Cooper has a punchers chance his power was huge but his bob and weave was inconsistent and Walcott wouldn't brawl with him like Evander. Walcott likely outboxes him and stops an exhausted Cooper late or wins a wide decision.
Walcott the much better fighter ,his experience would enable him to get through the early dangerous round s .As Cooper tires , then Jersey Joe starts planting his feet and ripping in some powerful shots to Berts head . Unless Cooper catches Joe with an hail Mary punch , then he's overwhelmed by Walcott s shots and stopped .
Quite honestly, I am just glad that Bert keeps getting mentioned in all these fantasy matchups. A fine tribute to a warrior like Cooper. That being said, unless Cooper gets Walcott out of there early, he likely gets outpointed or stopped late.
I would actually give Cooper a fair chance based on styles here. Walcott obviously has to be the favorite.
The Cooper of the Holyfield fight took the bout on short notice (like a week or two) and wasn’t in shape to sustain any attack over a long distance. Thing with Bert is, I’m not sure there really was a prime. He was wildly inconsistent. So was Joe Walcott, for that matter, although he found a sort of peak late in his career. There are versions of each who beat the other. The Walcott who beat Ezzard tops the Smokin’ Bert who lost to Holy.
You have to make Walcott the clear favorite as he is a far greater fighter. Cooper has a punchers chance.
Walcott fought a pretty fair amount of punchers and did well against them,he might have to weather a few hairy moments ,but his guile would draw Cooper in, and he would be countered with something big to end the fight. Cooper tended to blow out after making explosive starts. Class usually tells, and it would here.
Walcott all day. Under what standard does Cooper even have a chance here? When did he ever beat a fighter the caliber of Walcott?
I was about to say that he beat Moorer and then I thought about it and said to myself "no he didn't".
I think Walcott could take him into deep water and drown him. Cooper took the Holyfield fight on 1 weeks notice and cracked Evander's chin so he does have a chance. He damaged Mercer's jaw severely. Bert Cooper could win this if Walcott makes a mistake or falls asleep. That short inside right hand is the dangerous punch. I have to give Walcott an edge based on his boxing ability and that Bert was more of plodder, stalker than pressure fighter. Walcott would get off 1st.
Bert had potential. He was always a fighter at heart. When he was on he really was on, and I respect that, but Walcott was consistent. By the time Walcott became an elite fighter he was a more reliable proposition than Bert Cooper ever was. And that goes a long way. But I like both guys and this will be a great fight.
