I think he would have gotten a shot at Liston sooner than Ali did. I think Ali still would have gotten a title shot, but further down the road. In all fairness, Cooper almost did beat Ali. To quote him, "If it weren't for those damn bloody ropes. And then the freaking bell went!!"
Cooper's manager,Jim Wicks,said that he wanted no part of Liston under any circumstances. Money talks though,and a title shot would have been on offer.
Cooper was Ko'd by Patterson, not a TKO a KO and I think its obvious Liston would have done the same and quickly...As far as Ali if he would have lost the 1st fight vs Cooper it would have hurt his legacy, the fact that Cooper really hurt him and Henry Cooper only weighed 185lbs is something that can not be taken away but while Ali could beat the big slow punchers like Liston and Foreman, Lyle he was hurt and troubled by the smaller men such as Joe Frazier, Cooper,Doug Jones...Ali pulled out with the help of Angelo Dundee but a loss would have hurt his legasy
Ali(I) - 235,000 Ali(II) - 250,000 Sir Cooper(I) - 200,000 Sir Cooper (w/ cut) - 140,000 SirCooper(II) - 185,000
he did defeat ali first time , the cuts did save ali 1 victory . he prob wud have got 1 title shot , but the management did not want , cooper involved w/ liston , knoing liston prob was , 2 much 4 cooper .
stfu **** he did manage to floor clay , was up on sscorecards , did give him trouble in both fights it was down to cuts in both occasions ****
Liston was a brutal match-up for Cooper, and Cooper and his manager knew that, but I think they would have taken the chance for enough money. The result would have been a massacre inside 3 rounds with Cooper being bloodied and battered to the canvas. Cooper used his left jab to great effect and was a gritty character, but it would go all wrong against Liston.
Henry Cooper was never close to beating Ali in either of their matches, despite the wishful thinking of some. Liston would have annihilated Cooper. Patterson did.
I cannot see Cooper declining a title shot under the most unfavourable circumstances. I also think that Liston would have offered him one. It would have been a safe big money fight.
I suspect you've never watched either fight fully,Cooper was was very competitive and held his own in both fights,and this coming from Ali's biggest fan. However you're right about Liston annihilatiing Cooper.