Floyd Patterson

Floyd Patterson, also known as "The Gentleman of Boxing," was a legendary American boxer who had a professional boxing career for more than 20 years, from 1952 to 1972. His career statistics include 64 total fights, with 55 wins, 8 losses, 1 draw, and 0 no-contests. Out of the 55 wins, 40 were KO wins. Patterson had two weight classes, light heavyweight and heavyweight, and won a total of six world titles, which he successfully defended six times. He also had eight losses in his career, five of which were in title fights and three in non-title bouts.

Patterson's boxing career began at the young age of 17 when he made his professional debut in 1952 against Eddie Godbold. Patterson won the fight via fourth-round knockout, which kicked off a string of 13 consecutive wins. Finally, in 1956, he got his first world title fight at the young age of 21 against Archie Moore. The fight was for the NBA (vacant), NYSAC, and The Ring titles, and Patterson won it via fifth-round KO, becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.

Patterson went on to win the title two more times at the heavyweight championships, and he is the first boxer in history to have regained the undisputed heavyweight championship after losing it, a feat he accomplished by defeating Ingemar Johansson. Throughout his career, Patterson had many notable victories over two Hall-of-Famers in Ingemar Johansson and Archie Moore, as well as other accomplished fighters such as Henry Cooper, George Chuvalo and Oscar Bonavena.

Although Patterson had an illustrious career, he also suffered his share of losses, with five of them coming via KO. His first defeat stopped his 13-fight winning streak, and he lost five times in title bouts and three times in non-title fights. One of his losses was to the legendary Muhammad Ali, in which he lost via 7th round RTD in a non-title rematch at the age of 37.

One of the reasons for Patterson's legacy was his Olympic gold medal win in the middleweight division at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was the youngest fighter in history to win the title and the first heavyweight to regain it after losing it. He was voted The Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1956 and 1960 and also earned the same title from the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Patterson's career can be divided into seven notable fights. Here's a closer look:

• Fight #1: November 30, 1956 - Patterson vs. Moore I
  Patterson's very first world title win was against Archie Moore fighting for the NBA (vacant), NYSAC, and The Ring titles. He won via fifth-round KO and became the youngest heavyweight champion of the world at the age of 21.
• Fight #2: June 20, 1960 - Patterson vs. Johansson I
  Patterson defeated Ingemar Johansson via fifth-round KO and became the first man in history to regain the undisputed heavyweight championship title.
• Fight #3: March 13, 1961 - Patterson vs. Johansson III
  Patterson defeated Johnansson via knockout in the sixth round, winning the rubber match and successfully defended his title.
• Fight #4: November 22, 1965 - Patterson vs. Ali
  Patterson's fight with Muhammad Ali was one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches in history. Ali won via 12th round TKO, and Patterson suffered the first challenging defeat of his career.
• Fight #5: September 20, 1966 - Patterson vs. Cooper
  Patterson defeated Henry Cooper via fourth-round KO and continued to build on his already impressive legacy.
• Fight #6: February 11, 1972 - Patterson vs. Bonavena
  Patterson defeated Oscar Bonavena via 10th round unanimous decision, adding another impressive victory to his already impressive tally.
• Fight #7: September 20, 1972 - Patterson vs. Ali II
  In his final professional fight, Patterson faced Ali in a non-title rematch at the age of 37. Unfortunately, Ali won via 7th round RTD, marking the end of Patterson's professional boxing career.

Patterson's boxing style was orthodox, and he had a height of 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (182 cm) and a reach of 69+1⁄4 in (176 cm). His nickname was "The Gentleman of Boxing," and he was well-deserving of this title, showing respect and sportsmanship to his opponents and fans alike. His contributions to boxing have earned him a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, which he was inducted into in 1991.

While Patterson's career has come to an end, he will always be remembered as a legend in the world of boxing, thanks to his impressive list of victories, his determination, and his sportsmanship. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of boxers to give their all in the ring, to show respect to their opponents, and to always strive for excellence.

Floyd Patterson Fight Record