If Cooney was with A. Dundee...An ATG?

No, he already had a top trainer - Victor Valle.

Cooney's problem was that he didn't fight enough, he was destroyed by inactivity. He had his own issues, and turned alcoholic, and lost the desire to be want people expected him to be. It's all well-documented.

His trainer was excellent. And so were his managers really.

 

After the Holmes fight, Cooney had his money and the fighting interest was gone.

Holmes would have been in his way, and he needed another 10% development in some form to beat Holmes.

 

They were good managers, not cornermen.
They got Cooney a lot of exposure and built him up well.
Probably should have seasoned him a bit more before putting him in with Holmes but they got him the money he was worth (and more!) and a defeat to Holmes needn't have been the end of the line for Cooney. He actually gained a lot of standing among many observers for his effort in that fight. He could have built on that.
Maybe they should have insisted he matched with some contenders straight after that, to build his confidence.

I think Cooney's shortcomings are down to himself and his own personal issues, not anyone else in his camp. And I think he'd admit that.

 

The Norton fight ruined him, took a million dollars and partied away his talent.

 

:good I agree 200%! I always felt cooney would have done a lot beter had berbick and snipes fought him rather than holmes in the year prior and all holmes did in a year was fight kenny norton in a rematch. the rounds holmes clocked up in competative fights with those two saw him through. for all the heart cooney showed he did not have those rounds of experiance to call on when the going got tough.

I think cooney fairly or unfairly had already had a taste of a champions pay cheaque..without paying his dues, it took away his desire. whatever he says he was already where he wanted to be finantialy ..he could not face starting over.

exactly. he had handed to him what would be beyond many fighters wildest dreams. but it spoilt him and prevented cooney developing into his full potential.

 

If only he fought better opponents on his way up, and if he fought some other contenders at the time, he could've been great.... Don't know if I'd call him an ATG. if he beat Holmes, and went on to defend his title a few times... Who knows.

 

Nobody knows how good Cooney could have been because it all depends on his chin. If it really was the eggshell it appeared to be, then nothing could have helped him.

As he was thought to have a pretty good chin in his brief amatuer career, it is just possible that it was the drugs and alcohol that made him so frial. But nobody will ever know for sure.

 

A shot at the title shouldn't be the first time someone is matched tough. Cooney's people only wanted to cash in. Otherwise they would have had him clean out the top ten on this way to the belt.

 

Even with Dundee hes not beating Holmes at that time.

 

No. But a very good fighter nonetheless.

 

victor valle although a good trainer perhaps did let himself down a little as trainer and someone in a position of power in the camp he should of insisted on at least three harder fights before cooney faced holmes. i dont honestly think valle could of thought cooney ready to take holmes on when he did.

 

Dundee would've quit on Cooney long before Spinks of '87 got to Gerry boy......

Cooney had size and power, but lacked coordination.... He had tools, but his skills were limited..... Cooney was too much of lefty who owned a gay right hand...

Plus, Ol' Dundee would told Jones and Rappaport to either roll the ball or get lost....... Cooney on the sidelines was what killed him in the ring after 1981........

MR.BILL:hat