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Patterson Outpoints Machen in Sweden

July 5, 1964 - Floyd Patterson outpointed Eddie Machen tonight in Solna, Sweden, in a dull 12-round bout.

The fight, billed as an elimination for a crack at the world heavyweight championship held by Muhmmad Ali, drew a crowd of 36,000 to a soccer stadium in the northern outskirts of Stockholm.

What the fans saw for much of the fight was two men locked in clinches with their heads down, pushing each other. Patters weighed 192½ pounds and Machen 198½.

Patterson was the faster of the two, and he managed to free himself from the clutches of Machen long enough to pile up a small lead from the start. But his timing was off and his reflexes seemed slow as he missed numerous opportunities to deliver damaging blows.

Machen managed to stun Patterson a couple of times in the early rounds. But he too failed to capitalize on opportunities.

In the last half of the fight, Patterson showed flashes of the left-right flurries that were his hallmark during his championship days. He was dethroned by Sonny Liston in 1962 in 126 seconds and was beaten again by Liston last July in 130 seconds.

Patterson staggered Machen with a hard right to the head in the eighth round, and a brief slugfest preceded another clinch.

In the 10th, Machen was felled by another hard right. But since the rules adopted for the fight did not include a mandatory 8 count and Machen bounced up at once, no knockdown was scored.

Patterson hit him on the way up, and there was a pause as Machen stood with gloves outstretched in protest.

In the 11th, Patterson dropped Machen again, but again Machen was up before a count. As the bell rang, he was pursuing Patterson and he continued to slug with lefts and rights amid boos by many fans.

Machen said afterward that he had not heard the bell. Patterson said that had been his impression too.

Patterson conceded that he had not been sharp, but he said Machen hadn’t been either. He said had not pressed hard because he knew he was ahead on points. He said he had never been in real trouble.

Patterson said he would like to get a bout with Ali.

“But my whole purpose in continuing to fight,” he said, “is to fight Liston again.”

Alfred Bolan of New York, who had promoted tonight’s fight, said he would try to line up an Ali-Patterson bout.

Patterson’s record is 40-3-1. Machen is 47-5-2.


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