Why did Our Enery never fight Canadian iron man George Chuvalo ? Cooper was British Empire champ all through the 60s.
Was the reason wily Jim Wickes, who probably thought that Chuvalo was too dangerous an opponent ?
cooper v chuvalo
Re: cooper v chuvalo
It can be answered with one single word: "Money"
At that time there was a boxing board for the British Commonwealth who at a yearly basis picked 2-5 challengers for each champion to choose from for a title defence. Chuvalo was on the list as challenger for Coopers title, but there was not any mandatory challenger.
This left manager Wicks to pick and choose opponents for a title defence and at that time there were a lot of money to be made against british challengers as Walker, Prescott, Bodell. Those fights drew a lot of money and
Wicks prefered those fights before a dangerrous opponent as Chuvalo who would probably be a bad draw in England. Once a Canadian promotor offered the Chuvalo fight in Canada, but Wicks laughed when se saw the offer. "Henry can earn double that amount in England by just fighting bums".
Who would have won? In Canada Cooper would have been given a hard time and possible lost on a cut eye stoppage, but in Britain Chuvalo could well have been disqualified for his rough boxing.
At that time there was a boxing board for the British Commonwealth who at a yearly basis picked 2-5 challengers for each champion to choose from for a title defence. Chuvalo was on the list as challenger for Coopers title, but there was not any mandatory challenger.
This left manager Wicks to pick and choose opponents for a title defence and at that time there were a lot of money to be made against british challengers as Walker, Prescott, Bodell. Those fights drew a lot of money and
Wicks prefered those fights before a dangerrous opponent as Chuvalo who would probably be a bad draw in England. Once a Canadian promotor offered the Chuvalo fight in Canada, but Wicks laughed when se saw the offer. "Henry can earn double that amount in England by just fighting bums".
Who would have won? In Canada Cooper would have been given a hard time and possible lost on a cut eye stoppage, but in Britain Chuvalo could well have been disqualified for his rough boxing.
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scartissue
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Re: cooper v chuvalo
I really don't believe Chuvalo got any breaks in Canada or his hometown of Toronto, to be honest. Remember, he was DQ'd against Cooper's contemporary Joe Erskine in Toronto for butting. He also lost a split to Howard King when he was a prospect (one would think they would be trying to push a prospect), he won only a split over Alex Miteff and the Ernie Terrell fight I scored 70-66 for Ernie, but the 3 Canadian judges all had it wider for Terrell. So, I don't think they were favoring George in any way. It is a pity this fight didn't take place, though.Woller wrote: ↑29 Sep 2022, 08:23 It can be answered with one single word: "Money"
At that time there was a boxing board for the British Commonwealth who at a yearly basis picked 2-5 challengers for each champion to choose from for a title defence. Chuvalo was on the list as challenger for Coopers title, but there was not any mandatory challenger.
This left manager Wicks to pick and choose opponents for a title defence and at that time there were a lot of money to be made against british challengers as Walker, Prescott, Bodell. Those fights drew a lot of money and
Wicks prefered those fights before a dangerrous opponent as Chuvalo who would probably be a bad draw in England. Once a Canadian promotor offered the Chuvalo fight in Canada, but Wicks laughed when se saw the offer. "Henry can earn double that amount in England by just fighting bums".
Who would have won? In Canada Cooper would have been given a hard time and possible lost on a cut eye stoppage, but in Britain Chuvalo could well have been disqualified for his rough boxing.