You are in > manchester.com  > News > Boxer Patterson dies

Boxing

Boxer Patterson dies

11/05/2006

Boxing legend Floyd Patterson has died at his home in New York today aged 71 after battling with Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer.

Patterson, the first man to regain the heavyweight world title, began his glittering boxing career in 1952 when he won the Olympic gold medal in the middleweight division.

The gold medalist then entered the professional game and became the youngest man to win the heavyweight title in 1956.

Ingemar Johansson beat him in 1959 but Patterson took the title back in 1960, becoming the first man to ever manage a comeback to retake the heavyweight champion of the world title.

He tried to make another return after losing his crown in the 1960s but the emerging talents of Mohammed Ali and Sonny Liston proved too much for him.

Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton paid tribute to Patterson prior to his world title fight with Luis Collazo in Boston on Saturday.

"Floyd was a gentleman and really polite and that is exactly what being a champion is all about. A lot of boxing hearts have been broken today," Hatton said.

"As the first man to regain the world heavyweight title he was a history maker. As I try to write my first page in history here we are saying goodbye to a great champion."

© Adfero Ltd