Baer vs Cooney

I've seen Rooney workout but beer would destroy cooney

 

I've seen Rooney workout but baer would destroy him

 

Baer was in a different class, despite his inconsistencies.

Cooney is a "what if".

Baer is a "could have done better".

 

Unfortunately alcohol (and drugs)would lead to the downfall of many leading 80s heavyweights including Cooney.

Which Rooney are you talking about, though?

 

Good post. I think this would be an excellent matchup.

 

You seem to be overlooking Baer's underrated defensive technique, where he gets closer to bigger opponents by tucking his chin and eating punches. Could do wonders against a man with Cooney's size, jab, and overall power.

 

Exactly. Both could punch, yes - but Baer had an iron chin, and Cooney didn't

 

Cooney had a good jab and I think this would give him a chance . Although would cooney have the stamina in the tank to box behind a jab for 15 rounds that's debatable or even the mental discipline. Perhaps cooney's best chance would be to start fast behind a powerful jab and push the smaller man back following him throwing power bombs . As already said Baer has the better chin of the two and also has real power so this approach is also dangerous for cooney . For me this is a very good entertaining match up , as much as Baer has the better chin I think cooney has the power and size to cause real problems for Baer . I can see either man winning but I'm leaning toward cooney this though would make for a great trilogy

 

Baer had the chin with withstand Cooney's best incoming. The opposite, in my opinion, can't be said.

 

Kind of a Mayorga-Forrest situation.

I don't like picking Baer, but in this case I think a wild right hand and some toughness would be enough.

 

Cooney's best incoming would arguably be able to affect any heavyweight if he were to connect repeatedly, iron chin or not. Plus Gerry at his best,loved to switch from head to body which he could do quite seamlessly, especially against someone stationary in front of him and no matter how hard you train your body, ribs are still ribs and Cooney had the power in his hooks to the body to crack ribs no matter how tough you were.

Max also may have had the power to KO Gerry but he would be crazy to risk leaving his chin out and gamble on his chin been able to withstand Cooney hooks and uppercuts in order to land his own shots.

 

Holmes might have been greater, but Baer was in a different class as a puncher.

 

JC problems were defense..endurance..chin especially...beer would time the jab rather quickly and end it soon...both seemed to be good guys so glad it never happened

 

Not suggesting Baer was not a better one punch fighter than Holmes, but in his prime Cooney was a big old unit who would have been putting his own heavy artillery down on Baer.
Baer was not known for his defensive skills, and if a guy like a 190 pound Braddock did not get ko'd by Baer, and in fact beat Baer, then a 230 pound heavy handed behemoth like Cooney would not likely succumb.

I just know i would not wish to be on receiving end of Baers right or Cooneys left.

 

Max Baer wasn't a cringing, creaky old man with no chin like Norton, or a cadaver like Lyle....and and as for Cooney being """shot"""....that's no excuse...there was no excuse at all for the unbelievably poor performance he put up vs Spinks, or that dreadful ownage...that total blitzkrieg of a thrashing he got from a man so much smaller than him. Cooney never fought a warm body, never mind a guy like a prime Max Baer, who would have treated him like he did Pat Comiskey. Cooney was nothing more than an overrated white hope...with no chin and no defense. Max Baer was no Dino Dennis to say the least.