After the crushing defeat to Sonny Liston, Floyd returned to New York, and after a rest, planned a comeback. The rematch with Liston was set for April of 1963, but a knee injury to the new champ postponed the match until July 22 in Las Vegas.
The second fight fared no different, and Floyd was knocked out again in the first round, this bout lasting four seconds longer. It would be the only two times Patterson would be counted out in his entire career.
After a self admitted period of depression, Floyd rebounded with two good victories, over Eddie Machen and George Chuvalo. The victories placed him as the number one contender for the new champion Muhammad Ali’s title. A bout between the two was set for November 22, 1965 in Las Vegas, but it was not one without controversy.
Ali called Patterson an ‘Uncle Tom’ for refusing to call him Muhammad Ali. Floyd had said before the bout he was going to return the belt to America, and reclaim it from the Black Muslims.
Floyd went into the bout with a severely strained lower back muscle, which greatly limited his mobility. Ali easily won the fight, easily outboxing his older opponent until the referee stopped the contest in the twelfth round. Ali praised Patterson for his effort, but the loss relegated him to strictly a contender role permanently.
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AT kensoldtimeboxingchat
LISTEN TO MY PODCAST ON SPOTIFY AT kensoldtimeboxingchat
