Despite his manager Cus D’Amato’s objections, Floyd Patterson agreed to fight Sonny Liston at Comiskey Park in Chicago on September 25, 1962. The hard-punching Liston was just an 8-5 betting favorite going in, which seems ridiculous to me. If I was a fight fan at the time, I’d have rustled up every dime I could and bet it on Sonny. The smallish Patterson had no chance to me going against the powerful punching Liston, and it didn’t take long to find that out.
The whole thing was over by two minutes into round one, when two left hooks by Sonny knocked Floyd out. Styles make fights, and if the two fought 100 times, Liston would knock Patterson out 100 times. Anyone that thought different at that time, knew nothing at all about boxing!
Against his managers wishes again, Floyd agreed to a second bout with Liston set for July 22, 1963 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It was originally set for April 4 in Miami Beach, but a Liston knee injury pushed it back until June 27 in Las Vegas. More minor surgery on Sonny’s knuckles postponed it again, until it was finally set once and for all for July 22 at the Convention Center in Vegas.
When the actual event took place, it was a carbon copy of the first fight. The time the 4-1 Liston dropped Patterson three times in the first round, ending the massacre. It ended any questions as to who was the better fighter, that’s for certain.
Floyd returned home embarrassed and ashamed, even wearing beards in public to hide his identity. One could only feel for the likeable Patterson, who at least had the guts to take on the formidable Liston. Boxing being what it is, it would not be Patterson’s last shot at the heavyweight title after all.
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