Most know that Zora caught 'enry quickly in the rematch (tho I don't know if he laid him in a 'puddle' count to 50 type thing or simply had him wobbled and ready to go) but the first fight has been available on Youtube for a while. Both Folley and his manager have been quoted as saying they were screwed in the first scrap. In watching the fight (with some rounds missing) I see a very competitive scrap with Henry taking the fight to Zora. Folley decked him somewhere in the mid-rounds but Cooper was up and fighting immediately and had Folley backing up often. I'm not sure, but if the referee was Harry Gibbs, wasn't he a paragon of impartiality for his entire career? I remember as soon as the final bell sounded, the ref raised Cooper's hand in victory but I didn't see it as some sort of 'screw-job'. Along with the first Ali (Clay) fight , this one ranks as one of Cooper's two finest accomplishments. I'm going to watch it again right now. Any thoughts?
In Henry's auto biography ,he said ,after Zora dropped him, he went right hand crazy and allowed Henry back in the fight, via his left jab. I'm almost certain this fight is out there.
The rounds look close but foley had a knockdown and it was coopers home town. On paper it is coopers best win. Im not sure it was that decisive. Its close.
Henry gets very much short sold here. The Folley win was excellent as was the Clay fight, he did not disgrace himself in the Ali fight and had a slew of wins over USA good journeyman types (Bethea, Hughes, Harris, Miteff) and a pile of European top ten'ish HW's like London, Erskine, Urtain, Bodell, Mildengerger Etc. He also damn near beat a young Bugner, most people thought it a robbery, I thought Bugner edged it. Admittedly he lost a few bad ones Amos Johnson and Hubert Hilton come to mind and he cut too easily and his chin was a little dodgy for top guys like Ingo, Patterson and Folley but he is now routinely put behind Chuvalo, Machen, Williams without a question.
Here are the reports on Folley-Cooper I & II Scartissue 1958-10-14 : Henry Cooper 189¼lbs beat Zora Folley 198¾lbs by PTS in round 10 of 10 Location: Empire Pool, Wembley, London, United Kingdom Referee: Tommy Little "Zora Folley's left jabs and left hooks had Henry Cooper bleeding from cuts above and below his left eye in the 1st round. And he dropped Cooper to the canvas for a count of eight with a barrage in the 3rd. The tide turned in the 4th when Cooper stepped up his slugging attack and hammered Folley to the ropes. The Briton's attack threw Folley off stride and Cooper continued his terrific pace during the rest of the bout. Folley rallied in the 10th but it wasn't enough. Referee Tommy Little's decision shocked Folley, who gazed at the arbiter in amazement. In England the decision is made only by the referee. There were no judges." -United Press International Attendance - 9,000 Gate - $42,000 1961-12-05 : Henry Cooper 189lbs lost to Zora Folley 194lbs by KO at 1:06 in round 2 of 10 Location: Empire Pool, Wembley, London, United Kingdom "Henry Cooper was knocked out by Zora Folley at 1:06 of the 2nd round in a scheduled 10 round bout at Wembley Indoor Stadium Tusday night. Cooper was reeling after the 1st round and bleeding freely from cuts over his left eye and on his forehead. Folley was right on top of him when the 2nd round began and ended it all with a crashing right hook to the jaw. Cooper got up to one knee just as the count reached ten." -Associated Press Weights Cooper - 189 Folley - 194 Post fight comment "I never even saw it coming." -Henry Cooper
I think you are a bit confused here, Cooper halted Hubert Hilton in 2 rounds. Maybe you mean Roger Rischer ? Whilst not disagreeing with many of the criticisms of Cooper, fragile chin,cut too easily etc. He was an excellent boxer & did carry a KO punch with his left hook. He outpointed or KO'd a number of decent US journeymen such as the aforementioned Hilton, Jeff Davis in 1 round (considered very durable), Wayne Bethea etc. He also beat all the top European fighters except Johanssen.
Agreed. coopers best wins against rated fighters are overlooked because they were in european rings. Cooper was by no means an ATG but you don’t have to be to be an ATG to be a world class hitter. Cooper knocked out more than enough world class fighters who were rated in ring magazine. That’s a world class puncher in my book. Coopers knockouts that were filmed were devastating and considered among some of the greatest KO's. They were not isolated incidents. Ko percentages includes TKO's and padded records, it is for kids playing top trumps. when you get a good one on the kisser you hope it’s not off a guy who puts people to sleep with real genuine count-outs. Now, you can knock the guys cooper knocked out but a KO punch is a KO punch. Rated Joe erskine was knocked up into the air and nearly broke his back on a rope. Brian london, jack Bodel, dick richardson, hubert hilton were all rated and iced by enerys hammer
I have Henry Cooper defeating 7 ranked heavyweights (few Champions do that) . And eight with Bodell! Ring Magazine 10/14/58.....Zora Folley............#2.....W 10 01/12/59.....Brian London........#6.....W 15 11/17/59.....Joe Erskine...........#7....KO 12 02/06/61.....Alex Miteff............#7.....W 10 02/24/64.....Brian London.......#10....W 15 01/25/66.....Hubert Hilton.......#10....KO 2 11/10/70.....Jose Ibar Urtain....#8.....KO 9 WBA 03/24/70....Jack Bodell..........#10.....W 15
