Ray Mercer vs. Bert Cooper

yes, Cooper was up for the Bowe fight but was physically overmatched.

from 1990-1992 Cooper was usually in shape and gave 100 percent

During 1988-1989, when he lost to Everett Martin and gave a non effort against Foreman, the word on the street was he was on drugs. That is when Joe Frazier resigned as his trainer.

 

You and I grew up in the same Era Magoo, damn what a great era for heavyweight boxing!! I was just shy of my 16 birthday when these two fought.. I remember my VHS recording always started midway thru round one after Cooper had been dropped because like you said it had been interrupted by war coverage. Mercer hit Cooper much harder thru out the fight but Bert took everything Ray could dish!! I remember Cooper just kept coming forward smiling at Ray, Bert when on loved a good war!! Two of my all time favorite fighters!! Me and my friends used to marvel over the Mercer CHIN, It was inhuman!!!!! Morrison unloaded on him particularly in rounds 1 and 3 with heavy combos, as did Lewis, as did everyone. I remember in a much much lesser known fight on ESPN I believe (I'm about 98% certain it was ESPN but without running downstairs and locating the VHS I won't say 100%) he fought Mike Dixon. If you don't know Dixon he was a journeyman who fought everyone. He knocked out Alex Garcia at a time when Garcia was in the top 3 in the rankings springing the HUGE UPSET. And then pretty much went back to journeyman status anyway back on point. Mercer vs Dixon, Dixon in one of the rounds I wanna say the 4 or 5th just unloaded about 10/15 flush bombs right on Ray's jaw Mercer took them and then fired back dropping Dixon!! He would take punches so flush and not blink it truly was remarkable. I only saw him shaken once in his prime. And that was by that perfectly timed left hook by Holyfield that caught him coming in, I went berserk!!!! One I'd never seen him budged by any punch and two Holyfield was my favorite and before the knockdown it was starting to look like it was going to be Ray's night!! I remember Holmes winding up from left field and just cranking Ray and nothing!!!! What a CHIN!!!! What a fighter!!!!

 

This was a very fun fight to watch. I remember this was the same weekend that Iraq invaded Kuwait. That always stands out to me.

 

It was definitely a great era for regular TV sports as well as for some of the lower level cable stations. I remember watching the cooper vs mercer fight when my family and I went up to a cottage on the lake in northern Illinois which we used to rent in the summer back in the 80s and early 90s. The only tv we had up there was a 12 inch screen piece of junk with bad reception. Believe I also saw pazienza and Haugen fight for the third time that same summer on that junk box. Yeah as I said the fight kept getting interrupted with the crisis in the Middle East and I can remember being more concerned about watching the match than the prospect that we'd be going to war soon!!! Lol. But that was the mentality of a 16 year old.. On mike Dixon, I saw him a few times. Remember he took on the obscure Elijah Tillary on USA Tuesday night fights and lost.
Lots of memories and not only do I remember the fights themselves but they also bring back recollections of various life circumstances back then..

 

One of my favorite fights ever. I was in college myself
But, that made me a Bert Cooper fan for life. And, that only increased when I met him. In spite of his (drug related) demons, he was such a nice guy. I was ringside for him in his fight against Moorer, and hugged him in the ring after his incredible effort. I wish there were more Bert Coopers in boxing

 

Hey Saad: miss talking boxing with you, Brother. I hope you are okay.