Rex Layne v.s. Smoking Burt Cooper

Agree. I'd also go with Cooper.

Both faded early, though. Cooper was shot when he didn't even turn 30. He turned pro at 18, and given his boxing style, and his alcohol and drugs habits, it was obvious that he would be done at late 20's. However, he managed to fight till 46

Layne faded as early as 25-26 and at 30 he was a retired fighter.

 

Layne before his loss to Marciano was 34-1-1 and KO'd the man he lost and drew with....He handled Satterfeild in a brawl he makes Bert give up

 

I think Layne was a genuine title contender and a level or two above Smokin Bert who got his shot at Holy as a second replacement when the proposed Tyson fight fell through and then the replacement Francesco Damiani pulled out - Cooper was a bit of a journeyman lets be fair nobody really knew who the guy was certainly not in England - it was considered a bit of a mismatch that Cooper was really massively out of his depth.

Layne against Marciano was really an eliminator for title and Layne beat some great fighters - he even managed to beat Walcott and Charles one each - Cooper never approached that kind of level - Layne wins this for me - Cooper could really dig but Layne dealt with some good pure punchers - a possible better version of Cooper himself in Turkey Thompson and one of the all time great hitters in Bob Satterfield and Cooper tended to fold even when he started well - I think Layne could possibly stop Cooper

 

Rex Layne at his "best" and he was not always at his best would have beaten Bert Cooper at his peak most assuredly. I saw him fight once against Bob Baker in a close fight and Bob Baker was being groomed for big things in the HW division...

 

And I would think that the best Rex Layne would win but the flake called Rex Layne would lose. Answer two inconsistant heavyweights...

 

It could go either way, Cooper was a big banger, he just wasn't durable but Layne was there to be hit. Although I heard he threw a few fights.

These are widely considered gift decisions.

 

Cooper knocks him out like Joe Savage.

 

Bert Cooper? He was exciting but people get carried away with him. I remember that in his prime Bert lost to everet big foot Martin. Everybody beat Martin!!! Frank Bruno could not get decent sparring from him and sent Bert home after one session.

Layne was a real contender who beat Charles and Walcott. Prime for prime Layne lost to better fighters.

 

I would say He probably got a bit of a gift against Charles, but deserved the Walcott win.

 

That's what I thought too he got his head down and worked against Wally - didn't go for his jives and tricks and grindered it out - this for me is a really great win - Layne proved how good he was capable he was - he wasn't out boxed either (by a master boxer) - Charlie Goldman thought Rocky Marciano fought his 'perfect fight' against Layne but even still I thought Layne was tooth and nail with him until that brutal right - these are some great fighters he fought on a level with - wasn't he the favourite going in against Marciano aswell? I think Layne is under rated based on his showings against some of these legends of the game? Good hitter strong boxed well for a slugger type too - there were more dimensions to Rex Layne than someone like Smokin Bert - and in a era of more experienced fighters too

 

Yeah I think there's a revisionist view of Bert Cooper based on some peoples views that he was one of the elite punchers of all time but this is bizarre to me I remember when he fought Holy - Harry Carpenter had never even heard of him before and he was considered second rate? To me he was just a bit of a trial horse? It's funny what passes for good heavyweights these days? And I liked Bert!? He was always exciting and in exciting fights even when he got owned but he really wasn't the level of a Rex Layne - Cooper was never at any stage considered a possible future heavyweight champ?

 

Replay of Layne/Satterfield.

 

https://youtu.be/qKUlBPErrn0

Here is the Layne-Satterfield fight. Check out the right hand bomb that Satterfield unloads on Layne at about :25 seconds into the highlight clip. I still cannot believe anyone got up from that and went on to knockout his opponent.