Patterson Still Trying to Find Way on His Own

RESEDA — The bob-and-weave style remains. So does the surname.

Yet, little else remains of the bond between Floyd Patterson, former two-time heavyweight champion, and the adopted son he took from the streets and trained to become world champion.

Tracy Harris Patterson, an aimless 11-year-old when he first wandered into Floyd’s gym in New Paltz, N.Y., has not spoken with his father in more than two years.

Only briefly have the Pattersons conversed since Tracy, then the former World Boxing Council junior featherweight champion, left Floyd’s camp in 1994 in search of a “new direction” in his career.

Tracy, who will fight little known Manuel Chavez-Tellez in a 10-round featherweight bout tonight at the Reseda Country Club, has said little about the split.

Floyd, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, has said even less and did not return phone calls for this story.

“He won’t,” Tracy said. “He won’t call you and he won’t talk about it.”

Tracy, who turns 33 next week, is 59-5-1 with 41 knockouts and is intent on regaining world-title status after two consecutive losses by decision to Arturo Gatti. He is ranked fifth by the International Boxing Federation.

Patterson lost his IBF junior lightweight title in the first meeting with Gatti on the night he last spoke with Floyd.

Television cameras focused on Tracy and Floyd, who presided over the bout at Madison Square Garden. But father and son barely exchanged glances.

Tracy declines to offer specifics, attributing the parting to “the pressures of a father-son business relationship.” Despite their differences, however, Tracy said a bond still exists.

“I love him and I know he loves me,” he said. “If I see him somewhere, I speak to him: ‘Hey, how ya doing?’ But that’s the way we leave it right now.

“My dad wanted me to go in one direction and I wanted to go in another. His feelings are hurt, my feelings are hurt. I’m sure he took it very hard, but everything was on the table, everything was open.

“I really don’t care to talk about the reasons. I’d rather just let them die.”

Tracy was 16-0 with Floyd firmly in his corner when he knocked out Eugenio Salazar at the Country Club in 1987, his only previous fight in California. He gained the WBC title in 1992, then lost it to Hector Acero Sanchez in a 12-round decision in August 1994.

Three months later, Patterson defeated Darryl Pinckney in 10 rounds in his last fight under Floyd. Tommy Parks took over for Tracy’s next fight, a third-round knockout of Jose Madrid, and remains in his corner.

Patterson won the IBF title with a second-round knockout of Edward Hopson in 1995 but at times has wandered from the style he learned from Floyd.

In February, after flooring Gatti in the first round with what was ruled a low blow, he was dominated over 12 rounds.

“There was a time after Floyd that Tracy kind of got flat-footed and started looking for knockouts with one big punch,” said Tony Stronconi, an assistant trainer. “You could see him doing things he never did before. He came to us about nine months ago and said, ‘I want to get back to what we used to do.’ ”

Patterson admits matters might never return to the way they were between himself and his father. But he insists he is at peace.

“The last time I spoke to him he said to me, ‘I love you, and I’ll give you a call,’ ” Tracy said. “And I haven’t heard from him since.”

Fight Night / Tonight’s boxing at Reseda Country Club. First bell, 5 p.m.

* Tracy Harris Patterson (59-5-1, 41 knockouts) vs. Manuel Chavez-Tellez (23-6, 18 KOs), 10 rounds, featherweights.

* Effi Schneider (7-3-1, 1 KO) vs. Mark Fernandez (33-16-1, 14 KOs), 10 rounds, junior-welterweights.

* Wolfgramm (11-0, 9 KOs) vs. Bill Eaton (9-1-2, 5 KOs), six rounds, heavyweights.

* Jesus Chucho Ruiz (13-0, 12 KOs) vs. Paul Jones (5-6-2, 3 KOs), eight rounds, light-heavyweights.

* Brandon Mitchem (9-1, 4 KOs) vs. Heriberto Rojas (7-1, 4 KOs), six rounds, junior-middleweights.

* Jermaine Fields (6-0, 6 KOs) vs. Luis Montes (9-20, 7 KOs), four rounds, junior-lightweights.

* Chuck Goossen (9-2, 6 KOs) vs. Onofre Chavez (2-4), four rounds, welterweight.

* Tickets: $10 and $20.

* Information: (818) 881-2988.