Agree to some extent which is why I'm undecided. But Bert could crack and Marvis didn't have the greatest chin. It wouldn't be a walk in the park for either man.
The thing is smith got by on size and being physically strong and wheathered a few punchers like Bruno and almost k.od Ruddock at that time,he alos knocked Marvis down in the 5th,against a better finisher??. I see no direct evidence to give Marvis the edge in a match against aggressive puncher Cooper if he is focused. His k.o loss to Holmes along with limited fights doesnt tell me he is going to win.More competitve than Tyson but Cooper isn't Tyson. looking at some head to head fights with Cooper he had? I give Cooper the edge and k.oing Marvis around 7 rnds.
Marvis. they both boxed in the same gym. Marvis was always better. That's not to say Cooper was not talented. He had a good run at one point. I remember about 1991 thinking Cooper might finally become a good fighter after watching him against Hipp, but even by then he'd already lost horribly to Reggie Gross, Everet big foot Martin and George Foreman (who was still regarded an absolute joke at that time) not to mention better fighters like Truth Williams and Bowe who both destroyed Cooper so emphatically. So Cooper still had not got past a good fighter. Even then! Marvis fought and beat plenty guys better than Reggie Gross and big foot Martin. As an amateur Marvis beat Tubbs and Witherspoon. As a pro only Tyson and Holmes beat him after he'd beat guys like Tillis, James Broad, Bonecrusher and Joe Bugner. I remember Joe Frazier was asked if Marvin could beat Frank Bruno and joe said "marvis? I got a kid called Bert Cooper. Even he can beat Frank Bruno!" So Marvis was always regarded better
Both men equally talented in their own way. This one could go either way, with Bert winning somewhere around round 6 or 7 If it goes past this mark, I would go along with Frazier on a UD.
Marvis easy Bert’s best wins were Willie deWitt and Joe Hipp if you don’t count the Orlin Norris injury