Joe Cokes was the brother of the world class Curtis Cokes. How good was he? Who has seen this fight and how did it go down? This content is protected World class fighter got a big of a shiner in this shot.
From what I've heard in the past during a past discussion on another board, the fight was one sided and Joe Cokes shared only a name with Curtis, not the talent. He lost 7 of his last 9 fights, and Conteh was the next to last one.
I haven't seen this fight McGrain, but for the most part Conteh was very poor between the last Hutchins defence of his title and the final resurgent effort against Saad, that was the period where his lfestyle, managerial difficulties and inactivity really caught up with him.He was all but written off as a washed up fighter after the Burnett and Brown oerformances. The cokes fight was his first after the Cuello fiasco and a long layoff, so i wouldn't be surpised if he fought poorly and was bothered by Cokes...from what i've read on the fight it was a comfortable, but lethargic and unimpressive win.He certainly looked badly lacking in sharpness in the subsequent Parlov fight, though his late rally gave him the bout by about three points imo. That said, Conteh was one of those fighters like Napoles or Wilfredo Gomez that marked up very easily because of their bone structure.Even in fights where they were dominating, they often ended up slightly swollen around the eyes.
Cokes was an adequate sharperner for Conteh at this time, he knew his way around the ring, but should not of been able to Trouble a Near best Conteh with the old appitite and menevolent attitute, at this time Conteh did not have this, Managerial Problems, Hand Problems, a love of the Nightclub Life, and perhaps a lingering depression and feeling of being robbed in the Parlov title fight, perhaps combined to see John just going through the motions to a degree at this time, if you will remember, he also looked Terrible in a lucky draw with Jesse Burnett, with John floored twice and looking rather shakey, Poison Ivy Brown Also had John Down in the first before losing on Points, Along with this Laboured, but clear win over Cokes, John was seen by the Saad Camp as a still big name win going Begging, and Better get to him Before some journey gets Lucky against an apparently Past it Conteh Well Saad picked Conteh, and it nearly blew up in his Face, with John almost Pulling a Lazerus and motivated, rising phoenix like from the Ashes, Howevger John could not quite rediscover his old Aggression, and Spitefullness, also his Mental block on throwing his right hand handicapped him against Saad, Even so Conteh Had Saad hitting Air, and at times Jabbed his Head Off, but couldnt quite turn back the Clock, Conteh was an empty Husk in the rematch, he was done The Cokes fight as mentioned was really a Sharpner for John, he was outboxing Joe and it seemed like the best course of action to simply stick to the winning Formula for the Points win, and Not try to Blast Cokes out and leave himslf open to another Cut or being Countered, Cokes for his part seemed quite happy to go the distence with a former world champ and not of suffered any real rocky moments. Cokes could go on being a good class trailhorse, and Conteh could go on looking for his final world title chance.
