The memory of Floyd Patterson lives on

by Elmo Leonard

Floyd Patterson is not dead at 71; the memory of his career which ended in 1972, when he was 37-years-old, lives on in the memory of millions of fans the world over.

When Rocky Marciano hung up his gloves as the only undefeated heavyweight champion in 1956, Floyd Patterson fought Archie Moore for the vacant heavyweight world title. Patterson beat the ageing Moore, in the fifth round.

The victory was great for Patterson, in that he not only became the youngest at 21 to win the heavyweight title, but because Archie Moore, a light heavyweight champion was a legend. Moore had stood up to the invincible Rocky Marciano twice and told the referee, "I'm a champ. I've got to be knocked out."

The Patterson-Moore fight brought into the ring two boxers of different styles. Moore's only coach was a film of a cobra and mongoose in combat, and he had studied that film hundreds of times. The mongoose circles out of the reach of the cobra and when the cobra struck, the mongoose pounced, and devoured.

Patterson, adopted the peek-a-boo style of rounding his high-held fists clockwise, and striking whenever the slightest opportunity prevailed. Moore described the peek-a-boo style as mean as a neighbour looking at you through your window. Patterson was reputed to throw an "infinite" number of combination punches.

Until Patterson fought Ingemar Johansson in 1959, sports writers counted him as a legend and among the great heavyweights. He was featured in the Readers Digest, and even in the Catholic Digest because of his faith. Patterson in an interview said that he could take on two European heavyweights in one night and make minced meat of them.

In 1959, 85 per cent of Swedes believed that Ingamar Johansson could beat Floyd Patterson. Johansson, described his thunderous right hand punch, which was called the Hammer of (Thor - possibly from memory).

Patterson shocked the world getting up seven times in the third round, after being downed by that hammer. And with it, his lifetime tag, the `Comeback Kid' took shape. After the fight, Patterson, went into hiding and trained hard, while Johansson, took on the role of a celebrity.

The second fight between the two in 1960 was regarded as Patterson's best fight. There was no television in those days, and fans in Sri Lanka listened to the radio commentary. The reception was very bad, and because the name Patterson was repeated more often, his fans in Sri Lanka concluded that Patterson, the world's favourite, was winning.

The middle class of those days watched heavyweight boxing title fights staged in the "cinema halls" in Colombo, as part of the "shorts" before the main film was shown.

Patterson guarded himself very well, and knocked out Johansson with a right hand punch. In the second or third encounter between the two, Johnansson's legs shivered after he was knocked out and he remained unconscious for over two hours. Johansson, made excuses; he had been doped before the fight. In the third encounter Patterson beat Johansson in 1961 in the sixth round.

Meanwhile, an ex-convict, Sonny Liston who had ape-like long arms, a murderous look, a physique out of mythology and a punch which matched, was the obvious contender. But, Patterson's trainer and manager Cus D'Amato matched Patterson with lesser heavyweights. When Patterson fought Tom McNeeley US president, John F Kennedy was at the bout and told Patterson, that he should have been fighting Liston that night.

Patterson sacked D'Amato and fought Liston, to be knocked out by body punches in both bouts, in the first round.

Sports writers said that Patterson was too small to be a heavyweight. He had fought and won against heavyweights because of the skill and speed of his hands; the fastest up to the time. In the meantime, Cassius Clay, who called himself Mohammed Ali, had insulted Patterson, that he should have fought him, instead of Liston. If Patterson had given Clay a bout, Clay said he would have become the youngest heavyweight champion, erasing Patterson's record.

Ali, the fastest big man, of hand and foot beat Liston comprehensively in both bouts and shouted from the ring, "I have got the bear, now I want the Rabbit." "The Big Ugly Bear" was Ali's name for Liston and the "Rabbit", for Floyd Patterson.

Ali, who flipped like a butterfly, stung like a bee and called his speed greased lightening was matched with Floyd Patterson in 1965. Patterson promised a good fight, and one that would not end soon, because of styles of the boxers. The world was hush; sportswriters were active. Patterson had won four fights in a row. He had to close the Black Muslim's mouth or the `Louisville Lip' (a name for Ali).

During the fight, Patterson aggravated an old back injury. He could not fight aggressively, but tried desperately. All America and the free world hated Ali for his pronouncements. The referee stopped the bout in the 12th round.

The afternoon news broadcast in Sri Lanka quoted writers who for the first time agreed that Ali was the greatest. The world was mad at Ali for not knocking out an injured man, while continuing to torment him.

Ali said that Patterson absorbed every punch he threw but did not go down. In later years, experts said that when a man cannot fight, he does everything he can to avoid injury, and that was why Patterson did not go down. The Regal theatre in Colombo, showed the fight, but unfortunately, all 12 rounds were not shown.

In 1972, aged 37, Patterson fought his final bout, with Ali and the world stood up to salute a very plucky display of an ageing boxer, who went seven rounds with the then established Greatest Heavyweight, Mohammed Ali.