interesting match a peak Gerry Cooney 1980-82 vs a rusty 1977 George Foreman

A mentally shaken Foreman is still mentally the superior of Cooney.

 

Young Foreman was a monster in '77..cut that **** out....just because Young beat him he was rusty? That version of Foreman ko's Cooney more viciously than he did even when they really met. Like a lion killing an antelope.

 

Young was good on the backfoot. I think come forward fighters would have a less enjoyable time with that off-form version of Foreman.

 

Oh you calm down...i'm a Foreman fan like yourself..and he was knocking the **** out of all his opponents post '74 right up to '77....in fact, he proved his great fighting heart in knocking out Lyle after being put on the deck a couple of times...a test of character he passed with flyiong coloirs..and more of a test to him than in his title winning bout and his destruction of Norton. Young won in hot San Juan, but he would have beaten George in the dead of winter...anywhere..because he had the style to bedevil and bamboozle big George. Guys like Gerry Cooney were cannon fodder to George...none of those "walk right in and slug" guys could deal with him. It took boxing wizardry and brains to beat George Foreman.

 

Agree to disagree then.

 

Cooney is way too open for any version of Foreman. Every punch Foreman throws is a bomb and with that Foreman has a much better head for it. Foreman still gets hit with those left hooks though. Cooney was exciting but over rated.

 

I would be reluctant to pick any version of Cooney over any version of Foreman.

 

You want to beat Foreman? Make sure he doesn't hit. If avoiding punches was illegal, he might be the best to ever do it. If he can hit, he is a handful.

Cooney doesn't have the d. He had all the right intentions and a good fight-plan the first time against old George, but George drove in a little left-inside uppercut. Something is going to find the mark, and after that it's all gonna click for the ATG finisher. He won't let Cooney off the hook.

 

:deal

 

Going with the consensus. 1977 Foreman still too much for even a prime Cooney.

 

Comparing a prime Cooney vs a 1977 Foreman, while using their 1990 matchup as a gauge is comparing apples to oranges..... In 1977, George Foreman had no defense, poor stamina and zero focus. In 1990, his defense was one of the best in the division, his power still devastating, his ability to pace himself and not waste punches made for better efficiency and his sites were glued to the heavyweight title..... Gerry Cooney in 1990 was a fully retired fighter who hadn't recorded a win in 4 years and had only fought once in a losing effort within that time frame.... Peak Cooney of 1980 was a 25 year old contender in good condition and determined to be the next champ.... Incidentally, the Cooney who came out of retirement to fight George did pretty good in the first few minutes of that fight, landing regularly and even hurting George a bit.... Take a peak cooney against a man with limited defense, poor stamina and his head up his ass, and the outcome might not be as one sided as some think...... For the record I'd still pick Foreman, but I don't see it as the early round masacre that everyone here is predicting.