Former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson dead at 71

thestate. ^ | Thu, May. 11, 2006 | TIM DAHLBERG

[Semper Paratus]

He had Alzheimer's disease for about eight years

On the young side for that.

[Tribune7]

Prayer bump

[Billthedrill]

RIP. Yes, and Ali's Parkinson's onset was fairly young too. You just have to wonder if all that impact to the head didn't have something to do with it.

[mak5]

Classy guy and a decent champion. Floyd was undersized, and particularly after he fought on into the early '70's, his mobility was limited by back problems. He took a beating in those days.

[AmericanRepublican]

RIP Floyd!

America loves you!

[linda_22003]

Those blows to the head couldn't have helped.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

RIP, Champ.

[Stepan12]

I think Sonny Liston with his stare psyched Floyd Patterson out. Liston was a terrifying physical specimen. When it came to Ali (then called by his original Cassius Clay name), Ali acted crazy and shook Liston up enough to win two fights against him.

I think Ali's crazy clown act paid great dividends in the second Liston/Ali fight.

[Old Professer]

"He also adopted Tracy Harris two years after the 11-year-old boy began hanging around the gym at Patterson's home. In 1992, Tracy Harris Patterson, with his father's help, won the WBC super bantamweight championship."

This is what makes champions a meaningful word yet.

[JoeSixPack1]

Floyd Patterson had class. RIP Mr. P.

[monkey]

He lost a disputed 15-round decision to WBA champion Jimmy Ellis in 1968.

He beat Ellis in that fight, but people wanted Frazier-Ellis.

[monkey]

He lost a disputed 15-round decision to WBA champion Jimmy Ellis in 1968.

He beat Ellis in that fight, but people wanted Frazier-Ellis.

[kellynla]

R.I.P. CHAMP!

[meandog]

He turned pro in 1952 under the management of Cus D'Amato, who in the 1980s would develop another heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson. Patterson fought as a light heavyweight until becoming a heavyweight in 1956.

Truth be told, "The Rabbit" (as Ali called him), was always a light heavyweight (or more likely a heavy cruiserweight). He had a great left and his "peek-a-boo" style confused a lot of stronger and better foes...but not Liston, Ali, or Jimmy Ellis.

[Robe]

A lot of folk didn't know that he was a pretty fail pilot..
I had a chance many years ago to administer a multi-engine/instrument check ride to him.
He had a good pair of hands in the cockpit as well as the ring.
Farewell Floyd...RIP

[Labyrinthos]

Mr. Patterson was a class act. I met him several times over the years, sometimes at "official events," where he gave a speech or was the honored guest, and other times at K-Mart, the gas station, on the train, or on the street. He was a true gentleman, and an ambassador of the sport, the State of New York, and the beautiful Hudson Valley. RIP.

[litehaus]

"Classy guy and a decent champion."...Things Change, sadly..

[RichardW]

I was sorry to hear of this but the end comes to all of us; even the good guys like Floyd Patterson. He always seemed to be a gentleman. Would be that most athletes today had his decency that he displayed.

[mjolnir]

Patterson was was beyond his prime when he fought Ali, and since he depended so much on speed, this was a tough prosepct for him.

Ali tried his usual obnoxious, disrespectful trash talk in the lead up to the fight, but for once met his match in that department--- pretty ironic considering how sportsmanlike Floyd Patterson was. Ali used insult after insult, including his derogatory "Rabbit" nickname yet couldn't phase Patterson, while Patterson, knowing what they stood for better than Ali, simply refused to enable his Black Muslim nonsense and referred to him as Cassius Clay, which made Ali completely lose his cool.