HT This Day: September 27, 1962 -- Liston knocks out Patterson in first round

Sonny Liston became the new heavyweight boxing champion of the world last night by knocking out Floyd Patterson with a stunning left hook in 2 minutes and 6 seconds of the first round.

Sonny Liston became the new heavyweight boxing champion of the world last night by knocking out Floyd Patterson with a stunning left hook in 2 minutes and 6 seconds of the first round.

HT This Day: September 27, 1962 -- Liston knocks out Patterson in first round

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Three quick thrusts with the outsized hands at the end of Liston’s thick, strong arms had Patterson dethroned and grovelling painfully on the canvas, beaten and battered in two minutes and six seconds.

Booed into the ring by a crowd who obviously disliked him, Liston stayed long enough to be cheered out, the new champion, after a stunned silence.

In a slow start, it was obvious that both men were going to try to work out their hate on each other. Liston punched with all the venom of his powerful frame. Patterson wilted and grimaced as the powerful fists thudded in with body-wracking force.

And then came the end of one of the shortest world heavyweight title fights on record. A brain-numbing left hook caught Patterson on the head. His body quivered and he gradually began to lose balance.

Patterson lay half on his side and partly on his stomach. As referee Frank Sikora tolled the count it was obviously all over.

Patterson, who has had plenty of acquaintance with the canvas during his reign as champion, was groping on all fours. his eyes vacant and staring He made a superhuman effort at nine. tried to rise, but fell back. his legs numbed and helpless.

And so a new champion was crowned. With his past record, Liston will not readily be acclaimed as an real champion of the noble art At 28. it gives him the chance to readjust himself in society and be accepted by the people who have made no secret of their dislike of him because of his past Keeping his head and remaining completely disciplined, Liston reacted unusually quickly for him. He flashed over another shattering right to the chin and, before Patterson slumped to the canvas. he managed a finishing left to the chin.

This looked as though it was going to be the same old story Patterson has shown great recuperative powers to get off the floor and win in his title bouts.

But this time it was different. Liston was a man of another caliber. Try as he did, Patterson could not make his feet. Even if he had, he would have been unable to defend himself. Honour has been satisfied. Liston made no secret of the fact that he was angered by Patterson’s dislike of him.

But it was Patterson who gave him the title chance, wanting to refute Liston’s charges of cowardice.

Patterson’s adviser was strongly against his fighting Liston. But he was overruled by the fighter.

The estimated crowd of 35,000 and the far-flung theatre-TV audiences paid around $4 million (£1,430,000) for two minutes, six seconds of fight.

Patterson’s cut is not yet known, but if reports of a $2-million (£715,000) guarantee are correct he was paid at the fantastic rate of $15.880 (£5.670) a second.

Few punches

Patterson threw very few punches. He was a little wary after Liston’s opening attacks, but - he did catch him with one right-handed chop to the head from I close quarters which caused Liston to skip away out of trouble.

It is doubtful whether any man of similar size could match Liston’s punching power. In addition to this handicap Patterson, at 13 st. 7 lb., was outweighed by 24 lb.

All Liston gets for his newly won fame and glory is $50,000 (£17,850) That is the sum he will be paid from a guaranteed $200,000 I £71,430). The rest will be held in escrow as an insurance that he will defend his title against Patterson within a year-that is, if Patterson feels so inclined.

Patterson, once a problem child of the New York slums is a wealthy man and he may decide it is time to get out. He told reporters he wanted a return bout, but would make up his mind in a week.

“If the public will accept me, I’ll be a good champ,” Sonny Liston declared.

Describing the end of the fight after 2 min 6 sec. of the first round, Liston said: “I hit him with a left hook and he tied me up. The referee said to break and he grabbed the ropes. That gave me the idea he was hurt. and I hit him with a couple of good lefts. That was it.”

Asked if Patterson had hurt him, Liston said: “The only time he hurt me was when he got up at the count of ten and I thought he was going to fight some more.” Liston, when asked about a return fight, said first that it was too soon to think about it. Then. noting that the contract calls for a return match within a year, he said: “I’d like one as soon as possible.”

34th victory

Joe Louis, one of the all-time ring greats, who saw yesterday’s massacre, has four one-round title knock-out to his credit. In the ‘hate’ con-es, in New York in 1938. he thrashed German Max Schmeling in 2 min. 4 sec.

Way back in 1908, in Dublin, Tommy Burns knocked out Jem Roche in 1 min. 28 sec.

It was Liston’s 34th win in 35 bouts. and it was his second one round victory in succession, the previous one being against Albert Westphal in Philadelphia last December.

Patterson suffered only his third defeat in 41 bouts.

Asked about a return fight Patterson said: “Yes, I want to fight him again. No, I don’t want a year. We will see whichever is feasible Maybe. within three months.”

The fallen champion’s mother consoled him after the stunning finish.

Replying to questions, the ex-champion said: “I never had a chance to hurt him. I started slowly. It was to be a 15-round fight and I wanted to feel him out He started faster than I expected.

“I shouldn’t have let him start that fast. I heard the count at five, and then at six. I thought I was up at eight, but I really wasn’t I knew it was over when the referee grabbed me.”