Episode 01: Tracy Patterson Interview

A Legacy created out of a Legacy

With his very calm demeanor and gentleman-like poise, it would be very difficult for a casual observer to know that Tracy Patterson was a former Golden Glove, WBC Bantam Weight, and IBF Super Feather Weight World Boxing Champion. Reel Scene Sports Media had the opportunity to sit down and talk with boxing great Tracy Patterson at Floyd Patterson Boxing Club gym located in Highland, N.Y., which is affectionately named after his father the late great Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson.

Patterson reflected upon his overall boxing career, his personal philosophy on the sport of boxing, and forecasted where he sees the sport in the future. Tracy took us back to 1976 when he witnessed boxer Sugar Ray Leonard box in the Olympics on television which was the spark that ignited his love for boxing.

His newly found interest motivated him enough to find a local boxing gym located in New Paltz NY where former Heavy Weight Champion Floyd Patterson was giving boxing lessons to local community youth. It was there that Tracy began his boxing career at 11 years old, inspired mostly by Sugar Ray Leonard and his soon-to-be Father Floyd Patterson. It must be stated that even with his profound love and admiration for the elder Mr. Patterson, Tracy made it a point that he was determined to “become his own man” in boxing and to establish his own legacy. He also noted that although Floyd took the time to train and develop him to become an elite boxer, he did not at any point in time force Tracy to pursue boxing. Tracy grew to love the sport with a passion and was fortunate enough to have a former boxing champ guide his path along the way.

When asked about dealing with obstacles along his journey, Tracy recalled losing two fights. Rather than being down on himself and giving up, he used the two losses to motivate himself to train even harder and get better as a boxer. By the time Tracy was 15 years old, he had already accumulated many amateur fights on his resume and was well on his way in his career to eventually turning pro. At that critical point in his career, his mother decided that she would move the family (he and his younger brother) back to Alabama.

Because of the love that Tracy had developed for boxing and the fact that his career was already well underway, he was adamantly against making the move south with his Mom. At that pivotal juncture, Floyd Patterson stepped in and came to Tracy’s aid by offering to take him in as his adoptive Son. Tracy’s Mom was at first hesitant but eventually gave in to the request by giving her blessings. To show appreciation for his Mom’s decision to allow him to remain in N.Y., Tracy vowed that he would make his mother proud by becoming a successful professional boxer. And he did just that by eventually becoming a Golden Glove Boxing Champion, followed by his WBC Super Bantam Weight, and IBF Super Feather Weight Title gains. Tracy ended his pro career with an astounding record of 63-8-2.

While still having the love and passion for boxing as he did as a child, Tracy admitted that he doesn’t follow as many boxing events as he used to. He stated that most of his involvement nowadays in boxing is revolved around training, developing, and mentoring up-and-coming boxing students at his boxing club.

Tracy Patterson, former Golden Glove, WBC Bantam Weight, and IBF Super Feather

Weight World Boxing Champion

Patterson’s departing remarks were that boxing will always survive and that it will always be “his thing”.

Although his father Heavy Weight Champion Floyd Patterson left a wonderful boxing legacy for the world to remember, Tracy has also truly cemented his own legacy and imprint on the world of professional boxing and continues to this day to do the sport and his Dad proud!