This day in 1972 remains as the last day Floyd Patterson ever stepped in the ring.
The talented and iconic heavyweight in Patterson had a Jack Dempsey type style. He used a 'peek a boo' defense in which he'd play possum, and unleash a fiery left hand knockout blow when the opponent least expects it.
The problem with fighting Ali is that he was too long and too quick to be in the pocket for anything powerful. Foreman, Shavers, and Patterson (to name a few) were absolutely nullified by Ali's presence and length. Patterson also made things much worst for himself in not calling Muhammad Ali by his Muslim name.
He called Ali 'Cassius' because 'that was the name his mother gave to him'.
Patterson criticized Ali for his faith, and he fuelled the greatest fighter of our time with his passive words and aggression towards his religion and life choices.
It is a mistake to taunt a bull as smart and physically gifted as Ali was; the beast was unleashed on Floyd Patterson the first time these two met in 1965, and a rematch was set 7 years later after Floyd went on a 7 fight win streak within two years time.
Floyd deserved the rematch for his win streak, but many still knew this was an absolute mismatch.
Floyd was a great fighter, but his baiting of Ali made it a bit easier to watch him get toyed with and finished in the ring. Muhammad showed that he could still fight at a world level even when emotional.. some would argue he's better emotionally (as he showed in the Frazier rematch).
Have you seen this classic matchup? Did this solidify Muhammad Ali as the greatest of all time?
Comments