How do you see Cockell, the #2 Ring Magazine rated heavyweight from 1954, doing against the following who filled the Top Ten fifty years later? George Foreman Oliver McCall Riddick Bowe Michael Moorer Lennox Lewis Herbie Hide Larry Holmes Henry Akinwande Jorge Luis Gonzalez Lionel Butler
Overall, Cockell was nothing special but after losing to Randy Turpin in 1952 he had quite a solid two year run. I am sure it that two year span which Ring felt was worth the number two ranking. Since you were specific about the year for the Englishman I assume you are also talking about the 1994 version of those ten fighters. Cockell certainly is not beating Bowe, Moorer or Lewis. He would have a very small chance against McCall and the old versions of Foreman and Holmes. I think it would be about 50/50 or maybe 40/60 with Hide and Akinwande. I believe he should rightfully be favored against Gonzalez and Butler.
Cockell was brave, fast hands and decent boxer. Gonzalez was a big dissapointment as a pro but he I still see him winning though Don might survive the distance he can avoid that uppercut though probably worn down for late round ko. Lewis, Bowe, Moorer and Hide would eat him up within 3. Butler who destroyed Tubbs+Bonecrusher could do it early too. Lionel didn´t have the greatest stamina, if Cockell could survive he might last the distance and even a decision win for the brave isn´t out of the question though highly unlikely. Foreman might do it quickly but probably ground him down within 8. Holmes might go the distance but I seem him opening numerous cuts to force a stoppage late on. Akinwande pick him apart within 8 boring rounds. McCall will start as slow as usually but wear him down like he did in the Seldon and Damiani fights. Lucky to make it the 8th.
randy Turpin? the Brit that beat Robinson? that was at middleweight. how the hell did Cockell lose to a middleweight?
In The Naked Gun, Vincent Ludwig, portrayed by Ricardo Montalban, asks Lt. Frank Drebin, portrayed by Shirley Nielsen, as to the hospital whereabouts and status of one Detective Nordberg, portrayed by Oran Jones. Frank said something which would be very relevant to this scenario. He tells Ludwig that Nordberg is "in the intensive care ward of the Our Lady Of The Worthless Miracle" hospital. Which is exactly where Don Cockell would be. Because his winning streak would likely provoke Oran Jones to attempt to stab him to death with a large knife.
Turpin was a Big MW and more a L-HW, which of course you have to remember Nearly ALL Boxers fights back then were at Catchweights the next weight up... Turpin never fought much at MW after his first few years unless called to do so, i.e Eliminators or Title matches, that was true for all of them, basically. people think his best performance was against SRR, it was actually his fine performance Turpin fought against Cockell, again at 'catchweights. Plus at lot of people forget Cockell was a L-HW, it was only his Glandular illness which forced the Don to fight up at HW long before he would have actually grew into the weight with age. by all accounts Cockell was a respected Contender and potential Champion at L-HW, but his body, through illness, had other ideas. Turpin came along at the right time, when the old crop of British Middles & L-HWs were at their end.
With a gun? How does he do that? The dude had no physical advantage and only the most basic of skills. At least Butler hit like a ton of bricks (Lamon Brewster said he was the hardest puncher he ever shared a ring with). And there is no conceivable way Cockell beats the 6-7 Gonzalez that toyed with Snipes.
Holmes outboxes him to a sound decision. Even as an older gentleman his skills were sublime. He outboxed BUTTERBEAN in a grandiose display. Old man Foreman slow as a slug might honestly struggle to hit the much smaller Cockell. Remember it took him 7 rounds to get rid of Qawi in dreadful shape near enough obese who was much much shorter than Cockell. It's possible Cockell stays the distance and outboxes him however old foreman had ways of making his opponents play to his strengths. I think Foreman would win maybe 7/10 of the fights. Michael Moorer was a fighter who struggled to beat a holyfield having a heart attack and had a see-saw battle against bert cooper. It's not inconceivable that Moorer would struggle with Cockell. He was a fighter who blew hot and cold. I don't think Cockell ever fought a Southpaw on the level of Moorer. McCall struggled with a good jab. But honestly I don't see a pathway for Cockell to win here. Mccall's certainly not getting knocked out and McCall was a good fighter who fought everyone and their mum and got a really good resume because of it. I think Mccall probably wins by KO at some point. Riddick bowe and Lennox Lewis The only way Cockell wins this is if it's an eating contest and even then Bowe might outmatch him on that front. Henry Akinwande is one of the most boring fighters to ever box. His length and holding tactics might be tough for Cockell to overcome. Either way it'd be a difficult fight to watch Herbie hide has one of the greatest glass jaws in boxing history. I think Cockell has a very good shot seeing as Hides Stamina wasn't the greatest by any stretch of the imagination. Jorge Luis Gonzalez wasn't anything special. But he's much bigger with much better pop. I don't think he beat a lot of ranked contenders though so he wasn't a top quality kind of fighter. I'll give him 60/40 I forgot Lionel Butler even existed.