I've seen this fight and am working from a shoddy memory. As I recall, I think Heyward was just to big and strong for Cokes, who was the far superior technician in the fight. Somewhat like a Hearns - Barkley matchup. Good action while it lasted.
Hayward is one of my favorites. He was awesome. This was his breakout fight after dropping a decision to Stable on television. What an awsome war. Ive been looking for Hayward-Little for years and would pay a mint for it if it exists on film. Hayward was robbed everytime he went to France either getting draws or loses. He outboxed and dropped Bouttier in losing a joke of a decision. He had to stop Leveque to finally get a win.
I never thought as much of Cokes as he did, and he didn't have the strength or power for this matchup. The bout I would still like to see is the Briscoe-Hayward fight if its out there. By the way does anyone know how Stan came to have the kitten monicure?
Check out Hayward's record after he lost those 2 back to back title shots. Something bad must have happened. This content is protected
Against Freddie Little he suffered a bad cut which impared his vision. In the second Griffith fight the same cut was reopened having the same effect. He was robbed against Bouttier, DiBenedetto, and probably Duran as well. He then took almost a year off and came back only to lose two straight before retiring. He tried a comeback another year later but he was not the same. Even so he had a real good showing against Briscoe in losing, he was just too small for that weight.
Hayward fights a good fight for a bigger man in there, he shows Cokes no respect, even after getting dropped twic, he just uses them advantages in size and strength to push back the skiled but lacking physically Welterweight in Cokes. Hayward IMO is more skilled than this bout lets on but here he goes for effectiveness rather than skill, and rightfully so.
