BoxRec

Passed away today Prostate cancer and Alzeihmers disease

Olympic champ at 17
World champ at 21...
first man to reclaim the world title
fastest hands in heavyweight championship history

Rest in peace

Wow. What a shame - not only was he the fastest handed heavy and youngest heavyweight champ (at the time) but was also said to be a thoroughly nice fella.

R.I.P Floyd.

You're fornicating joking! Floyd. The quickest heavyweight champ of all time.

from wikipedia.org
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Floyd Patterson(born January 4, 1935 -- May 11, 2006) was an American former heavyweight boxing champion who made history multiple times in the sport of boxing

Born into a poor family in Waco, North Carolina, Patterson was one of eleven children and experienced an insular and troubled childhood. A persistent truant and petty thief he was sent to the Wiltwyck reform school at aged ten, which he credited with turning his life around. At age fourteen he started to box, trained by Cus D'Amato at his now-legendary Gramercy Gym. Aged just 17, Patterson, won the Gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as a Middleweight. Patterson turned pro and steadily rose through the ranks, his only early defeat, an eight-round decision to former light-heavyweight champion Joey Maxim. Although a natural at middleweight, he fought Archie Moore in 1956 for the world heavyweight championship left vacant by Rocky Marciano. He beat Moore by a knockout in five, and became at the time boxing's youngest world heavyweight champion in history, at the age of 21.

After a series of defenses, Patterson met Ingemar Johansson of Sweden, in the beginning of what many consider one of boxing's most interesting trilogies of fights. Johansson triumphed over Patterson in 1959, with the referee stopping the fight in the third round after the Swede had knocked Patterson down seven times. Johansson became that country's first world heavyweight champion, thus becoming a national hero in Sweden immediately. Patterson came back and knocked Johannson out in the fifth round of their rematch, with what many boxing historians have called the best punch ever in boxing, to become the first man ever to recover the world's undisputed heavyweight title. After the count, Patterson showed his concern for Johansson by cradling his motionless opponent, and promising him a second rematch. Patterson further endeared himself with the people who had made Johansson their national hero, and when he went on a European exhibition tour after that rematch, he was greeted by Swedish fans, who were eager to shake hands, ask for autographs and take photos with Patterson everywhere he went during his stay there.

A third fight between them was held in 1961, and while Johansson put Patterson on the floor, Patterson retained his title by a knockout in six to win a wild rubber match in which Patterson was decked twice and Johannson, once in the first round. After one more defense, Patterson lost his title in September of 1962 by a knockout in the first to Sonny Liston. The two fighters were a marked contrast. In the ring, Liston's size and power proved too much for Patterson's guile and agility. Ten months later on July 22, 1963, Patterson again attempted to become the first boxer ever to win the world's Heavyweight title three times, but Liston once again knocked him out in the first round.

Following these defeats, Patterson went through a depression, often donning sunglasses and hats to disguise himself in public. However, he eventually recovered and began winning fights again, until he became the number one challenger of the man who twice beat Liston, Muhammad Ali. On November 22, 1965, in yet another attempt to be the first to win the world's Heavyweight title three times, Patterson lost by technical knockout in 12 rounds.

In 1967, Ali was stripped of the heavyweight title for refusing military service after being drafted into the United States Army. The World Boxing Association staged an 8-man tournament to determine Ali's successor. Patterson, in a third and final attempt at winning the title a third time, lost a 15-round referee's decision to Jimmy Ellis in Sweden despite breaking Ellis' nose and scoring a knockdown.

Patterson went on, but after losing a rematch to Ali for the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title by technical knockout in seven, he retired for good in 1972.

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, a job that he held until recently. He also became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.

Patterson lived in New Paltz, New York, and was a convert to Roman Catholicism.

He had a record of 55 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by knockout. He once said that a champion should conduct himself as one in real life as well as in the ring.

Patterson passed away on May 11th, 2006. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer and had been hospitalized a week prior to his death.

Very, very sad news.

He was one hell of a fighter.

The first EVER two time Heavyweight Champion of the World. Nobody can ever take that away from him.

Rest In Peace Champ.

http://www.sportsartifacts.com/pubsipatjackson.JPG

I grew up reading about Floyd. This guy was special: Olympic champ, twice world heavyweight champ, robbed of a third world heavyweight title against Jimmy Ellis; in his very last fight he gave Ali hell at Madison Square Garden.
People often say Floyd avoided his best challengers as champ but that's bollocks. Cus just wanted no part of Jim Norris and his NBC, which was totally corrupt. Ask yourself this. Liston aside, who would have beaten Floyd? Cleveland Williams? Eddie Machen? They were good fighters, top fighters, but no way would they have beaten Floyd. The champ was too quick, too classy, too spiteful.
You know, Floyd could bang. He knocked Henry Cooper cold at Wembley in the 60's. His hands were a blur.

Patterson was a fascinating guy from what little I know of his life story. If I was a film maker I'd make one on Floyd and Sonny Liston, in black & white, showing how different their backgrounds were, their rise to fame and how their paths would eventually meet etc.

anyway..

Shame.

RIP Champ.

First person to regain the Heavyweight championship, with one of the hardest knockouts, when he beat Ingemar Johansson.

Floyd was a nightmare for british boxers as well knocking out both Brian London and Henry Cooper.

R.I.P

Gutted im lost for words.

Stop the slagging off on the hatton front in memory of floyd.

Terrible news, he was a great fighter. True all time great.

RIP Floyd.

KO Artist wrote:Gutted im lost for words.

Stop the slagging off on the hatton front in memory of floyd.

KO Artist wrote:Gutted im lost for words.

Stop the slagging off on the hatton front in memory of floyd.

Beat me to it! My post was going to be exactly the same.

Floyd was a great fighter, a wodnerful ambassador for Boxing. It's a great shame how such a magnificent human being can erode.

My thoughts go out to his family. I'm thinking of his son, Tracy, who was a super-feather, I think?

RIP, Mr Patterson. A truly great fighter, and an even better person.

Rocky Balboa wrote:

KO Artist wrote:Gutted im lost for words.

Stop the slagging off on the hatton front in memory of floyd.

Beat me to it! My post was going to be exactly the same.

Floyd was a great fighter, a wodnerful ambassador for Boxing. It's a great shame how such a magnificent human being can erode.

My thoughts go out to his family. I'm thinking of his son, Tracy, who was a super-feather, I think?

RIP, Mr Patterson. A truly great fighter, and an even better person.

wuite right. Should be a minutessilence for him on Saturdays fights and the ten bell toll

R.I.P Champ.

Graham Brett wrote:

Rocky Balboa wrote:

KO Artist wrote:Gutted im lost for words.

Stop the slagging off on the hatton front in memory of floyd.

Beat me to it! My post was going to be exactly the same.

Floyd was a great fighter, a wodnerful ambassador for Boxing. It's a great shame how such a magnificent human being can erode.

My thoughts go out to his family. I'm thinking of his son, Tracy, who was a super-feather, I think?

RIP, Mr Patterson. A truly great fighter, and an even better person.

wuite right. Should be a minutessilence for him on Saturdays fights and the ten bell toll

there definatley should be. R.I.P.

R.I.P. Floyd....fondly remembered champion.

very good heavyweight. imagine what he could've done if there was a cruiserweight division. i've never seen this fight, but i hear his fight with chuvalo was a really great batt;e & one of his finest hours

Another legend lost.....

R.I.P Champ.

Great champ, a middleweight who fought his way up to the greatest prize in sport. For me, the memory will always be a concerned Floyd hovering over an unconcious Johansson in their 2nd fight. Ingo's leg was twitching and Patterson's face was a picture of concern: a true nice guy.

You could say Floyd was too nice a man for such a hard game....

thats awful news.
i just have this mental picture of a piece of film i saw and it was a press conference with floyd taking questions, he must have had a comfortable victory and someone in the press asked if floyd thought if his opponent wasnt up to much, floyd then spoke some very kind and wise words which ended along the lines of `even if he wasnt the most gifted fighter i wouldnt say anything bad against the guy because its not my style to say anything derogatory about any fighter`.
there followed a generous round of applause from the hard bitten press guys.
not many people can claim to be champions inside and outside the ring.

R.I.P

RIP Floyd. I didn't even know he was ill..

Patterson was the oldest living Ex-Heavyweight champion.

Anyone know who it is now? Is it Ali now?

Yes, Floyd had been ill for sometime - I remember him being interviewed on Sky on the Tyson vs Holyfield bill (when he was still charman of NASC)... unfortunately it was fairly obvious that his memory was failing him then.

Great Fighter, I echo the words of everyone.... Seemed like a nice, intelligent man, shame his relationship with Tracy Harris ended so acrimoniously.

R.I.P.

Floyd was my first Hero R I P