Smoking bert Cooper V earnie shavers s? Battle of the nearly men

The war with Mercer in summer '90 didn't break his spirit

He had a quit job against Foreman in 89.

He showed heart and determination against Mercer, and it was a sort of re-birth, actually.

Bowe took him out later in '90 but Cooper came to fight in that one, too

Then he built a modest winning streak in '91, including a stoppage of Joe Hipp. Then, he got the shot at Holyfield and acquitted himself unexpectadly well, almost stopping Holyfield. Then, he had the competitive war with Moorer.

If any fight took Cooper's spirit it was probably the war with Moorer.

That was the beginning of the end for him. He became a steppingstone after that.