Shavers vs Cooney in August of 1980

That's what I read years later: that the back injury thing was just a cover story. Supposedly after the Norton win, Cooney was swamped with so many adoring fans that it became increasingly difficult to resist partying. His downfall began there, they say.

Regarding Cooney "hitting back," I see it the exact opposite from you. Cooney was a great front runner. He would come out of his corner throwing great, aggressive, lethal combinations. He started fast. But he could only keep the devastating offensive going aganist guys who couldn't really hit back. If confronted by someone who could hit and move effectively, Cooney didn't look so impressive.

The sparring incident concerned someone who had bettered Cooney in a public sparring session, or exhibition, in the two years following the Holmes fight. I think the guy's name was Rice. Supposedly Cooney was totally out of shape, and the sparring partner seriously embarrassed him in the ring. Cooney's response was as you describe: he paid thousands to get the fighter back in the ring, in the gym, and brutally beat on him.

Cooney had a frail ego, I guess.

 

Apparently, Tim Witherspoon sparred in the Cooney camp for a brief period, but was let go after he got the better of Gerry on a couple of occasions. Don't know how much truth there is to it, but I've heard it mentioned more than once by other fans.

 

It was in an issue of Ring Magazine, he also bloodied Cooney's nose.:good

 

The sparring partner that Cooney exacted "revenge" on was Harold Rice. I understand he suffered a few broken ribs as a result of the "rematch".

My suspicion was and is that Cooney was both drawn to and afraid of the more grandiose aspects of his career. He talked about himself as a "potential hero" as a goal and yet self-destructed under just that pressure. In other words, he craved the limelight and was terrified of the scrutiny at the same time. Indeed, imagine his status across the globe if he would've bumrushed Holmes and scored a first round KO. He would've likely replaced Muhammad Ali as the most famous athlete on the planet.

What I find amazing about the Holmes fight is that Cooney essentially fought the "perfect fight" for this dilemna. He made no serious effort to KO Holmes or apply his usual pressure, but yet fought well enough to earn respect and win a few rounds and then went out on his shield as a gallant loser who would "get him next time". In other words, he was a good enough fighter to control the fight to dictate the outcome that best served his needs. I don't think he had any intention of winning that fight and was actually terrified of what would happen if he did. His father's treatment created an enormously angry and dangerous fighter who was also incredibly insecure, which is why we're still trying to figure Cooney out after all these years.