Remembering Floyd Patterson
Doug Gamble writes a nice piece about the passing of the former heavyweight champ, who was a hero of his. An excerpt:
My hero once said something that can be applied to the life of a person or, in these troubled times, to the life of a country. “They said I was the fighter who got knocked down the most, but I also got up the most.”
Floyd Patterson was a hero of sorts for my father as well. I've heard him tell on a few occasions about the excitement of seeing his devastating left hook that sent Ingemar Johansson to the canvas to regain his title. Like Gamble, my father was a fan of Patterson's, not just for his fast hands and devastating punches, but because of his humility and graciousness outside the ring.
As one who is too young to have much of a connection with Patterson, I nevertheless feel a connection with him through my father and, in that sense, I'm saddened today to hear of his passing.
My hero once said something that can be applied to the life of a person or, in these troubled times, to the life of a country. “They said I was the fighter who got knocked down the most, but I also got up the most.”
Floyd Patterson was a hero of sorts for my father as well. I've heard him tell on a few occasions about the excitement of seeing his devastating left hook that sent Ingemar Johansson to the canvas to regain his title. Like Gamble, my father was a fan of Patterson's, not just for his fast hands and devastating punches, but because of his humility and graciousness outside the ring.
As one who is too young to have much of a connection with Patterson, I nevertheless feel a connection with him through my father and, in that sense, I'm saddened today to hear of his passing.
posted by Wonderdog | 6:19 AM | Permalink
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4 comments
4 Comments:
Floyd Patterson was the Gold Medal Middle Weight winner in the 1952 Olympics, and then became the youngest heavy weight champ at that time in 1956. He never was more than about 180lbs his entire career as a heavy weight. What makes that left hook he laid on Johansson even more memorable in my book, was that three years earlier Johansson had knocked him down SEVEN times in three rounds to take the title.... Floyd Patterson was the first man to ever win BACK...the belt...and was nothing but class and beauty in a sport that has lost most of its reputation and honor since that time... He was a legend not just as a boxer...but as a man.
I suspected you'd be a fan of his too Temp.
You're right about boxing these days. There's not beauty, grace, or honor in it. Crazy enough, I think the last boxer I really respected and in awe of was a young Mike Tyson. I used to love his pure, raw, brutality and, yes, his graciousness -- at least when Cus D'Amato was handling him.
And do you know who Cus D'Amato also trained my friend?....yep...the same Floyd Patterson.....Tyson in his prime was one of the greatest sights in the history of boxing. What a shame that he had to end up like all too many in the sport...broke, alone, and nothing but the memories of his past to get him through the present.
Yeah, it's too bad. Once Cus died and Tyson was consumed by Don King and the rest of the boxing parasites, he didn't have a chance.
Remember how he used to come into the ring with just a grey smock tossed over his black shorts? No hype, no bluster, just raw fury. He's the only fighter in my lifetime who literally elicited fear in the eyes of his opponents.
And now, he's a washed up rapist with a face tattoo.
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