Boxer Floyd Patterson: biography, wins and fights

The world's first athlete, who in his twenty-one year was awarded the title of World Champion in heavyweight boxing, was Floyd Patterson. The greatest boxers of the world met with him to try to win the world title. Before him, no one has achieved such results. And even more so the boxer surprised everyone when he returned the title of World Champion after his defeat. In addition, the athlete became a gold medalist at the Olympic Games in 1952. All this captures Patterson in the history of sport as an icon of boxing.

Incomplete biography. Floyd Patterson: Origin

Floyd was born in an ordinary poor family who lived in North Carolina. Like all the colored families of that time, the Patterson experienced an acute shortage of money. It was especially difficult for Floyd, since he was the eleventh son. Childhood athlete was not in the best way. Unlike well-to-do boys, little Floyd traded in petty thefts. School visited Patterson rarely, which adversely affected his level of education. And this way of life would not end if Floyd did not get into the school for the boys "Wiltwix."

The first workouts

The first time boxing was held by Floyd at the Casa d'Amato. So in his fourteen years the boy got into the world of sports. Training was difficult, but Floyd did not give up. On the contrary, he raised them too high, which contradicted the standard boxing rack. After several years of training and many fights, Floyd Patterson gets into the ring of the Olympic competitions in the 52nd year.

Floyd Patterson. Boxers of the world

This year has been successful for a young boxer. One victory after another overtook Floyd, while bringing the athlete more fame both in the States and in other countries. In addition to gold, which he was awarded after winning the Olympics in Helsinki, Floyd won the national amateur championship. In addition, the boxer won a brilliant victory in the New York championship, held at the club "Golden Gloves". At this time, Floyd moved to New York, where he purchased housing. In the career of the athlete there were a lot of really colorful battles. One of them was "Muhammad Ali the Greatest - Floyd Patterson."

The way to the championship among heavyweights

"Scary Stand" - such a nickname was awarded by Patterson's commentators. The reason was the peculiarity of the athlete's rack. Unlike most boxers, Floyd held his hands a little higher than the laid one. Naturally, this did not remain without attention. The manager of the sportsman was the former trainer Floyd Kas d'Amato, the same one who dedicated him to the world of boxing, when the famous athlete was still a youth.

First time Floyd fought in the class of amateurs, and during this time he won forty victories of forty-four fights. And most of them were knocked out. After rising to the professionals, Patterson suffered only one defeat from former champion Joe Maxim. Although Floyd and belonged to the category of light heavyweights, it was not his intention to stay at this stage. And already in the 54th year his manager said that Floyd Patterson is going to become a heavyweight champion. This did not dazzle his fans, because the confidence in his forces was manifested in the athlete in every movement, in every blow. Everyone was sure that he would achieve his goal!

The Way of the Heavyweight

One of the most colorful meetings of the athlete was "Muhammad Ali - Floyd Patterson." The fight was really very interesting, but there were other equally interesting moments in the career of the sportsman, for example, the 1956 year became famous for the fact that the legendary Rocky Marciano, and the race for his place began, and Patterson immediately made himself felt, and no one prevented him from nominating himself, on the contrary, the International Boxing Club singled him out of the six worthy boxers in the world. Opinion D ima Norris, had every chance to get a world title and become worthy successors Marciano. So Patterson and hit the heavy weight.

In order to win the title, Patterson had to participate in two heavy fights. The first was with Tommy Jackson, nicknamed "Hurricane." After several rounds, Floyd Patterson knocked out "Hurricane", and this gave him the opportunity to take the next step to the championship.

The second fight with Archie Moore significantly patted the famous boxer, but in the fifth round, Patterson also sent an opponent in a knockout. All the boxing clubs were shocked when they learned that the post of the legendary Rocky Marciano now belongs to the 21st summer boy from Carolina. In addition to the fact that Patterson moved the most experienced boxers, he was also the owner of the gold medal of the Helsinki Olympics in 1952. The history of boxing did not know before, such as it does not even know to this day.

Loss of belt

After receiving the title Patterson expected a number of heavy battles with:

- "Hurricane" Jackson;

- Rademacher;

- Harris;

- London.

The result was a fight with Ingemar Johansson in 1959, in which Floyd was defeated. Ingemar took Patterson's belt from the champion, which became a major setback for the latter. There was nothing surprising in this, because the Swedish boxer sent Floyd to the ring seven times. The last drop occurred through a knockout. Thus, Ingemar became the first native of Europe, who won the American boxer. Moreover, he took away the belt of the World Champion from him.

Return of the belt

After his defeat, the athlete began serious training. He was not going to retreat and ironically set a goal: at whatever cost to return his title. The intensive training, which had a permanent character, allowed the former champion to enter the ring a year after his defeat. This was a surprise for both the public and Johansson, who already enjoyed his position and did not want to return the title to Patterson. However, in the fifth round he had to do it.

Patterson was merciless and attacked without stopping. The last blow knocked Johansson out of the rut. Judging by the fact that he just collapsed into the ring, it was noticeable that by that time he was already unconscious. The defeated enemy was bleeding from his mouth, and his legs were shaking. No matter how the judge tried to shout to him, Ingemar managed to rise only five minutes after the fall. The title returned to its rightful owner. Patterson again became the World Champion in the heavyweight division. Until now, nobody had succeeded in what he had done, to return the belt.

New meeting

Swede Johansson after his defeat felt on his own skin, what it's like to lose the title of the champion. This affected his training, aimed at returning the belt. And a year later he was able to challenge Patterson again. Hotya in battle, the Swede dominated and even managed once to dump Floyd, the battle was lost to them, and the belt remained with the American.

Combat with Liston

Fight "Patterson Floyd - Liston Sonny" was very much waiting for the fans of these two boxers. Its prehistory is simple. After the return of the title over Patterson hung a new test - Sonny Liston. Liston had been waiting for this meeting for a long time, as he was voting for the title of champion, but the fight still could not take place for various reasons. The main one was Patterson's manager. The thing is that Sonny had a special reputation in the boxing world, which was especially helped by his mafia connections. In view of this, D'Amato tried in every possible way to resist the conduct of this fight.

However, this did not last long. Due to financial difficulties, Floyd Patterson was forced to abandon the services of his old manager, which contributed to his agreement to fight with Liston. There is information that even the President of the United States of America, John Kennedy, was dissuading the athlete from this fight. It would be unacceptable if such a person with a criminal past would come to the title of the world champion in boxing. Nevertheless, in 1962 the battle took place.

Liston had supremacy in the fans, and most sports analysts foreshadowed his victory. Nevertheless, this did not embarrass Patterson, and he went into the ring.

As a result, Liston sent Patterson in a knockout in the first round, which for some people seemed a natural phenomenon, but for someone it was a real shock. It is worth recalling that among the fans of Patterson sat such famous boxers as Rocky Marciano and old rival Floyd Johansson.

Causes of defeat

After a long silence, all the same, there were first opinions on this event. And really, how did such a successful athlete, previously surprising the audience, suddenly be defeated in the first round?

The reason was the technique of Liston's fight, which was significantly different from Patterson. If Floyd's style was fast attacks, constant mobility and calculation, then Sonny Liston took only brute force and his size. The battle was, you might say, a scene from the Gospel of David and Goliath, only the outcome was different.

In addition, analysts have repeatedly noted that Patterson often went into clinch, which was considered unacceptable in such an unequal battle. There were even rumors that Patterson was paid for this fight. Due to its financial problems, this would not be surprising. But it was just mud in the direction of Floyd from the side of the grieved fans. In addition to his discoveries, Floyd was in no hurry to attack Liston, which also caused bewilderment among the public. Such an easy victory over the two-time World Champion in heavyweight boxing only worsened the reputation of the young boxer.

Revenge

He was scheduled a year later, but never took place because of the damage to the Liston's knee. However, after a few months, Liston still came out against Patterson. But, unfortunately, the outcome was the same, except that this time Floyd held on for four seconds more.

Patterson worked in boxing before the 72nd year, after which he left the world of sports. At the age of seventy-one, the fighter died of Alzheimer's and prostate cancer.