Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson

Boxing competition
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson
DateNovember 22, 1965
VenueLas Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Title(s) on the lineWBC, NYSAC and The Ring heavyweight titles
Tale of the tape
Boxer United States Muhammad Ali United States Floyd Patterson
Nickname "The Greatest" "The Gentleman of Boxing"
Hometown Louisville, Kentucky Waco, North Carolina
Pre-fight record 21–0 (17 KO) 43–4 (31 KO)
Age 23 years, 10 months 30 years, 10 months
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg) 196+3⁄4 lb (89 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBC, NYSAC and The Ring
Heavyweight Champion		 WBC
No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight
Former two time heavyweight champion
Result
Ali won via 12th round TKO

Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson was a professional boxing match contested on November 22, 1965, for the WBC, NYSAC and The Ring championship.[1]

Background

Patterson won the world heavyweight title in 1956, and became the first fighter to win it back in 1960 (after losing to Ingemar Johansson in 1959). Patterson lost the title again in a 1962 fight against top contender Sonny Liston in a 1st-round knockout. In a 1963 rematch, Patterson lost again in the 1st round. Liston later lost the title to Muhammad Ali (then still known as Cassius Clay) in 1964. Meanwhile, Patterson went on to win fights against top contenders Eddie Machen and George Chuvalo. Patterson was now the number-one challenger for the title held by Ali.

The fight

On November 22, 1965, Patterson fought Ali for the first time. Patterson lost by technical knockout at the end of the 12th round, going into the fight with an optimistic view. Patterson suffered from a ruptured sacroiliac joint in his lower back which greatly reduced his mobility after the first round, and his corner worked on his back in between rounds to help reduce the pain.[2] Instead of scoring a quick knockout, Ali mocked, humiliated and punished Patterson throughout, before the referee stopped the fight in the 12th round. A New York Times reporter complained that the fight was like watching someone "pulling the wings off a butterfly."[3]

Aftermath

Rematch

On September 20, 1972, Patterson fought Ali for the second time. At age 37, Patterson was stopped due to a cut eye at the end of the 7th round.[4] The defeat proved to be Patterson's last fight, although there was never an announcement of retirement.

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:[5]

References

  1. ^ "Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  2. ^ Decker, Bill (1965-11-23). "Patterson Refuses to Use Back Spasm as Alibi in Game but Losing Fight; INJURY IS EVIDENT IN FOURTH ROUND". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  3. ^ Sports Illustrated, 13 June 2016, pp. 39.
  4. ^ Staff, B. N. (2019-09-20). "On This Day: Muhammad Ali defeats Floyd Patterson again". Boxing News. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  5. ^ "BoxRec - event".
Preceded by Muhammad Ali's bouts
22 November 1965 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
vs. Tod Herring
 Floyd Patterson's bouts
22 November 1965 		Succeeded by
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  • The Greatest: My Own Story (1975 autobiography)
  • The Fight (1975)
  • Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times (1991 biography)
  • The Tao of Muhammad Ali (1997)
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  • Facing Ali (2002)
  • Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years (2002 biography)
  • The Soul of a Butterfly (2004 autobiography)
  • Twelve Rounds to Glory (2007 biography)
  • Ali: A Life (2018 biography)
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