Prime Gerry Cooney vs prime Vitali Klitschko.

Sanders won one round and took an absolute beating. I still remember video of an interview with Sanders the day after the fight at his hotel. His face looked like a burnt cats face. It was a mess. In no way was that fight close.

 

yeah I didn’t even bring the mental aspect into it. I like Cooney and have researched quite a bit about him but he would be out of his element against Vitali in every facet except punching power.

 

Blades ability to score a fight to me is questionable. Your report is spot on.

 

If you give Cooney a Tyson like chin and a Coetzee like right hand, i pick Cooney

Otherwise, Vitali tko 8. I do think Cooney's left will rock Vitali a few times but Vitali will weather the storm and put a sustained beatdown on him.

 

Vitali needs to be a favorite but if Cooney is on his best night it could be a really good fight

 

When I first saw the title of this thread, my mind went immediately to Andrew Golota vs. Riddick Bowe. Anyway, I would go with Vitali Klitschko over Gerry Cooney, one way or another. I think Vitali was better than Gerry was.

 

Cooney has a better shot than he’s given credit for here…he’s better than sanders and Sanders gave him a good fight

 

Cooney is a live, dangerous oppenent but he's facing a guy with a solid chin.
I say Klitschko weather's the storm and stops him in the latter rounds.

 

Yes I like Vitali by tko 10/ 11rds.

 

Vitali gives him a beating. Just being big and strong is not enough.

 

This is a 50/50 bout, for mine.

Vitali didn't face, let alone beat, an opponent like Cooney - a big, heavy-handed and prolific puncher, in his prime - so, there's no reason to view this speculative bout through the lens of a typical VK outing.

I wouldn't bet on an outcome here.

 

I can see this being a good fight, the vulnerable Cooney could win it, if he fights off his lead, hurts and gets out... however Cooney would more than likely get stopped.

Could be a Cooney upset!

 

Vitali Klitschko 6'7, 80' reach, 248 lbs

Power: 7
Defense: 4
Hand speed: 5
Chin: 9
Stamina: 9
Foot speed: 5
Combination punching: 7
Punch variety: 3
Physical strength: 9
Technique: 6
Ring IQ: 4
Accuracy: 6
Heart: 8

Overall rating: 6.3



Gerry Cooney 6'6, 81' reach, 225 lbs.

Power: 9
Defense: 7
Hand speed: 6
Chin: 4
Stamina: 7
Foot speed: 5
Combination punching: 6
Punch variety: 3
Physical strength: 7
Technique: 6
Ring IQ: 5
Accuracy: 6
Heart: 7

Overall rating: 6


Both guys sorely lacked variety in their offense. Vitali mostly threw straight repetitive shots down the middle (the Briggs fight exposes his lack of imagination). He did however have good basics and fought well for a big man with good technique throwing at a high volume constantly putting his opponent under pressure while trying to maintain his preferred distance with a lean back style.

Cooney hit much harder, but also lacked variety favoring his hook a bit too much. He lacked a jab and was trained to fight up close, giving away his height to target the body and swarm/slug. Cooney was a brutal finisher, but sorely lacked durability. He did have decent stamina and the heart to get up even after brutal knockdowns.

I think it's obvious Vitali should be favored, but it certainly wouldn't be a blowout or a sure thing. If Cooney can get close, bang the body, and crowd Vitali, he can take him out his comfort zone and make things interesting. Vitali is strong and brave, but he'd have absolutely no clue how to deal with a guy his own height dragging him into a phone booth battle. I think it boils down to if Vitali's corner gives him the right advice and Vitali makes an effort to keep the fight at mid range where he's better. If he just stands there willing to duke it out, Cooney would outland and outbox him and would be getting far better leverage up close since Vitali doesn't know how to throw short sharp combinations and had a bad habit of being an arm puncher. Even though Cooney had a weak chin, Vitali had above average to moderately high power at best and it would become even worse at close range.

The safest bet would be Vitali surviving the early storm, making adjustments, and breaking Cooney down within 6-8 rounds over time with his non stop barrage of 1-2's and flurries, but I don't see this being the only possibility out of 10 matches. I think Vitali would win 6-7/10 but anything could happen, especially since Cooney had absurd punching power and could start aggressively early.

 

Can't see this one going past 5 rounds

 

Vitali has the chin to stand up to Gerry’s best shots imo. He’d wear down Cooney with his size, offensive pressure, strength, constant jabs and heavy 1-2’s to a 7-8th round stoppage