Let’s say he knocks out spinks. Then never fights again and leaves the sport with a 29-1-0-25 record. Where would you rate him ?
He’d certainly be a unique former lineal champion. Jeffries, Louis, Marciano, Ali, and Lewis gave up their titles and retired after several title defenses. I guess the closest comparison is Gene Tunney. If this had happened, I’d probably put Cooney in the high teens in a greatest heavyweights list (that’s ballpark. I have no such list.)
Another thing to consider: If Cooney beats [EDIT: Spinks], people will look at Holmes-Cooney differently. They won't view it as a champion exposing a hype job anymore. It will become a changing-of-the-guard-that-wasn't between a young, raw future champion (mediocre champ, sure, but not terrible) and Larry Holmes. They might also point out Cooney's solid performance on points at the time of the stoppage. Rather like Klitschko/Lewis. Both men's legacies will improve. When people rhetorically ask who Holmes beat, people will respond with Cooney. Holmes will get the "beat a prime lineal champ" achievement pin that helped the 70s guys so much.
Not much.. He had a great left hook but he never really proved it against top guys, and beating Spinks at that point would not have elevated him too much.. Beating Tyson? That would have helped.. Even some wins over Dokes or Bonecrusher, but I am afraid Bonecrusher would have knocked him out.
I think beating a linear champion and ATG would have been a lot better than getting is butt handed to him the way he did
With a 29-1-0-25 record and a win over a linear champion with his only loss being to a top 3 great I think he’d look pretty good
I honestly without any reservations could agree that Gerry Cooney was a great fighter if he had beaten IBF Heavyweight champion Michael Spinks, because he had beaten a lineal legitimate champion that was in his fighting prime, and had also defeated Larry Holmes, something Cooney could not do in 1982.