Sir Henry Cooper believes David Haye's antics ahead of his heavyweight clash with Wladimir Klitschko on 20 June are "bad for the reputation of boxing". In the build-up to the the IBF and WBO title fight, Haye has worn a T-shirt depicting him holding the severed heads of Wladimir and his brother Vitali. "The sport has already got enough opposition in the anti-boxing lobby," said Cooper, who recently turned 75. "He overstepped the mark with that T-shirt. I wouldn't have done that." Former British, European and Commonwealth champion Cooper added that he believes Haye's behaviour is driving fans away, despite the fact more than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the fight at FC Schalke's Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen. "I don't want to see David walking around with a T-shirt of other fighters' heads and all the cobblers we've seen in the build-up," he said. "Prove how good you are in the ring by stopping Klitschko in one or two rounds. This is bad for the reputation of boxing. "He doesn't need to do this sort of publicity to put bums on seats. Rather, I think he's driving bums off seats with his behaviour." Despite Cooper's distaste for his fellow south Londoner's shenanigans outside the ring, he rates Haye highly inside it. "Out of all the heavyweight contenders he's got the most potential. He moves well and looks good," said Cooper, who fought Muhammad Ali twice. "He has a good punch and at between 15-16 stone he is the right weight for a heavyweight - more mobile than most. "Those who are 18-20 stone are at a disadvantage. He's not a fighter who takes punches to land his own."
its only because they didn't do it back when he was fighting (with the exception of Ali), and he does not seem to understand it is harder to sell a fight now then it was 30-40 years ago because very little promotion was needed when fights were made back then.
Is he bit jealous that Haye is already undisputed at one weight and soon will be at another. While he couldn't cut it, pardon the pun, and at the top level? I'm sure I remember him giving Bruno and Lennox stick, just didn't want a British Heavyweight to do what he couldn't. He still claims Ali's cut glove gave him 15 minutes to recover ffs, even though the video footage shows the extra time was no where that. Sorry Henry I love you and respect your achivements, but sometimes you let yourself down a bit, but you've earned the right too.
Our 'Enry can do and say anyhting he wants if you ask me. Although he is talking bollocks on this occasion.
Exactly if Haye was fighting an American with half the charisma of Ali he wouldn't have had to open his mouth to sell this fight. As it is he to make all the running to generate interest and get it to the negotiating table and once there he had to make every concession imaginable (and some I doubt anyone could have imagined).
is this the same henry cooper lecturing people who was regularly pictured with the krays/richardsons in the 60s bit of double standards me thinks, i mean whats worse wearing a t shirt of severed heads or knocking about with people who sever heads
Henry's just showing his age a little there, I imagine if my grandad was still alive he'd find it a bit tasteless... He's wrong about it driving bums out of seats though, Haye's antics have got it boiling over into the mainstream nicely. The Klit twins should be grateful after the dust settles..that is unless Haye KO's the pair of 'em!! (pipedreams....)
Dreams can come true, it could happen to you.......... In this case it will Haye will destroy the pair of them.
The t shirt has hyped the fight - fact. Boxers should do this sort of thing. It's not genuinely distasteful and any decent fighter will respect his opponent once all is said and done. I expect Haye to have no ill feelings towards Wlad after*. * up for debate as he is contracted to fight 13 more bouts against boths klits. he could stay in hype mode for the next bouts.
Henry Cooper was more a light heavy than an heavy so in this day and age he would have ruled the cruiserweight division with ease. Haye is making himself out to be a total **** with his actions. Great way to build up the fight but he better be able to back his **** up in the ring.