Gerry Cooney vs. Tex Cobb

Cooney is a step up from Cobb. He was a solid fighter with good power, good skills, good enough stamina. He would probably beat up Cobb but Cobb would go the distance.

 

Agree, the last half of the fight wb too lumbering guys laying on each other. With Cobb saying is that all you got, after being pummeled in the first half. Decision Cooney in an ugly fight

 

I was thinking about this earlier today, Just how good was the Cooney of the Holmes fight? He fell apart mentally after this fight, but how would he do against other top guys of that time period and other eras?

 

This matchup has emerged before on ESB, and surprisingly enough, some have picked Tex Cobb, on the basis of stamina and toughness.

I disagree with those who picked Cobb to eventually wear down Cooney. First of all, if these two fought, it would likely be in a 10 or 12 round fight, not 15, as neither would have been champions during the early 80's. Secondly, Cooney had a nice blend of power, size, youth and boxing ability that Cobb's best opponents didn't have in one package. Shavers was too old and too one dimensional. Norton beat him, while falling in 55 seconds to Cooney around the same time period. Dokes took a decision. Holmes outboxed Cobb more one sidedly than he did Cooney.

Tex Cobb would have his moments, but Cooney would pound out a decision.

 

Other eras?
I think it would be a rather long and speculative debate to get into how Cooney would do against men like Buddy Baer, Roland Lastarza, Luis Firpo, Jerry Quarry and Razor Ruddock.

I will say however, that a man of his size, punching ability and even skills ( limited as they were ), could have breached the contender scene in most eras. As for how he would have done against other fighters of the early 80's, well he would have my vote to beat Tex Cobb, Leon Spinks, Marvis Frazier, Renaldo Snipes, and possibly Mike Weaver and Gerrie Coetzee if he started off quick against them..

 

Tex Cobb isn't out of this. He took everything Shavers had and he would get his share of licks in past Cooney's pretty average defense. Both have very average technique and it might well boil down to ticker will. Underrated match.

 

Cobb's chin keeps him right in there. However, Cooney was the better fighter with serious power in the left hook. While he'd not stop Cobb, he'd more than likely keep him in check with punches downstairs. Holmes' jab was rattling off Cobb's nugget all night long, also the right hand. Lets see how Cobb takes Cooney's sweeping left hook to the ribcage.


Cooney on points.

 

What full Cobb and Cooney fights have you seen Robbi?

 

A few, maybe 8 of both combined. Got a problem with my prediction? It seems with such a response your questioning my reasoning.

And I do have over 2000 fights.

 

I was pondering your exposure. Holmes - Cobb is meaningless in this one and meaningful Cobb and Cooney fights aren't that plentiful. If some weren't seen at the time they prolly weren't seen at all.

 

he was a drunk he was a drunk before the fight but he would have knocked Tex Cobb out with a left hook

 

Cooney had beter than average skills

 

Cooney had beter than average skills

 

I am far from convinced. His defense was very ordinary, his right hand needed a lot of work, his footwork was so so. Noway can i raise him above average skillwise, some might go for sub par to be honest.

I'm not saying he couldn't have improved loads and turn into a damn fine fighter, but he was molly coddled plenty and the jump to Holmes was huge. He needed a few more solid hitouts to develop his skills against increasingly better opposition. His power was incredible.

Post Holmes, just when he needed to go back and hone his craft and put into practice the many lessons learned from the Holmes fight he went practically into hiding.

Definitely a talent wasted.