	Terry Daniels	UD	10	May 26, 1971	Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
57	Win	49–7–1	Roger Russell	TKO	9 (10), 1:29	Mar 29, 1971	Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
56	Win	48–7–1	Levi Forte	KO	2 (10), 2:20	Jan 16, 1971	Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
55	Win	47–7–1	Charley Green	KO	10 (10), 1:15	Sep 15, 1970	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
54	Loss	46–7–1	Jimmy Ellis	PTS	15	Sep 14, 1968	Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden	For WBA heavyweight title
53	Loss	46–6–1	Jerry Quarry	MD	12	Oct 28, 1967	Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
52	Draw	46–5–1	Jerry Quarry	MD	12	Jun 9, 1967	Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
51	Win	46–5	Bill McMurray	KO	1 (10), 2:37	Jun 9, 1967	Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
50	Win	45–5	Willie Johnson	KO	3 (10), 2:05	Feb 13, 1967	Municipal Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
49	Win	44–5	Henry Cooper	KO	4 (10), 2:10	Sep 20, 1966	Empire Pool, London, England
48	Loss	43–5	Muhammad Ali	TKO	12 (15), 2:18	Nov 22, 1965	Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.	For WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
47	Win	43–4	Tod Herring	TKO	3 (10), 0:40	May 14, 1965	Stockholm, Sweden
46	Win	42–4	George Chuvalo	UD	12	Feb 1, 1965	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
45	Win	41–4	Charlie Powell	KO	6 (10), 1:21	Dec 12, 1964	Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
44	Win	40–4	Eddie Machen	PTS	12	Jul 5, 1964	Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden
43	Win	39–4	Santo Amonti	TKO	8 (10), 2:25	Jan 6, 1964	Stockholm, Sweden
42	Loss	38–4	Sonny Liston	KO	1 (15), 2:10	Jul 22, 1963	Las Vegas Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.	For WBC, The Ring, and world heavyweight titles
41	Loss	38–3	Sonny Liston	KO	1 (15), 2:06	Sep 25, 1962	Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.	Lost The Ring and world heavyweight titles
40	Win	38–2	Tom McNeeley	KO	4 (15), 2:51	Dec 4, 1961	Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Retained The Ring and world heavyweight titles
39	Win	37–2	Ingemar Johansson	KO	6 (15), 2:45	Mar 13, 1961	Exhibition Hall, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.	Retained The Ring and world heavyweight titles
38	Win	36–2	Ingemar Johansson	KO	5 (15), 1:51	Jun 20, 1960	Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.	Won The Ring and world heavyweight titles
37	Loss	35–2	Ingemar Johansson	TKO	3 (15), 2:03	Jun 26, 1959	Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.	Lost The Ring and world heavyweight titles
36	Win	35–1	Brian London	KO	11 (15), 0:51	May 1, 1959	Fairgrounds Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.	Retained The Ring and world heavyweight titles
35	Win	34–1	Roy Harris	RTD	12 (15)	Aug 18, 1958	Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California, U.S.	Retained The Ring and world heavyweight titles
34	Win	33–1	Pete Rademacher	KO	6 (15), 2:57	Aug 22, 1957	Sick's Stadium, Seattle, Washington, U.S.	Retained The Ring and world heavyweight titles
33	Win	32–1	Tommy Jackson	TKO	10 (15), 1:52	Jul 29, 1957	Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.	Retained The Ring and world heavyweight titles
32	Win	31–1	Archie Moore	KO	5 (15), 2:27	Nov 30, 1956	Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.	Won vacant The Ring and world heavyweight titles
31	Win	30–1	Tommy Jackson	SD	12	Jun 8, 1956	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
30	Win	29–1	Alvin Williams	KO	3 (10), 1:58	Apr 10, 1956	Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
29	Win	28–1	Jimmy Walls	TKO	2 (10), 2:29	Mar 12, 1956	New Britain, Connecticut, U.S.
28	Win	27–1	Jimmy Slade	TKO	7 (10), 2:05	Dec 8, 1955	Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
27	Win	26–1	Calvin Brad	KO	1 (10), 2:58	Oct 13, 1955	Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
26	Win	25–1	Dave Whitlock	KO	3 (10), 0:52	Sep 29, 1955	Winterland Arena, San Francisco, California, U.S.
25	Win	24–1	Alvin Williams	TKO	8 (10), 2:28	Sep 8, 1955	Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
24	Win	23–1	Archie McBride	KO	7 (10), 1:46	Jul 6, 1955	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
23	Win	22–1	Yvon Durelle	RTD	5 (10)	Jun 23, 1955	Newcastle, New Brunswick, Canada
22	Win	21–1	Esau Ferdinand	TKO	10 (10), 2:49	Mar 17, 1955	Civic Auditorium, Oakland, California, U.S.
21	Win	20–1	Don Grant	TKO	5 (10), 1:13	Jan 17, 1955	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
20	Win	19–1	Willie Troy	TKO	5 (8)	Jan 7, 1955	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
19	Win	18–1	Jimmy Slade	UD	8	Nov 19, 1954	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
18	Win	17–1	Joe Gannon	UD	8	Oct 22, 1954	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
17	Win	16–1	Esau Ferdinand	UD	8	Oct 11, 1954	St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
16	Win	15–1	Tommy Harrison	TKO	1 (8), 1:29	Aug 2, 1954	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
15	Win	14–1	Jacques Royer Crecy	TKO	7 (8)	Jul 12, 1954	St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
14	Loss	13–1	Joey Maxim	UD	8	Jun 7, 1954	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
13	Win	13–0	Jesse Turner	UD	8	May 10, 1954	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
12	Win	12–0	Alvin Williams	UD	8	Apr 19, 1954	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
11	Win	11–0	Sammy Brown	TKO	2 (10), 1:40	Mar 30, 1954	Turner's Arena, Washington, D.C., U.S.
10	Win	10–0	Yvon Durelle	UD	8	Feb 15, 1954	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
9	Win	9–0	Dick Wagner	TKO	5 (8), 2:29	Dec 14, 1953	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
8	Win	8–0	Wes Bascom	UD	8	Oct 19, 1953	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
7	Win	7–0	Gordon Wallace	TKO	3 (8), 0:52	Jun 1, 1953	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
6	Win	6–0	Dick Wagner	SD	8	Apr 13, 1953	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
5	Win	5–0	Chester Mieszala	TKO	5 (6), 1:25	Jan 28, 1953	Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
4	Win	4–0	Lalu Sabotin	TKO	5 (8), 1:30	Dec 29, 1952	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
3	Win	3–0	Lester Johnson	TKO	3 (6), 1:26	Oct 31, 1952	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
2	Win	2–0	Sammy Walker	TKO	2 (6), 0:47	Oct 6, 1952	Eastern Parkway Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	Eddie Godbold	KO	4 (6), 1:39	Sep 12, 1952	St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New York, U.S.	Professional debut

Titles in boxing

See also

• List of lineal boxing world champions
• List of heavyweight boxing champions

References

Further reading

• Dahlberg, Tim (2006-05-11). "Former Boxer Floyd Patterson Dies at 71". Washington Post. 
• Mulvaney, Kieran, Patterson an all-time great outside the ropes. ESPN.com, May 12, 2006.
• Victory Over Myself by Floyd Patterson with Milton Gross. Published by Bernard Geis Associates, distributed by Random House, 1962. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 62-15657.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Floyd Patterson.

• Official website
• Professional boxing record for Floyd Patterson from BoxRec
• Sports E-Cyclopedia's Memoriam to Floyd Patterson
• Floyd Patterson – Daily Telegraph obituary
• Floyd Patterson at Find a Grave
• Sport magazine, November 1960