Cooney has a chance early, particularly since he was big, tall, long, powerful, and a fast starter, but if Cooney does not get him out quick the way Bonecrusher Smith did, then he's likely going to get stopped as the fight progresses, because his chin and conditioning were questionable. More than likely this is somewhat like Witherspoon's stoppage of Bruno.
Did anyone out there hear that ! Terrible Tim exposed Gerry (Lurch) Cooney, I figured that is why Cooney could not hang with the top contenders, they were young, had good boxing skills and were not going to let Lurch hit them like he struck the other elderly ranked fighters and tomato cans that he crushed. Tim would make that clumsy zombie fall around round 8.
No excuses for Tim Witherspoon but I believe the thread was saying Prime for both, in late 1986 Tim was champ sure, but he was not the Witherspoon that hung in there with Larry Holmes in 1983, who was also on the fading side of boxing.
I tend to favor Tim in this matchup but I’m more interested in when people think Witherspoon’s prime was.
I agree with the Witherspoon pick but not as confidently as some. Tim's style of defense with that right glove in front of his face was somewhat open for educated left hooks. Holmes barely had a hook which helped Witherspoon no end. All the incoming fire was pretty much straight down the pike where that right glove was perfectly placed to defend with. Cooney knew how to land the hook and his uncommon power leads me to think he's far from out of this one. On the negative side he doesn't have a great right uppercut with is a great accompaniment against this style once that left hook starts to cause concern. He has thrown the odd one tho and his left uppercut is a ripper. So I'd favor Tim's resilience here but Cooney certainly has that proverbial punchers chance.
How do you see a Mike Tyson vs Marvis Frazier rematch going if Tyson gave him first shot at his title after he whooped Berbick?
Tim could take a tremendous shot at his best, and though Gerry would shake him a couple of times, that overhand right lands around the 6th or 7th round, and kayoes Gerry.
