Floyd Patterson
Statistics
Real name	Floyd Patterson
Nickname(s)	The Gentleman of Boxing
Rated at	Heavyweight
Nationality	USA
Birth date	January 4, 1935(1935-01-04)
Birth place	Waco, North Carolina, U.S.
Death date	May 11, 2006 (aged 71)
Death place	New Paltz, New York, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	64
Wins	55
Wins by KO	40
Losses	8
Draws	1
No contests	0

Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American heavyweight boxing champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight championship. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by knockout. Image File history File links Floyd_Patterson_1962. ... For the mixed martial arts division of the same name, see Heavyweight (MMA). ... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... Waco is a town located in Cleveland County, North Carolina. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Stone houses in the historic district along Huguenot Street in New Paltz. ... This article is about the state. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a chronological list of world heavyweight boxing champions, as recognized by the following organizations: The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963, The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983, The World Boxing Organization...

Childhood and amateur career

Born into a poor family in Waco, North Carolina, Patterson was the youngest of eleven children and experienced an insular and troubled childhood. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, where Floyd was a truant and petty thief. At age ten, he was sent to the Wiltwyck School for Boys, a reform school in upstate New York, which he credited with turning his life around. He stayed there for almost 2 years. Waco is a town located in Cleveland County, North Carolina. ... Official language(s) English Demonym North Carolinian Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th in the US  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (340 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (900 km)  - % water 9. ... For other meanings, see Brooklyn (disambiguation). ... This article is about the state. ...

At age fourteen he started to box, trained by Cus D'Amato at his Gramercy Gym. Aged just 17, Patterson won the Gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as a middleweight. 1952 turned out to be a good year for the young Patterson; in addition to Olympic gold Patterson won the National Amateur Middleweight Championship and New York Golden Gloves Middleweight championship. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Helsinki (pronounced with the stress on the first syllable in Finnish — think Helsin Ki), or Helsingfors in Swedish, is the capital of Finland. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... Below is a list of National Amateur Boxing Middleweight Champions, also known as United States Amateur Champions, along with the state or region which they represented: 1888 - P. Cahill, S.A.A.C. 1889 - P. Cahill, S.A.A.C. and W.H. Stuckey, New York, NY 1890 - P. Cahill...

By the 1950s, Patterson was a resident of Rockville Centre, New York.^[1] Rockville Centre is a village located in New Yorks Nassau County in the United States. ...

Olympic Results

• Defeated Omar Tebakka, points
• Defeated Leonardus Jansen KO 1
• Defeated Stig Sjolin DQ 3
• Defeated Vassile Tita KO 1

Patterson's amateur record over 44 fights was 40-4, with 37 knockouts. Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the programme at the 1904 Summer Olympics except 1912. ... The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were held in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. ... Final results for the Boxing competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics // Medals Results Flyweight (-51 kg) Bantamweight (-54kg) Featherweight (-57kg) Lightweight (-60kg) Light-welterweight (-63. ...

Patterson carried his hands higher than most boxers, in front of his face. Sportswriters called Patterson's style a "peek-a-boo" stance. Peek-a-Boo is a boxing style where the hands are placed in front of the boxers face. ...

Early Pro career

Patterson turned pro and steadily rose through the ranks, his only early defeat was an eight-round decision to former light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim on June 7, 1954, at the Eastern Parkway Arena in Brooklyn, New York. In boxing, the light heavyweight division is the weight division between cruiserweight over 175 pounds (79. ... Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, (March 28, 1922 – June 2, 2001), was an American boxer. ...

Champion

Although Patterson fought around the light heavyweight limit for much of his early career, he and manager Cus D'Amato always had plans to fight for the heavyweight championship. In fact, D'Amato made these plans clear as early as 1954, when he told the press that Patterson was aiming for the heavyweight title.^[2] However, when Rocky Marciano announced his retirement as heavyweight champion of the world on April 27, 1956, Patterson was ranked by Ring magazine as the top light heavyweight contender. At the time of Marciano's announcement, Jim Norris of the International Boxing Club stated that Patterson was one of the fighters who would take part in an elimination tournament to crown Marciano's successor. Ring then moved Patterson into the heavyweight rankings, at number five.^[3] Rocky Marciano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was the heavyweight champion of the world from 1952 to 1956. ... is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Front cover of the first issue of The Ring The Ring (often called Ring Magazine) is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. ...

After beating Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson in an elimination fight, Patterson faced light heavyweight champion Archie Moore on November 30, 1956, for the world heavyweight championship. He beat Moore by a knockout in five rounds, and became the youngest world heavyweight champion in history, at the age of 21 years and 10 months. As a result, he was the first Olympic gold medalist to win a heavyweight title. Thomas Hurricane Jackson (August 9, 1931 - February 14, 1982) was a professional boxer from 1951 to 1961. ... For the baseball player, see Archie Moore (baseball). ... is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A car from 1956 Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A boxer is knocked down and receives the 10-count. ...

After a series of defenses, Patterson met Ingemar Johansson of Sweden, in the first of three fights. Johansson triumphed over Patterson on June 26, 1959, with the referee Ruby Goldstein 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 as the first European to defeat an American for the title since 1933. Ingemar Johansson (born 22 September 1932 -) is a Swedish former boxer and heavyweight champion of the world. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ruby Goldstein, (October 10, 1907 – April 23, 1984), was an American boxer and prize fight referee. ...

Patterson knocked Johansson out in the fifth round of their rematch on June 20, 1960, to become the first man to recover the world's undisputed heavyweight title. Johansson hit the canvas with a thud, out before he landed flat on his back. With blood trickling from his mouth, his glazed eyes staring up at the ring lights, and his left foot quivering, the Swede was counted out. Johansson lay unconscious for five minutes before he was placed on a stool brought into the ring. is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A third fight between them was held on March 13, 1961, and while Johansson put Patterson on the floor, Patterson retained his title by a knockout in six to win the rubber match in which Patterson was decked twice and Johannson once in the first round. is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In boxing, mixed martial arts, and other combat sports, a rubber match is the third fight between two fighters after the first two matches have been split. ...

Patterson faced a variety of lesser contenders, including 1960 Olympic Champion Pete Rademacher fighting in his first professional match, which led to charges that Patterson was ducking number one contender Sonny Liston. Patterson, stung by the criticism, agreed to fight Liston. Pete Rademacher (born 1929) is a former boxer who made boxing history in an most unconventional way. ... Charles L. Sonny Liston (May 8, 1932?–December 30, 1970?) was a formidable boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round. ...

Patterson lost his title on September 25, 1962, by a knockout in the first round to 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 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. is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ...

Following these defeats, Patterson went through a depression. However, he eventually recovered and began winning fights again, including victories over Eddie Machen and George Chuvalo. Patterson became the number one challenger for the title now held by 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 at the end of the 12th round. Edward Mills Machen was born in Redding, CA, on June 15, 1932. ... George Chuvalo, CM (born September 12, 1937) is a Canadian heavyweight boxer who was never knocked down in ninety-three professional fights between 1956 and 1979. ... For other persons named Muhammad Ali, see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation). ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ...

Despite this loss, Patterson was still a legitimate contender. In 1966 he traveled to England and knocked out British boxer Henry Cooper in just four rounds at Wembley Stadium. In comparison, Ali never scored a knockdown against Cooper in two fights with the Briton. Sir Henry Cooper OBE, (born May 3, 1934) is a retired English heavyweight boxer. ...

In September of 1969 he divorced his first wife Sandra Hicks Patterson. She wanted him to quit boxing. He was not ready to quit yet, he knew he could get another chance at the title.

The World Boxing Association staged an eight-man tournament to determine Ali's successor. Patterson lost a controversial twelve round decision to Jerry Quarry in 1967. Then Patterson, in a third and final attempt at winning the title a third time, lost a controversial fifteen-round referee's decision to Jimmy Ellis in Sweden despite breaking Ellis' nose. This fight also included a disputed Patterson knockdown of Ellis. World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level. ... Jerry Quarry Irish Jerry Quarry (May 15, 1945 - January 3, 1999) was called by some the best heavyweight boxer to never win a world title. ... James Albert Jimmy Ellis (1940-present) was an American prizefighter who held the World Boxing Association Heavyweight title from 1968 to 1970. ...

Patterson went on, defeating Oscar Bonavena in a close fight over ten rounds in early 1972. However, a final defeat to Muhammad Ali in a rematch for the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title on September 20, 1972, convinced Patterson to retire at the age of 37. The Ali vs. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Retired life

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. He was also inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Atlantic and North Atlantic redirect here. ... The New York State Athletic Commission, also known as the New York Athletic Commission, regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of New York, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, professional wrestlers, kickboxers, mixed martial arts fighters, seconds, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers. ... The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta. ...

In 1982 and 1983 he ran the Stockholm Marathon together with Ingemar Johansson.

Patterson lived in New Paltz, New York for many years and was known as a true gentlemen around town. He was a Latin Rite Catholic convert and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Stone houses in the historic district along Huguenot Street in New Paltz. ... The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Knights of Columbus emblem The Knights of Columbus is the worlds largest Roman Catholic fraternal service organization. ...

His adopted son, Tracy Harris Patterson, was a world champion boxer in the 1990s and was trained by Floyd during part of his career. Tracy Harris Patterson, (born on December 26, 1964 in Grady, AL), was a professional boxer. ...

The New Paltz High School football field was named "Floyd Patterson Field" in 1985.

Death

The grave of Floyd Patterson

Floyd Patterson suffered from Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer and had been hospitalized for a week prior to his death. He died at home in New Paltz in 2006 at age 71. He is buried at New Paltz Rural Cemetery in New Paltz, Ulster County, New York. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixels, file size: 859 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixels, file size: 859 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... HRPC redirects here. ... New Paltz is both a village and town in the U.S. state of New York: New Paltz (town), New York New Paltz (village), New York This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York. ... This article is about the state. ...

Pop Culture References

• In the Japanese boxing manga and anime series Hajime no Ippo (Fighting Spirit), the title character Makunouchi Ippo is taught the "Gazelle Punch" which is a recreation of the leaping blow Patterson used to defeat Johansson in their first rematch fight. Conversely, the character Takeshi Sendo's main technique, the Smash, is modeled after Donnovan "Razor" Ruddock's technique, created to beat Mike Tyson's impenetrable defense.

• He is a character in the popular Fight Night Round 3 Video Game, although he is portrayed as a slow wild punching slugger, he was a quick, sharp punching boxer.^{[citation needed]}

• Patterson is mentioned in the Billy Joel song "We didn't Start the Fire": "Liston beats Patterson."

This article is about the comics created in Japan. ... Animé redirects here. ... Serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine Original run 17 February 1990[1] – No. ... Ippo Makunouchi ) is the main protagonist of the anime and manga series Fighting Spirit (Japanese Title - はじめの一歩, Hajime no Ippo). ...

Quotes

• "It's easy to do anything in victory. It's in defeat that a man reveals himself."

• "They said I was the fighter who got knocked down the most, but I also got up the most."

• "When you have millions of dollars, you have millions of friends." [1]

• On boxing: "It's like being in love with a woman. She can be unfaithful, she can be mean, she can be cruel, but it doesn't matter. If you love her, you want her, even though she can do you all kinds of harm. It's the same with me and boxing. It can do me all kinds of harm but I love it."

See also

• List of heavyweight boxing champions
• List of male boxers

This is a chronological list of world heavyweight boxing champions, as recognized by the following organizations: The World Boxing Association (WBA), founded in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA), The World Boxing Council (WBC), founded in 1963, The International Boxing Federation (IBF), founded in 1983, and The World Boxing... This is a list of notable male boxers. ...

References

• Dahlberg, Tim. "Former Boxer Floyd Patterson Dies at 71", Washington Post, May 11, 2006. 
• Mulvaney, Kieran, Patterson an all-time great outside the ropes. ESPN.com, May 12, 2006.

• Victory Over Myself by Floyd Patterson with Milton Gross. Published by Bernard Geis Associates, distributed by Random House, 1962. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 62-15657.

...

External links

• Professional boxing record for Floyd Patterson from Boxrec
• Sports E-Cyclopedia's Memoriam to Floyd Patterson
• Floyd Patterson Obituary and Public Tributes
• Floyd Patterson at Findagrave.com
• SPORT magazine, November 1960

Boxrec. ... Find A Grave logo. ...

References and Notes