I am surprised, those amateur fighters are Gerry Cooney's age, they are not on Social Security like in his professional career.
Thanks my friend, I only speak the truth. Cooney beats up Jimmy Young and Ken Norton and he is considered invincible, the rest of his opponents are tomato cans, unranked ham and eggers.
Richard with all due respect, I agree than Cooney was a protected fighter, but he was not abused by his management. Cooney nowadays is in very good health and very rich. Dennis Rappaport was a whacko, but his fighters not just Cooney, but Howard Davis, Billy Costello, Ronnie Harris, even Tim Withersppoon for a time was managed by Rappaport, all got paid and paid well. Also Cooney, unlike Toro Moreno was a legitimate fighter. His left hook is one of the best. I think if you want an analogy I think his career would be the first half of Rocky 3. Rocky defends his title 10 times against good but safe opponents, because Mickey is looking out for his well being, and then gets in over his head with Clubber Lang, although Cooney went 13 hard rounds with Holmes not 2 like Rocky and he never beat Holmes in a rematch.
Cooney could hit. At his best, imo, he was a step below the likes of Holmes. He was never going to beat Holmes. But the way he just went out and blasted the likes of Norton was pretty impressive. Even if they were past there primes. He was not a great fighter, but a good fighter if that makes sense.
Your opinion is well respected, but if Gerry Cooney was a legitimate contender, why did he have to fight the older crowd, Jimmy Young and Ken Norton?, they were well past their peak fighting days. I would have had a more positive opinion of Cooney if he had fought his way up in the top ten, a peak Tim Witherspoon, Pinklon Thomas, or a Greg Page, that is what I meant as protected to get a title fight. What could Norton or Young have taught him? Absolutely nothing, great fighters take risk before a big title fight unless management has no faith in their fighters. If it is just for big money, then prestige means nothing, that is why I pay no attention to today's heavyweights, I do pay attention to the smaller weights. But you are entitled to your own opinion as I am.
Leonard took it to him in the early 80s he was invited to spar (forget the HWs name) and Sugar wanted a piece it was gonna be all camera stuff but Gerry was so woefully unskilled that Ray humiliated him.