It was one of the saddest days in my life when I heard that my best friend had died on the 12th May 2006 and just four weeks before I was about to return to New York to see him, I knew probably for the last time.
I first met Floyd Paterson in 1949 when we were both only 15 years old. It was between Lexington and Green Avenue in Brooklyn. You have heard of the “Gangs of New York”; well at that time I had the distinction of being the leader of the “Robins” and I had been jumped on by three rival gang members in the street. Floyd was passing by and because he didn’t like the odds of 3-1 he jumped in to help me beat them. After we saw them off I turned on Floyd and told him that I didn’t need his help as I could have handled them no problem myself. He laughed and said I should come with him to his gym and see how I could handle myself in the ring. We arranged to meet and went along to see Cus D’Amato at the 14th Street Gymnasium in Manhattan where he agreed to become my manager.
By 1952 Floyd and I had both excelled as amateurs and we were selected to represent the United States of America at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, Floyd as the light heavyweight and me as the alternate. Only if Floyd was injured would I get the chance to box so I knew there was little chance of that because he was in great shape and sure enough he brought home the Gold Medal at the age of nearly 18.
I owe Floyd much in my life as we both basked in the pleasure of his win and when he bought an eldorado cadillac car, we drove all over Downtown and Manhattan showing off and chatting up all the women who fell at our feet. We were the toast of the town and we loved it. Even when I got into trouble Floyd was there for me. My mother went to him and he paid the bail to get me out of jail, women trouble’s, of course.
Floyd and I always felt like equals as he once said,”I would take Mack on in the ring anytime, no problem, but I would never fight him in the street, he would murder me”. We remained good friends as Floyd went on to enjoy a glittering professional career as a light heavyweight, then heavyweight, becoming a two time World Champion. He was a legend and became the youngest ever world heavyweight champion when he beat Archie Moore in 1956. He defended his title four more times before being defeated by Ingemar Johansson in 1959.
A year later he reclaimed the belt with a fifth round knockout in a legendary contest. By 1962 he had again lost his title to Sonny Liston in a brutal bout. But Floyd fought back to earn a crack at new kid on the block, Cassius Clay, who had taken the title from Liston, but unfortunately Floyd was stopped in the 12th round. He then won against another old friend of mine, Sir Henry Cooper. I was Henry’s sparring partner for many years and helped him prepare for the fight against Floyd but it was not to be. Floyd fought on for another five years before he retired in 1972 with another defeat by the now Muhammed Ali.
In the meantime I had travelled to Lima, Peru, then on to Canada and ultimately to Europe where I stayed in Italy for many years and more recently I have settled down in Scotland with my wife Jan.
I knocked out most of the European Champions including Chic Calderwood, Jack Bodell, Sante Amanti to name but a few. When I retired from boxing in 1965 I went into the entertainment business travelling with my 15 piece soul band, till I became Mr Superbad of K.Tel Records. Finally in 2005 I retired after a prominent career as a Radio D.J.
I always thought of Floyd and wanted to see him again so in June 2000, after nearly 30 years, I returned to New York and spent time with him at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota. It was obvious even then that he was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s but his long term memory was pretty good and we spent some happy hours over the few days we had together reminiscing over old times. See photograph opposite of us together in 2000.
I am returning to Canastota this week with my wife, Jan but it won’t be the same without my great friend Floyd. I am so disappointed that so little mention has been made about the death of this great pugilist in the world media and I felt compelled to pay him this tribute.
My sincerest condolences go to his wife and family.
“I love ya man”
Freddie Mack
