The Black Uhlan of the Rhine vs Gentleman Gerry. Both in their primes. Max's laser guided missile of a right cross vs Gerry's bone-crunching left hook. Neither man has a great chin and suffered multiple knockout losses in their careers. Max is smaller but a better and more careful boxer. Also, of course he had the more accomplished career. But this is H2H so that won't help Schmeling at all here. Will the big Irish-American do a Kenny Norton on the German or will Schmeling chop Cooney down to size ala' Michael Spinks. Remember, although Cooney had an erratic and inconsistent career, he looked like an unstoppable force in early 81.' That is the Cooney facing schmeling here. Not the drugged and liquored up zombie of the Spinks fight or the rusty, gaunt recovering alcoholic who succumbed to Foreman's onslaught like a sitting duck after being stunned.
Great matchup, gotta go with Gerry though. Good enough jab, 6 foot 6 the hook to the head ans body would be too much for the borderline cruiserweight. I can see Schmeling putting on a clinic. However I pick Cooney KO2.
Max wins by TKO, Max was a very good boxer with good punching power, he would go to Gerry's body early some time late in the fight he breaks Cooney down and wins via tko