Just watched this again for the first time in years. Cooper was really putting it on CC, and in my opinion was doing far better than people thought he would. Was Cooper that good or Clay that bad? Clay looked terrible and was bullied from the off... Complaining to the ref every time he got hit as if to say that wasn't in the rules!! Cooper was outstanding in his effort, he rocked him many times with left hooks all night... Shame about the cuts. Personally Cooper should have been declared the winner, Clay was in no obvious state to continue before rd 5.
Er, but Ali came out in round 5 and battered Cooper, so he was obviously fit to continue, or did I miss that?
Well he sure didn't miss Cooper much in the 5th! Bill Faversham major shareholder in the then Clay talking to him between rounds ,"cut out the playing around."
Cooper wasn’t been battered. In fact Cooper was surprisingly competitive right to the end of both fights. Would Clay have won both fights without the cuts. Yeah, you would have to say yes but I wouldnt be surprised if Cooper without the cuts, had gone the distance in both fights.
If the fights had gone the distance, he wouldn’t have come close to beating Clay on points,even with British judges.
Correct, he did come out in the 5th and put it on him, must have been the new glove he used! He certainly had enough time to put it on in between rounds...
Nope, the glove wasn't changed, and the extra time amounted to no more than ten seconds as timed by Harry Carpenter in a follow up BBC program.
Pretty big step up to fight a guy like that in his backyard for an upcoming fighter. All other managers make Cooper go to Miami , or somewhere.
But the glove wasn't changed. So what do you think about that? You are arguing a case that is based on myth. Argument over.
Mate ,you stated the gloves were changed,you said Ali got the benefit of an extended rest, you were wrong on both counts .I've seen the fight about 30 times.I listened to it on the radio as it happened,[there was no live TV,]I'm up to speed with the fight ,but you obviously aren't.