Was Gerry Cooney's Hook > Smokin' Joes?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019.


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  1. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I've watched the video dozens of times: George declaring that Cooney's hook hit him harder than Joe's.

    I realize Joe's hook is (mostly and understandably) venerated, but he might have a point; not the least of which being size.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
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  2. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    For pure power I'd agree with Cooney hitting harder but for how they used it it's Joe all the way
     
    George Crowcroft, Jul 31, 2019
    George Crowcroft, Jul 31, 2019
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  3. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I think Joe's relentlessness with it had just as much to do with its effectiveness as anything else. He just kept popping it out there, whereas Cooney was generally more cautions (unless he was fighting washed up fighters, of course...which is exactly what George proved himself to not be).
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
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  4. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Harder? Maybe but it doesn't matter. Frazier is much better at landing them and creating openings, that's what is more important.
     
    70sFan865, Jul 31, 2019
    70sFan865, Jul 31, 2019
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  5. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Cooney probably hit harder punch for punch, but Frazier's hook came again, and again ,and again.Joe had the ability to throw it, reload and throw it almost instantly and he could do it all through a fight ,by no means a common place attribute.
     
    Tonto62, Jul 31, 2019
    Tonto62, Jul 31, 2019
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  6. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Frazier beat Muhammad Ali and several good contenders, and his left hook was instrumental in about all his wins.

    Cooney beat some old has-beens and journeymen, and his left hook was instrumental in about all his wins.

    Frazier's hook ranks higher.
     
    Unforgiven, Jul 31, 2019
    Unforgiven, Jul 31, 2019
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  7. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Joe really was like a hatchet chopping down a tree. That was one of the reasons I thought it odd that Foreman beat him back when it happened: I thought Joe's style would make George this big slow oak. I still wonder if Foreman Frazier would have been very different had it been the supernaturally driven Frazier of FOTC.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
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  8. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    As well as all that , Frazier had that relentless will to win .
    Imagine an unbeaten Cooney stepping in to the ring to face Ali in his comeback , and the fight scheduled for 15 !
    Now try and imagine Cooney , round after round pummeling away at Ali constantly with his left hook .
    And Cooney actually Dropping Muhammad as well !

    No ,has lethal as Gerry's left was , Frazier was a lot better equipped with his .
     
    Fergy, Jul 31, 2019
    Fergy, Jul 31, 2019
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  9. KuRuPT

    KuRuPT Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Cooney's had more power, but Frazier's allowed him to reach levels Cooney could only dream of.
     
    KuRuPT, Jul 31, 2019
    KuRuPT, Jul 31, 2019
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  10. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Perfectly put.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
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  11. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    I think it was just a size and style thing.
     
    Tonto62, Jul 31, 2019
    Tonto62, Jul 31, 2019
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  12. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Cooney was never allowed to develop into the fighter he might have been.He gave Holmes a pretty good go but needed more seasoning against better opponents before being thrown in for a pay day.
     
    Tonto62, Jul 31, 2019
    Tonto62, Jul 31, 2019
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  13. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I can't imagine that. Cooney fought Holmes when the latter was at the very end of his peak (you could say the actual end was after Cobb...go ahead and argue with me that Holmes DIDN'T look like the greatest heavyweight in the world during that fight). And Cooney looked overall pretty bad during that fight, despite all the oos over his bravery and power.

    Even early to mid 70s Ali would have stopped Gerry (though I kind of doubt Ali would have hesitated to finish Gerry like Larry did in round two...that particular bad judgement call being perhaps the most obvious sign of Larry's advancing age at the time).
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
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  14. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I blame the competitiveness of that fight on Larry, whose advancing age made for a bad call after the second round knockdown. Watch the video when you have time...Cooney was pretty much done.
     
    RulesMakeItInteresting, Jul 31, 2019
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  15. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Yes ur right in that ,he had some very good attributes and maybe a few more year s and fight under his belt .. Who know s ?
    He'd have probably kod a couple of the alphabet boys with more experience .
     
    Fergy, Jul 31, 2019
    Fergy, Jul 31, 2019
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