Frazier '71 vrs. Cooney '81

If you believe that Frazier would suddenly start at full speed and that Cooney would just stand there....maybe.

I don't believe so. Not saying Cooney wins.....but I am very open to the possibility that Cooney comes out fast and catches a still-warming-up Frazier with his upward trajectory punches. It's an intriguing match...and it won't be against guys like Ron Stander and the like.

Boxing is full of Zen Lessons.

If this match went beyond four, sure, I'd bet the farm on Joe. As it stands, the variables suggest the possibility of a potential upset.

 

I'm glad you are having that laugh. Comparatively, Joe was a slow starter in many of his bouts...slower than Cooney typically was.

Not stuck in the mud slow.....but one would start faster than the other.

Also, we aren't talking about a 1987 variant of Cooney here.

It would be nice and neat and tidy to believe our hero's are invincible and untouchable, but who is to say that a big, quick-starting KO artist like Cooney has no shot at upsetting the applecart? Even if Cooney and Frazier started at the very same speed and began exchanging briskly, does not even the utmost remote chance exist that the gangly Irishman just might land something that would cause Frazier to suddenly become unraveled?

 

That also has to do with level of competition and fighting live bodies. And just where are the A+ Cooney results under that scenario? The guy I saw lost every time he even fought a live body.

Cooney is just too much of a stationary target with a poor defense to hang in there very long against the guy that licked Ali in the biggest fight in the history of the sport. It's not as if Cooney is going to be competitive fighting a 71 Ali. Or that a prime Frazier would've had any problems with the graveyard versions of Cooney/Lyle/Young either.


And if Cooney does get hurt, what bag of tricks is he going to turn to and get Frazier off him? That same bag of tricks he used in other fights he lost?

 

Frazier is going to get Cooney out of there and fast. Frazier ko 2 Cooney.

 

There is every reason to think that Frazier would win this.

 

If I was Cooney and had to fight Frazier, my plan would be to storm out of my corner and try to take Joe out in the 1st round because that's my only chance. If Joe makes it out of the 1st then it's only a matter of time. And that "time" in my opinion is a 4th or 5th round stoppage for Frazier after a furious 1st.

 

Frazier certainly would've wore him down late. Cooney may have had early success early but in the end would have gased out.

 

A '71 Frazier and an '81 Cooney are both undefeated. But the '71 Frazier has won the FOTC and a lot of hard fights under his belt. He has gone 15 at top speed and stands at the top of the division. '81 Cooney is a dynamite left-hooker with several early KOs of older faded contenders in his resume as well as a lot of potential. Most of his victories have been quick KOs - virtually no hard-fought victories over the distance. Against Frazier, Cooney would have a puncher's chance - but he would have to catch Joe very early and put him away very early. After a couple rounds, Joe would take him into deep water very quickly. Cooney may score a first round KD or two, but I believe '71 Joe would shake it off and stop Gerry in 5 or 6.

 

Prime Frazier of 1971 beats the 1981 Cooney....

 

Cooney was **** , but , he wins this by KO/TKO and not because of cuts/swelling .

 

frazier would destroy cooney 6 rounds at the most .

 

Frazier no doubt.

 

If Cooney's poor defense, lack of durability or Frazier's performance against a great totally dissimilar to himself were all there was to it, then by definition, Joe would beat him early and easily.... But its a little more complicated than that... Cooney was a very early starter with a lethal offense and huge punching ability, to go along with what would be a collosal size advantage over Frazier... Joe had the tendency to get tagged early in fights and had a questionable chin.. Now that does not mean that I'd favor Cooney by any means, but to think that he couldn't score an upset KO before Joe got going is not out of the question... Had Klitschko and Sanders never fought, who would have picked Sanders?

 

Think of another Frazier-Foster fight..and I know Cooney's bigger, stronger and hits harder, etc., but just think of another Frazier left hook with the same ending..in the same round 2. It would be a miracle if Cooney made it to round 3.

 

'71 Frazier??? And some of you think Cooney...any version of him would win?