Henry Cooper

The BBB oC refused to recognize a prospective fght between Jimmy Ellis and Cooper as for a world title ,Eliis was the WBA's champion recognized in 45 States The BBoC were affiliated to the New York based WBC.

Cooper was not threatened with a suspension just that the board would not recognize itas a world title.They did agree to call it a final eliminator but Cooper and Wicks did not think this was good enough feeling they had not been supported they relinquished the British title..

Cooper gave up his British title, not his belts. Around this time he also began to experience severe cartilage problems in his knee and subsequently gave up his European title too.

This had nothing to do with the so called cartel despite,I see more conspiracy theories being advanced. They would have been delighted to promote Cooper against Ellis, but without the recognition of the board that it would be a title fight ,the earning potential from it dropped considerably.

 

Cooper was British boxing biggest earner by far, it would have made no sense to black ball him. More conspiracies.atsch

 

1970-09-26 : Ismael Laguna 134½ lbs lost to Ken Buchanan 134 lbs by SD in round 15 of 15

• Location: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Referee: Waldemar Schmidt 144-143
• Judge: Pito Lopez 144-145
• Judge: Jose Soto 143-144

• Buchanan ignored the BBoC's order not to fight Laguna
• WBC stripped Laguna on September 15, 1970. Source AP 9/16/1970. UPI reported the WBC said Laguna had to fight Mando Ramos instead, so they stripped him and matched Ramos and Carrasco.
• NYSAC recognized this bout as championship one on OCt 5, 1970
• Then, Ken Buchanan needed to be recognized from WBC. It is a reason that "British Boxing Board Of Control" had joined only in WBC those days. Buchanan negotiated with Mando Ramos and WBC. WBC accepted "Buchanan vs. Ramos" as a WBC Lightweight Championship. Source Reuter from The Times November 17 1970 issue page 14. However, Ramos canceled two days before the fight (2/10/1971). Source The Times February 11 1971 issue page 10. Ruben Navarro (No.3 WBA and No.4 WBC contender) fought instead of Ramos on February 12 1971. London was not deemed by the BBoC to be a suitable challenger for the world title held by Patterson, he ignored them and went ahead withte the fight putting up a far from stirring effort.Still, after paying their fine he was still in pocket by a healthy margin.

 

Henry's main problem was inconsistency but in a long career I suppose he can be allowed the odd slip-up. The elite always beat him but he was an excellent boxer, with a good punch, always in shape with agreat attitude. I think he deserves to be in the mix with Folley, Machen, Williams, Terrell, Jones, Chuvalo, Bonavena, Peralta, Ellis, Mildenberger et al but at the bottom end. We shouldn't forget his Bugner effort.
He'd have made a formidable cruiser but isn't far off top 100 all-time heavyweight, I think.

 

I would agree in theory, but if the Cartel and the board felt it could mess up their 'illegal' power base, they would of felt it was a price worth paying.

 

If they felt it could "mess up their power base" [how exactly?]why would they offer to make the fight a final eliminator? Duff and Co stood to make a lot from such a fight if it could have been promoted as a title fight, but as the Board was affiliated to the WBC and not the WBA they would not sanction it as such.Now if your theories of "hand in glove" are correct the mysterious cartel would have put pressure on the Board to allow the fight to be recognized as a title fight, and to ensure they did not lose out on a very big earner for them. But they didn't and it didn't. So conspiracy no2 shot down.

 

The board and the Cartel were as you say 'hand in glove'. Their relationship was with the WBC not the WBA, and as you rightly suggest Ellis/Cooper had potential to make a lot of money. So this would suggest the WBC was 'lubricating' the deal with the BBB of C, and by association the Cartel. This 'lubrication' was worth more than a big money WBA title fight.

 

No I don't say it ,you imply it. Nothing is suggested here ,only what is in your own head.

 

McVey, the Buchanan/Laguna thing was more complicated. The Olympic Boxing Club in California signed Laguna for Mando Ramos' 2nd defense and Ramos was stopped in 9 - but there was a rematch clause - Now, to be clear, this was not their first time matched. They were originally signed to fight down in Panama as part of a Panamanian Independence Day celebration but Ramos pulled out after being cut in training (Jackie McCoy and Ramos both said they were never so happy for an injury as they were being treated like shite down there) and it was rescheduled in L.A. Laguna wins but Cain Young, Laguna's mgr. said (probably out of revenge) that due to discrepancies in the scoring, the rematch clause would not be honored and the WBC threatened to pull the plug on Laguna. When Buchanan beat Laguna he wanted full recognition and the WBC stated they must honor the Olympic's option and they named Ramos. Ramos pulls out with a groin injury a couple of days prior, Ruben Navarro is substituted with everyone's thumbs up and Ken is universal champ. Now, the WBC offers an edict for him to fight Pedro Carrasco, their #1 contender, but Carrasco says he can't make 135 anymore and will be fighting at 140, so Ken signs a rematch with Laguna. Suddenly, after the contract is signed, Carrasco says he can make 135 and instead of stating that Pedro will be the next challenger after Ken-Laguna II, the WBC says he has to fight Carrasco putting Ken in a quandary because he already signed contracts. The WBC was just unreasonable, there was nothing Ken could do because he would have been sued and stripped otherwise. And that was how the title was split.

 

'Enry had cut issues, but when he had them, it was like someone busted a water pipe. Blood would come out like a squirt gun. Never saw another fighter's response like that when he was first cut.

While Cooper was light, and flawed, he was also game, and had good power.

A perfect fringe contender type who could give a better talent a few scary moments, or even upset them.

I do feel Cooper was robbed of victory vs Ali.

Why?

1 ) Ali's corner used smelling salts to revive him, which is illegal in British boxing. Ali was out of it, and you can see the moment he came to, thanks to the smelling salts. Under the rules this is a DQ win for Cooper.

2 ) Angelo Dundee said point blank after the fight that there was a several minute delay between rounds on the torn glove incident. He said this to the press right after he got off the return plane home. The event had just happened. Once can see this rarely known fact on ESPN classic from time to time.

 

Chuvalo ''doesn't hold him in very high regard'', claims he ducked him big time.

 

Honestly Mendoza if you believe that Angelo Dundee crap, I have some shares in the Eifel Tower in Paris for sale. Don´t mind that they look like 2014 photocopies with same number on them all - They are as real as Angelo Dundee´s history.

 

The torn glove 'controversy' was debunked years ago when the BBC released the live recording, the gap between the round was less than 1 minute 5 seconds.

 

Henry was pretty good in his prime. For years he stood head and shoulders above the other British heavies. Not quite world class,though.

 

The ultimate backhanded complement!:yep