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Floyd Patterson
In 1952 Floyd Patterson became an Olympic Champion at 17; in 1956 he became the Heavyweight Champion of the World, aged 21, the youngest ever if you follow Lineage (The man who beat the man).
Patterson was born on January 4th 1935 in Waco, North Carolina, as one of 11 children. A withdrawn child, he struggled with the poverty he lived in, and would be sent to a reform school in New York (Wiltwyck School for Boys), aged 10 for petty crime and truancy.
This seemed to turn Patterson’s life around, as he learned to make friends and loved trips to the countryside. Two years later, Patterson was sent to a special school, where he stayed until his graduation in 1952.
Patterson discovered boxing in reform school, but his amateur career blossomed when he walked into Gramercy Gym and first met Cus D’Amato. Patterson was a phenomenon as an amateur boxer, rebounding from losing three of his first four bouts, to be National AAU Middleweight Champ and winner of the 1952 Olympic trials; by the time he was 17. He won gold in Helsinki beating the Romanian Vasile Tila in a round, in his gold medal match.
Patterson turned pro weighing 164lbs stopping Ed Godbold in four, under the tutelage and management of Cus. A 9-0 Patterson beat tough Canadian Yvon Durrele by eight round decision in February 1954, but had his first set back in June of that year, when he lost to former Light Heavyweight World Champ by eight round decision.
Patterson rebounded well from this minor set back and put together an excellent run over the next two years, culminating in winning a razor thin split 12 round decision over Tommy ‘Hurricane’ Jackson in June 1956, in what was a Heavyweight World Championship fight eliminator despite the fact at 178lbs, Floyd was barely above the Light Heavyweight limit and Floyd still won despite breaking his right hand.
On November 30th 1956, Patterson fought for the vacant Heavyweight Championship of the World (Marciano, having retired undefeated champ), against Light Heavyweight World Champ Archie Moore. Patterson won well in five rounds.
Despite challengers like massive punching Cleveland Williams, D’Amato choose to make a rematch with Tommy Jackson as Patterson’s first defence, Floyd won in 10. Patterson followed this up by infamous fighting the 1956 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Pete Rademacher on his pro debut. Despite embarrassingly getting decked by Rademacher in the second round, Patterson easily won in six rounds.
In 1958 and 59, the Heavyweight division had superb fighters like Eddie Manchen, Zora Foley, Cleveland Williams and one Sonny Liston, D’Amato continued to avoid fights against these fighters, and make easy defences for Floyd against the likes of Roy Harris and Brian London.
Eventually Cus was forced to sign Patterson up against the #1 contender Ingemar Johansson, who was coming of flattening the then #1 contender Eddie Manchen in a round. In June 1959 Johansson floored Patterson seven times, to win the Championship in three rounds.
A rematch was set for June 1960; few were giving Patterson much of a chance, not least because no man had ever regained the Heavyweight Championship. But Patterson would prove the doubters wrong, dominating Johansson, and winning in five rounds when he chillingly knocked Johansson out cold. Ingemars right foot was left twitching as the ref went though the formality of counting him out.
A third fight with Johansson was made for March 1961, this proved to be the most exciting and competitive of the trilogy, with both hitting the floor, before Patterson won in six.
The problem now for D’Amato was that almost everyone wanted Patterson to fight Sonny Liston, but Cus simply refused, setting up a mismatch with Tom McNeeley for Floyd; but the pressure was too much for Floyd, and walked out on D’Amato so he could fight Liston, with cataclysmic results for Patterson.
In September 1962 Liston crushed Patterson in a round to win the championship. Floyd put on a force beard and glasses, as he drove away from the arena that night.
Patterson insisted on the rematch clause, so in July 1963 the Liston/Patterson rematch was set, and Liston won again in a round.
In 1964/65 Patterson came back well putting together a five fight winning streak, that included a 12 round points win against teat tough Canadian George Chuvalo, this led to Patterson fighting Liston’s conqueror Muhammad Ali in November 1965. Patterson refused to call Ali by his name, instead opting to refer to him by his original name of Cassius Clay; added to a back injury, Patterson was given a one sided pasting by the young champion, with Ali winning in 12 rounds.
In 1966 Patterson came to London and knocked out the future Sir ‘enry Cooper in four rounds. In 1967 he was a little unlucky to only draw with top 10 contender Jerry Quarry, a rematch was set up, as part of the eight man tournament to determine the WBA World Heavyweight champ. Patterson went into the Quarry rematch as the betting favourite, but the younger Quarry deservedly got the 12 round decision.
In 1968 Patterson was given a title fight against the winner of the tournament, Jimmy Ellis, but Patterson dropped the 15 round decision.
1970 saw Patterson comeback with an undefeated two year run, that included beating the world ranked Oscar Bonavena over 10 rounds. On September 20th 1972, Patterson would have a rematch with Ali. Despite being 37 years old Patterson gave Ali a fight, but cuts and swelling around Floyd’s eyes meant the ref stopped the bout in seven, it was Patterson’s last pro fight, he retired with a record of 64 fights, 55 wins, 8 defeats and the draw against Quarry.
In retirement he help train his adopted son Tracy Harris-Patterson to a Super Bantamweight World title in 1992, and then in 1995 he became the Chairman of the NYSAC (New York State Athletic Commission), he resigned in 1998, when his illness meant he was unable to continue with his job.
Patterson died on May 11 2006, at his New York home aged 71.
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