1. Floyd Patterson was an American professional boxer who competed from 1952 to 1972, and twice reigned as the world heavyweight champion between 1956 and 1962.
40 Facts About Floyd Patterson
1. 2.
Floyd Patterson has been named among the top 15 heavyweights of all time.
3.
In 1956 and 1960, Patterson was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America.
4.
Floyd Patterson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.
5.
Savannah Joe Floyd Patterson was his first cousin from out of Arkansas, he went and visited during the early summer years.
6.
Floyd Patterson felt helpless that he could not help his mother and father more.
7.
Floyd Patterson estimated that he had been in court, thirty to forty times.
8.
Floyd Patterson attended high school in New Paltz, New York, where he succeeded in all sports.
9.
Floyd Patterson took up boxing at age fourteen, and was training with the Bedford-Stuyvesant Boxing Association Gym.
10.
Floyd Patterson's younger brother Raymond was born on 1942 and became a professional heavyweight boxer and has lived in Gothenburg, Sweden, since 1965 and has worked as a truck driver at Volvo Lastvagnar after his boxing career.
11.
Floyd Patterson carried his hands higher than most boxers, in front of his face.
12.
Floyd Patterson turned pro and steadily rose through the ranks, his only early defeat being an eight-round decision to former light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim on June 7,1954, at the Eastern Parkway Arena in Brooklyn, New York.
13.
D'Amato made these plans clear as early as 1954, when he told the press that Floyd Patterson was aiming for the heavyweight title.
14.
However, after Rocky Marciano announced his retirement as World Heavyweight Champion on April 27,1956, Floyd Patterson was ranked by The Ring magazine as the top light heavyweight contender.
15.
Floyd Patterson beat Moore by a knockout in five rounds and became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history, at the age of 21 years, 10 months, 3 weeks and 5 days.
16.
Floyd Patterson was the first Olympic gold medalist to win a professional heavyweight title.
17.
Floyd Patterson knocked out Johansson in the fifth round of their rematch on June 20,1960, to become the first man in history to regain the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship.
18.
Floyd Patterson won the fight in the sixth round by knockout.
19.
Floyd Patterson was very open about his fears and feelings going into a fight, which was new behavior in the world of boxing.
20.
Floyd Patterson was regarded as a very polite, well-mannered, and likeable champion.
21.
Floyd Patterson lost his title to Liston in Chicago on September 25,1962, by a first-round knockout in front of 18,894 fans.
22.
However, Floyd Patterson did not use his speed to his benefit.
23.
Overnight, Floyd Patterson seemed to lose his public support as a result of his swift knockout.
24.
In Las Vegas that night, Floyd Patterson attempted to become the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times, but Liston knocked him out in the first round.
25.
Floyd Patterson lasted four seconds longer than in the first bout.
26.
The Liston fights were the only times Floyd Patterson was actually counted out in his 20-year professional career.
27.
Floyd Patterson was now the number-one challenger for the title held by Muhammad Ali.
28.
Subsequently, in a final attempt at winning the title a third time, Floyd Patterson lost a controversial 15-round referee's decision to Jimmy Ellis in Stockholm, in 1968, despite breaking Ellis's nose and scoring a disputed knockdown.
29.
In September 1969 he divorced his first wife, Sandra Hicks Floyd Patterson, who wanted him to quit boxing, while he still had hopes for another title shot.
30.
Floyd Patterson continued on, defeating Oscar Bonavena in a close fight over ten rounds in early 1972.
31.
At age 37, Floyd Patterson was stopped after seven rounds with a cut eye while still competitive in a rematch with Muhammad Ali for the NABF heavyweight title on September 20,1972.
32.
The defeat proved to be Floyd Patterson's last fight, although there was never an announcement of retirement.
33.
Floyd Patterson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.
34.
Floyd Patterson lived in New Paltz, New York, for many years with his second wife, Janet Seaquist.
35.
Floyd Patterson completed the 1983 New York City Marathon in 3:35:27.
36.
Floyd Patterson's adopted son, Tracy Harris Patterson, was a world champion boxer in the 1990s and was trained by Floyd during part of his career.
37.
Floyd Patterson trained Canadian heavyweight Donovan "Razor" Ruddock in 1992 for his fights with Greg Page, Phil Jackson, and Lennox Lewis.
38.
Floyd Patterson suffered from Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer in his final years.
39.
Floyd Patterson died at home in New Paltz, on May 11,2006, at the age of 71.
40.
Floyd Patterson's body was buried at New Paltz Rural Cemetery in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York.