Who is the next in this series: Jersey Joe Walcott, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Ingemar Johansson, Floyd Patterson, ...?
Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson Muhammad Ali vs. Floyd Patterson refers to two North American Boxing Federation heavyweight professional boxing matches between the champion Muhammad Ali and former champion Floyd Patterson. The first match took place on November 22, 1965; and the second on September 20, 1972. Ali won both fights through technical knockouts. The first fight was stopped in the 12th round; and the second after the 7th round. Patterson had previously lost his heavyweight title to Sonny Liston in a 1st round knockout. In a later rematch, Patterson lost again in the 1st round. Liston later lost the
Floyd Patterson win in 15 rounds. Jim Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson picked Patterson to win. The fight also carried a number of social implications. Liston's connections with the mob were well known and the NAACP was concerned about having to deal with Liston's visibility as World Champion and had encouraged Patterson not to fight Liston, fearing that a Liston victory would tarnish the civil rights movement. Patterson also claimed that John F. Kennedy did not want him to fight Liston either. Patterson lost his title to Liston on September 25, 1962 in Chicago, by a