Shavers vs Cooney in August of 1980

Shavers had no chin and no stamina, and wasn't the fastest guy either. Cooney at that point was too big and tall, too long, too frisky, fast, and sharp. Sure he did not age well and fell all to pieces after the Holmes fight, but he proved against Larry that he was a good fighter, just not good enough to beat an ATG.

Of course, with Shavers' power, and Cooney's so-so chin, yes it is possible that Earnie could have nailed him early and taken him out, but I don't think that is what the oddsmakers would have had it.

 

I'd make Cooney a heavy favorite. He was a fast starting heavyweight with a ton of size and power, along with a deadly left hook, and this was the type of fighter that could have easily taken advantage of a declining Shavers. Earnie was blowing hot and cold by this point, beating Ken Norton emphatically, but dropping fights to lesser men in Cobb and Mercado in the same calendar year of 1980. I also disagree with a prior claim that Cooney was losing focus at this point... That was certainly true by 1982 and beyond, but in 1980 he was on the fast track and looking very sharp. A Shavers victory via KO is a real possibility, but I don't think its happening with a single shot, and Earnie wouldn't have much time to set up anything big, before Gerry would be all over him. My guess is that the acorn falls from the tree about as fast as Lyle and Norton did.

 

Cooney by KO

 

IDK , Shavers quite fit d bill 4 a Cooney opponent in 1980 : old , smaller (actually shorter than any big name that Cooney ever "beat") , how would he have reached Cooney @ such age & height difference ? but then Shavers hit hard . I think in 1980 it was a winnable fight 4 Cooney , as much as he lacked in everything except from power , size & youth (especially compared 2 his opponents back then)

 

What exactly did Cooney do to justify the high rating that he is given in fantasy matches, apart from inadvertantly reigniting the white hope campaign that should have been buried with Jack Johnson?

 

I think with Cooney it is not what he did but what he could have done he had very good potential that just was not developed properly by his trainer, management, and himself.

He makes for some very interesting fantasy type fights because of his size and power and his vulnerabilities. I don't see a problem with discussing him in fantasy fights because a lot of what he could have done is unknown.

He went 13 rounds with Holmes which a lot of his other contemporaries in the 1980's failed to do. Was Cooney a great fighter? No. Was he awful? Certainly not.

 

Yes, but for every fighter that "was", there have been 20 that "could have been".

Cooney is only special because he got media interest!

Nobody seems to care whether Luther McCarthy would have beaten Earnie Shavers!

 

don't c u wrong many times but u r here .
N almost shot Norton lasted 15 against him and Norton wasn't 1 of d most durable even during his prime which he even wasn't vs Holmes .
A novice Carl Williams whom wasn't 1 of d sturdiest lasted 15 vs Holmes .
Neither 1 of Norton nor Williams even went down against him .
Berbick & Cobb , 2 lowly skilled heavyweights also lasted 15 vs Holmes .
Holmes stoppage over James Smith was a result of cuts , his stoppage over Shavers a result of a deliberate thumb .

And Cooney was awful , or otherwise explain his Loss 2 Michael Spinks , a superheavyweight getting slapped in2 submission by a lightheavyweight . His losses 2 Holmes & old fat partially disabled George Foreman also weren't signs of quality .

 

I think Cooney on the outside would be too much for Earnie to get close to without getting hit to the body and head by one of the best one-armed punchers in the division but Earnie always had a chance to land one against the frail Cooney and make a change...still don't think Earnie get to Gerry before Gerry gets to him...early stop for Cooney 1-4

 

This is a very interestnig topic. I remember, as kid in 1980, reading that Cooney vs Shavers would be made. I thought it was a huge risk for Gerry, but figured he'd win. Now, in retrospect, I'm not so sure that Cooney would have survived against even an over-the-hill Shavers.

It's entirely possible that Rappaport and Jones had second doubts about the match, and scuttled it. They must have known that Gerry's chin wasn't the best.

I agree that Cobb, because of his preternatural durability, had a better chance against Shavers than Cooney did. Cobb could take punishment indefinitely; Cooney didn't.

However, I completely disagree with your assertion that Cobb possessed the level of "quickness and firepower" of Cooney.

I believe that Cooney's firepower -- and offensive skills -- were vastly superior to Cobb's. The two may have had comparable handspeed, but Cooney's combination punching ability, and his ability to throw the left from many different angles as an uppercut or hook, meant his firepower was better than Cobb's.

And of course, I'm sure you'll agree that Cobbs punching power was poor compared to Cooney's.

A great fight would have been Cooney vs Cobb. Cooney would have won, by wide UD or stoppage. I'm not sure which.

 

Not to be a tell-all,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but

I spent alot of time out in Long Island in 1980 and 1981,,,,,,,,

and Gerry had alot more problems than alcohol,,,,,,,,,(Cooney's Pub) didn't help either.

As for Cooney versus Shavers in August 1980,,,,,,,,,a very dangerous fight for Gerry, as Earnie could still hit for a few rounds,,,,,,,,,,

Plus,,,,,,,,Gerry and the 'chin',,,,,,,,,,,,,,he was Knocked-out in a 1979 'smoker bout' versus
Light-Heavyweight Eddie Davis (Johnny's brother).

I'd take Earnie by KO in 3.

 

u mean n exhibition ?

 

frankenfrank,,,,,,,,,,

A back-room 'private club' smoker-bout,,,,,,,,,,a non-State Boxing Commission fight,
usually held in back rooms of bars/restaraunts or warehouses,,,,,

Yes,,,,,,,,the fighters usually would get some good bucks too.

'7' Rounds, with each round scheduled for '2' minutes or until someone got floored, or knocked out.

 

interesting . i do take your word 4 it because it wouldn't have surprised me that Cooney would have been stopped by any1 . after watching his 3 losses and his "win" over Norton i came 2d conclusion that he was 1 of d worst challengers in history , probably "D" worst , even if not d most inferior h2h .
What intrigues me d most in this post of yours was that such n overhyped and well paid contender had / agreed 2 fight in such off d record and maybe more dangerous events , but u already mentioned that they were usually paid good bucks 2 so i guess they were really lots of bucks .

 

Frank,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Those boys from Long Island had a few Italian/Irish 'financially backed bouts' in
Brooklyn, and Long Island..........

Usually a 'large warehouse' in Brooklyn near the Piers or the Mill Basin section......The fighters could get anywhere from
$2500 to $50,000 "CASH" for a 'smoker bout'.......Plus any side bets ++++

Sometimes a 'real good' amateur would show up,,,,,,,,,have a 'smoker bout' against a
professional fighter too....fight, get the cash, and still remain an amateur.

Both Davis Brothers were involved in a few of them,,,

Gerry Cooney (Huntington, Long Island)
Eddie and Johnny Davis (Hempstead, Long Island)
Bob Stallings (Levittown, Long Island)
Bill Sharkey (Queens)
Greg Sorrentino (upstate Syracuse, New York)