How did Jean Pierre Coopman get his title shot vs Ali?

He was a soft defence after the Thrilla in Manilla,so I can run with that.

 

Coopman was on a 11 fight win streak at the time. Coopman did become the European champ after this though hes very clearly the worst of the EBU champs Ali fought.

 

There are layers of understanding to this:

Before alphabet gangs took control of boxing and idiots started listening to them and legitimizing them, the rules were thus:

If a world champion entered the ring within the proscribed weight of his division and his opponent did likewise, the title was at stake.

If you were lightweight champ and wanted to fight without the title on the line, you came in above 135. Then you have a non-title fight.

But the heavyweight division is unlimited. It doesn’t matter if it’s Ron Stander or Jean-Pierre Coopman or Mickey F-ing Mouse, every fight was a title fight.

The idea that an opponent had to be ranked came later. But at this time and before, the challenger might be the best (or even one of the best) on the West Coast or the Midwest or … Belgium. The best of your area, no matter how tiny or insignificant or meaningless in the big picture, was good enough.

The alphabets kind of ‘legitimized’ it and institutionalized it (more properly, gave it cover) — so some countries aligned with the WBA (Venezuela for instance) and some with the WBC (Mexico) and the respective (not respectED) commissioners or representatives from those countries served as the bagmen to pay off whoever needed to be paid to get their (often undeserving) fighters ranked and into position for title shots. The IBF was a splinter from the WBA, iir, and the WBO was ‘legitimized’ by UK fighters who couldn’t win real world titles claiming those belts. Promoters didn’t care because ‘title fight’ mean better box office, so paying a ‘sanctioning fee’ was offset at the box office.

But tht hadn’t taken hold yet, at least not in the more visible heavyweight division, or at least not with an icon like Muhammad Ali at the top of the mountain. So basically Coopman got a title shot because his manager made some inroads to get a contract signed and CBS put up like $1M so it could televise a Muhammad Ali ‘title fight.’

That’s it.

Well, not quite.

You have to understand Ali’s position at this time. He was bigger than boxing. He was bigger than almost anything. Don King would put a price tag on an Ali title fight and someone would meet it — in this case, it landed in Puerto Rico. According to Sports Illustrated, 10,000 seats sold out and another 11,000-plus sold out to watch it on closed circuit in another nearby arena. Ali’s daily workouts drew hundreds who paid $5 just to watch him break a sweat.

He was bigger than the Beatles had been, and that appeal was worldwide. He went on tour, same as Elvis or any other attraction — if he came to Puerto Rico and you could go to see the most famous man in the world ply his trade, you went. Bigger or richer venues would pay more for the bigger fights, which is how the Thrilla ended up in Manilla and the Affair ended up in Zaire.

In short, it didn’t matter. And it wasn’t like Ali hadn’t held up his end of the bargain … he had beaten Joe Frazier in their titanic third fight just months before.

Sports Illustrated captured it as well as anyone could in its account of this fight:

https://www.si.com/boxing/2015/09/24/one-nighter-in-san-juan-muhammad-ali-jean-pierre-coopman

 

The Greatest.

 

Who are we to doubt the Lion of Flanders?

 

Accurate and succinctly put.

 

Coopman certainly fought boxers from a lot of different countries in 54 fights.

Belgium
Holland
Dutch Antilles
Aruba
Spain
Italy
France
Mali
Luxembourg
Argentina
Uruguay
USA
Zaire
Hungary
Antigua
Germany
Norway
Wales
England
Canada
Tunisia

 

Evangelista was similarly unknown and non-accomplished. But turned out to be quite good starting with going 15 with Ali.

 

Evangelista was a Top 10 fighter when Ali fought him.

 

Maybe the WBA or WBC got creative and put him in their top 10? Crazier things have happened. Guys who in reality aren't in the top 50 have made someones top 10. It happens.

 

This!