Gerry Cooney vs Joe Bugner prime for prime

Bugner decision. Very underrated these days is big Joe.

 

Bugner was supposed to be Cooney's tune up fight in December of 1981 for the Holmes fight. Of course Cooney got injured and the fight was called off.

Bugner was also a sparring partner for Cooney when he prepared for the Holmes fight. Bugner said he landed his right hand at will on Cooney and because of that knew Holmes would beat him.

 

I was only giving an opinion

 

Tommy, I said if Bugner "fancied it" - you quite clearly stated the Frazier version - I take your point mate:good

My only doubt would be that Bugner was staggered, floored & hurt against Frazier when he was "into" the fight - if that makes sense - if Cooney caught Bugner VERY early in the fight, before Bugner was in full swing say, then Joe might go into a defensive shell.

I hope that makes sense?:good

 

Bugner by decision ...

 

Tommy - I think we've both come to the conclusion that we agree!

 

Bugner and Cooney were supposed to fight December 5, 1981 in a 10-rounder in Las Vegas. Cooney pulled out with an injury. Bugner was 31 at the time.

 

I sure do remember that. And then the Witherspoon sparring stories as well. But boxing fans just love big punchers and their chances and make the odds sway in lots of fights.

 

Bugner would have been capable of beating Cooney. When Joe was up for it,only the best were capable of beating him. He dropped a split decision to a still very useful Ron Lyle. With a little more enterprise,Joe could have won that one.

 

we are talking legitimate contender in gerry and we are talking legitimate tomato can in joe gerry belts joe with his left hook from the opening bell before knocking joe out into tomorrow gerry is a power puncher and joe has no defensive skills what so ever:yep:think

 

Joe had the skills, stamina, chin and mobility to take Gerry late and drown him. Bugner came off the floor to buckle Frazier with a right, needed just one of those rights to take out Dino Denis (who would be an interesting man to ask about Bugner-Cooney), and steamrolled Dunn immediately out the gate. Gerry would not catch him cold, and Joe could defend against the hook effectively.

What leads me to believe a motivated Bugner stops Cooney late is that Gerry didn't really have the chin (or more accurately temple) to stand up to the kind of shot which buckled Frazier and downed Denis and Dunn. I have no doubt that Joe can withstand Cooney's fire when Gerry does connect. Lyle, Frazier and Ali all had stamina Cooney never demonstrated. Joe had a quartet of wins over the championship distance, and continued winning over the 12 round limit until the end of his career at age 48. I don't think Gerry makes it to the final bell.

 

I know Cooney used Bugner and a guy named Walter Sentemore as 2 of his sparring partners for the Holmes fight I can't remember the other guys name?

What is the story with Witherspoon? Was he a sparring partner for Cooney for the Holmes fight?