Gerry Cooney vs Big John Tate

[drunkenpiper36]

Say this fight happens circa 1980. Two big guys who could punch, but neither much for taking it. Both had decent skills and reasonable mobility for a couple of larger heavys. Who takes it and why ?

[sweetsci]

Interesting matchup, especially framing it in 1980. Tate had just come off a great 1979, blowing out Bobick and beating Knoetze and Coetzee. Cooney was coming off an impressive coming out party against Dino Denis.

Pre-Weaver it's a close fight. I lean toward Cooney catching him with a left hook somewhere along the line, but there's the solid chance that Tate outboxes him for a decision win or late stoppage.

Post-Weaver Gerry gets him within six rounds. Weaver took Tate's confidence and, seemingly, some of his skills.

[tiny_acres]

Huge fan of both. But Cooney is so under rated anymore. Cooney was 2 levels above Tate.
Cooney KO 4

[drunkenpiper36]

Interesting matchup, especially framing it in 1980. Tate had just come off a great 1979, blowing out Bobick and beating Knoetze and Coetzee. Cooney was coming off an impressive coming out party against Dino Denis.

Pre-Weaver it's a close fight. I lean toward Cooney catching him with a left hook somewhere along the line, but there's the solid chance that Tate outboxes him for a decision win or late stoppage.

Post-Weaver Gerry gets him within six rounds. Weaver took Tate's confidence and, seemingly, some of his skills.

Good breakdown. I’m not 100% sold on who’d win myself, but I think it could have been a good fight. And I agree that Cooney should be heavily favored after Tate’s defeats to Berbick and Weaver. He just sort of seemed to fade away and was never the same fighter .

[DrDuke]

Interesting matchup, especially framing it in 1980. Tate had just come off a great 1979, blowing out Bobick and beating Knoetze and Coetzee. Cooney was coming off an impressive coming out party against Dino Denis.

Pre-Weaver it's a close fight. I lean toward Cooney catching him with a left hook somewhere along the line, but there's the solid chance that Tate outboxes him for a decision win or late stoppage.

Post-Weaver Gerry gets him within six rounds. Weaver took Tate's confidence and, seemingly, some of his skills.

I agree as well.

[scorpio83]

Huge fan of both. But Cooney is so under rated anymore. Cooney was 2 levels above Tate.
Cooney KO 4

I am also a huge fan of both too, but I agree with you, Cooney would knock out the Tate of the Weaver and Berbick fights.

[Nile4000]

Pre-Weaver Tate beats Cooney by UD, or stops him late, around 14 rounds. Post-Weaver Tate loses by 6th round kayo.

[Ambling Alp II]

That's pretty much how I see it as well. For a while, Tate was a pretty good fighter; really up until the 15th round of the Weaver fight. Not sure if he lost his confidence after that or what.

[HomicideHenry]

I don't know who'd of won. The problem with Cooney was he didn't fight the guys he should have to really gauge him. Tate, despite his short comings, at least was in the mix of guys that Cooney didn't bother facing.

Cooney was dangerous, yes, but just how dangerous he actually was will always be a matter of debate. Beating Norton, Lyle & Young at that time was meaningless. The fact that quite a few Heavyweights over the years have come forward saying they either knocked Cooney out, or beat him from pillar to post in sparring, is an indicator that he wasn't a complete pro.

Tate, on the other hand, was a complete pro who shot up the ladder fast by merit. Cooney got up the ladder by safe match-making & excellent marketing. It'd be a good fight, but I think maybe Tate knocks Cooney stiff in the late rounds.

Tate in 19 fights before facing Coetzee had beaten Johnny Boudreaux, Duane Bobick, Kallie Knoetze, and Bernardo Mercado (who was 20-0, Tate was 12-0).

Cooney in his first 19 fights... only defeated Eddie "The Animal" Lopez (Cooney's 16th fight as a pro)... The same guy Tate defeated in his 5th fight... Everyone else was a certifiable bum.

[The Great John L]

Tate, on the other hand, was a complete pro who shot up the ladder fast by merit. Cooney got up the ladder by safe match-making & excellent marketing. It'd be a good fight, but I think maybe Tate knocks Cooney stiff in the late rounds.

Good summary. I think Tate would have overwhelmed Cooney and stopped him inside of 5 or 6 rounds.