Ken Norton and Ron Lyle in their primes vs Gerry Cooney

That one would have been interesting and profitable. Plus (as awful as apartheid was) it probably would have been sanctioned in S. Africa.

Coetzee would have been a FAR better warm up leading to Holmes than anybody Gerry faced imo. He could have had his weaknesses exposed and worked on them.

That said, I didn't think Cooney Holmes was close. Cooney was out in the 2nd, and it was a major indicator of Holmes' decline that he was WAY too cautious and didn't finish him. I thought Cooney won exactly two rounds, that's it. I saw Gerry falling down from a mile away, the 13th was anti-climactic imo. No match, really. Great low blows, though.

 

Agreed. People picking Norton to be KO'd in one round again need to realize Foreman who was better than Cooney in virtually every way couldn't do that to a prime Norton.

 

never cease's to amaze me how Gerry Cooney & Joe Bugner have become so IMMORTAL on boxing 24, neither one ever beat anyone in the top ten, Henry Cooper i guess. speaking of Cooper , and Jerry Quarry at least they both beat nine top ten ranked fighter's (and at the time!)

 

WARMUP TUNE UP REALLY?
Coetzee would have knocked him out!
IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME COUNTRYMAN KNOETZE DID EITHER!

 

I like this reasoning.

 

I would give a prime Lyle an excellent chance of reversing the result.

 

I know the point you're trying to make, and it's a possibility. To be fair though, the left hook to the body, was much more than a hype job. I could see that punch spelling the doom for both fighters here. Hype job or not

 

And Norton?

 

Yes ,I think Norton would be more problematical though.

 

That is a hard one to call!

 

Agreed. A lot closer than posters here would have you think. It's not as simple as "Norton loses to every puncher who ever lived lolz"

 

Ken proved how great he was against the #1 and #3 greatest heavyweights imo, Ali and Holmes. He beat Ali twice (imo) and came SUPER close to beating Holmes (I don't begrudge anyone for picking Norton in that fight, I just though Larry kind of swept the first five rounds big time).

 

My money would be on the Lyle who fought Shavers n Foreman to beat Cooney who as other posters have mentioned never actually bet a live, good, prime contender.

I also agree with those who reckon Norton is being done a bit of a disservice here but Kenny could only fight coming forwards ( see the Foreman fight for what happens when Norton is made to fight moving backwards, Kenny looked very awkward and uncomfortable with his unorthodox stance ) and I always thought he was susceptible to good body punches with his cross armed guard. If Norton could get through the first few rounds I would give him a great chance. Gerry was a complete sucker for a good overhand right and Norton had a very good one.

Cheers All.

 

I see Ken as being a bit like Frazier in that he kind of chopped people down. It might takes rounds to do it, but the job certainly got done. I always wondered why he chose to stay limited in regard to forward movement but hey, it worked against most boxers so maybe he just felt the formula worked too good to change it.

Great fighter imo.

 

I'd have to bet on a prime Norton and a prime Lyle to both beat Cooney (Especially, Norton).