Jose Manuel Urtain - Highlights

Couple of points.
Anyone ever wonder why Jimmy Ellis, after the Patterson decision in Stockholm in September of 68, never fought again until the early 70 scrap with Smokin' Joe?
I've heard a Cooper defense was on the table at Wembly Pool in the Spring/early Summer of 69' but fell thru.
I respect Urtain but, no disrespect to Euro fighters, he wasn't world class in ANY scenerio. His record before the Henry fight consisted of Spanish/lower Europe tomato cans and a couple of Yank journeyman brought over to get thrown to the dogs.
I've got the Henry/Jose scrap. An obvious head butt split Cooper open early.
Once the aging Cooper started landing his heavy stuff, Jose slowly started wilting, in a word, world class punchers aren't what he should be contending with.
That's simply the facts.

 

The BBB of C refused to recognize a fight between Ellis and Cooper as for a legitimate world title . Cooper then relinquished his British heavyweight title in protest at the lack of backing. Urtain was a very strong ,but limited fighter, if you stood still he would bang you , but anyone with a modicum of movement, and skill exposed him, he was Euro level at best. Cooper was kod three times by right hand shots from Ingo ,Zora,and Floyd, Ellis was a quick first round banger with his right, I think he would he would have jumped on Henry and taken him out early..

 

Im not even convinced that Urtain's stone lifting strength was functional in terms of boxing. Look at how Cooper moves him around in the clinches, and prevents him from breaking free when he wants. Cooper himself wasnt exactly known as a tremendously strong heavyweight.