Former Heavyweight Champ Floyd Patterson dead at 71

He passed away today in New York.

The embarassing defeat mentioned in the short obit most certainly has to be Patterson's loss to Ingemar Johansson. The Swedish boxer defeated Patterson via a 3rd round TKO in 1959. Patterson won the title back the next year after a re-match.

On a side note- I got to meet Johansson in the mid to late 70's. He was a grand marshall of a boat parade in Broward County. Johansson was very out of weight by that time and I'm a little surprised to see he is still alive.

Patterson was not a great heavyweight. He may have been a great light-heavyweight if he fought in that category. He wasn't a big man and didn't have the punching ability of other fighters. Still Floyd held the heavyweight title for about six years over two different stretches, being the first heavyweight to re-gain the title after losing it. RIP.

Open Post- Bright & Early,

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. - Floyd Patterson, who came back from an embarrassing loss to become the first boxer to regain the heavyweight title, died Thursday. He was 71.

Patterson died at his home, having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for about eight years, according to nephew Sherman Patterson. He also had prostate cancer.