If Gerry Cooney didn't fight Larry Holmes in 1982 and picked on older and unranked

Best best for Gerry was Mike Weaver, and that was not guaranteed. Probably regrets it on some level to this day.

 

He might have caught Mike but...I don't know, Mike hit really hard and Gerry took a lot of shots. I think Gerry would have had to come out the way he did against Norton....except prime Mike was both a harder puncher and significantly younger man than the way past it Norton who Cooney cold-cocked.

Weaver stops him in 14.

 

He never would have fought Ali. Ali only came back to win a title. John Tate had won his vacated WBA title. If he did the public would have clamored for a Holmes fight because Holmes was seen as the real champion by 1980 as Ali had bee retired to two years and was 38,

It would have been very difficult for Cooney's management to navigate all the way to 1985 without an alphabet title riding on a victory over a titleless 38
year old Ali

 

Cooney should have at least won the title. He had some decent wins even though he fought many guys late in their careers. Jimmy Young and Ron Lyle. Knocked out Lyle with a body punch if I recall, and Young had a cut. Jerry had a decent jab and could move in and out ok, he just didn't have good defense and he paid with that since he had to get close enough to land the left hook and then he was in range. I don't think Cooney had the fighting instinct of a Hearns or Duran who kept coming back. Those guys lost and would come back and do well. Cooney lost something in the Holmes fight, and was inactive... He did terribly against Spinks and Foreman. Landed a good left on Foreman and then was demolished in round 2. He didn't have the experience to learn defense. And Cooney ate right hands, which would be a problem with some guys in the 1980s who were out of shape but solid. I suspect Cooney could beat Berbick, but Witherspoon would have beaten him. Tim lands that clubbing right he liked to sneak in and I don't think Cooney gets out of the way fast enough. I even think Pinklon Thomas beats him.

 

Would have been nice if Cooney had been managed better and picked up a heavyweight title

 

Gerry Cooney did pick on fighters who were put out to pasture, namely Ken Norton and Jimmy Young. He was coddled too much, like I have said, a novelty. He was a super nice fellow, someone to go to the library with but he was too clumsy man to be a fighter. But he may have run into an elderly fighter who would have exposed him.

 

Imagine Cooney getting hit flush by Weaver, the same right hand Holmes landed during round 2 of their (his and Gerry's) fight. Cooney would have been completely done imo.

No, I don't think Gerry would have made it past Mike.

 

Nervous management or not...risky opponents or not whether they be tate,berbick or weaver.....i think theres no doubt that year before the holmes fight cooney shoulda wacked out guys like scott le doux and john l Gardner which wouldve kept the hype machine going and made him look good....even a leon spinks was a beateble guy.

 

14 seconds????

Witherspoon HAD sparred w him and Cooney could do nothing with him. I picture Witherspoon 1 punching him like he did the guy late in his career.

 

I agree, Gerry would have probably tripped over his big feet. He was awkward and clumsy.

 

He moved ok in and out and had a decent jab. His right was something, but he just didn't have the motivation after Holmes to get better and keep going. I am adding a comment here. Cooney's right was something, but not much.. Something meant it was ok..

 

I don’t remember Cooney putting up a “solid” effort against Holmes, it was a boring one sided affair.

 

If the Leon from the Bernado Mercado fight shows up, Gerry is in trouble.

 

Yes thats why i hesitated with him...but ledoux and Gardner were perfect.I still thibk he crushes Spinks.

 

It is an interesting question, to consider how at best a contender might attain the championship for & retain it for years if they happened upon sub-par challengers.
However we need to weigh both how likely it is that they only face these men, & also-you have less than one challenger per year.
The implication is that Cooney could have reigned as champion for at least 5 years. But you describe less than 1 defense a year, when the champ is supposed to fight ~ every 6 months to retain his title.

You need to factor in more than twice as many fights.
And not cherry-pick the worst possible match ups.
Lastly, it is an uncommon & recent phenomena for someone like Wilder to have so many non-mandatory title bouts, & with guys ranked so relatively low.