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

I think history does cooney a large disservice....the 1982 Cooney would never have lost to spinks or 1990 foreman...cooneys effort against holmes was very credible....he showed a jab,chin,desire,skill and stamina that would have seen a decent wba reign imo...but sadly his last 2 fights where he showed none of his previous qualities....

 

yeah it was one sided I agree. He had power so when he hit Holmes to the body in a long fight it hurt Larry, but Larry handled him easily as long as he could avoid that left hook.

 

I don't see Cooney making it against 92 Foreman, either...though I bet it would have been a better and longer fight. Cooney had enough sense to stay enough away from an all time top 3 ATG for the majority of 13 rounds.

That said, if George caught Cooney flush the way Holmes caught him in that second round...it's over, baby.

 

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George Foreman did stop Gerry Cooney on January 15 1990, in round 2. Every version of George would kayo Cooney, as I said, he was a novelty, Jerry Quarry had a better career.

 

Don’t care what anyone says Cooney beats Weaver in October of 1981 if they fought. Cooney was going to self destruct regardless so I don’t think he beats Holmes even if they fought in 1983 or 1984. 1982 was clearly too soon. Cooney wasn’t developed and had huge potential. He could fight.

 

I read Cooney’s book. The excessive drinking and cocaine use started the night after he KOed Norton. It didn’t stop until 1989. Valle said he could smell alcohol on Cooney’s breath in the morning training sessions in Palm Springs for the Holmes fight. Rappaport and Jones were so dumb they thought Cooney was going to walk right through Holmes in 3 or 4 rounds. So did a lot of Boxing vets simply because they hated Holmes. The predictions weren’t based on reality.

 

Great post on many levels....don king wasnt cut in ...cooney couldnt get fights...

 

I agree with this. His sparring partners became champions but Cooney made more money than anyone but Holmes from his era. And it prevented him from reaching his potential. I think he paid a price for having a financially successful career over becoming champion. Financially Cooney did better from boxing than the other belt holders.

Tate. Tubbs. Dokes. Page. Those guys would have swapped belts for Gerrys money.

 

Gerry was one of the greatest punchers ever and even had a very underused yet really good jab.

I question his skills against other contenders of the era, though. I think Coetzee would have had a decent chance of beating him, and I'm pretty sure Page would have at least UD'd if not stopped him in the later rounds. Even Tillis could conceivably have given him a run for his money.

That said, I think Holmes would have outclassed all of them.