Gerry Cooney vs David Tua

[Nile4000]

15/Hwy/ prime vs prime, who wins?

[goose 5]

Tua blasts him out.

[scorpio83]

Cooney would pull a Lennox Lewis on Tua by using his height and reach by jabbing and landing long range punches even with his left hooks to take a decision or else Tua would have a puncher's chance with knock Cooney out with his own left hook.

[Joson]

Tua crushes Cooney in three to five rounds. Very possibly a devastating KO, as Gerry lacked durability and was easy to hit.

However, this match could be a thriller if Cooney fights his very best, and clips Tua with powerful left-hooks from time to time. In this scenario, Tua still wins by KO, but is hurt, dazed, and possibly knocked down during the early action. Nobody ever hurt Tua like that, but I think Gerry's left-hook had the power to do so assuming he's lucky enough to land it early and often.

But in the end, Cooney's fragility turns him into a Tua KO victim.

[Ambling Alp II]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

[oogiebe]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

who did you mean?

[gilgamesh]

Cooney at his best vs Tua at his worst is a fight that Cooney can win.

Both men at their best Tua wins by KO.

Both men past their primes Tua wins by KO.

[Teddy's Toupee]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

who did you mean?

David Tua.

[Teddy's Toupee]

Nobody hurt Tua like that

Felix Savon?

[gilgamesh]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

who did you mean?

Surely he meant Holmes.

[oogiebe]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

who did you mean?

David Tua.

[Tony1244]

Been thinking about this perhaps too much, but I don't think Gerry could have held him off defensively for 10 rounds. Cooney wins a few early rounds then Tua lowers the boon.

[oogiebe]

Don't think Cooney can hurt Tua-man. Early ko for Tua.

[Joson]

Nobody hurt Tua like that

Felix Savon?

Great point. I totally overlooked the Savon fight.

So yes, there is evidence in Tua's deep background that he can be hurt and KO'd by a big bomber. But that fight was held in the amateurs, when Tua was still developing.

Also, Savon was a quick-fisted, agile power puncher. Cooney, by contrast, was more of a ponderous fighter, lacking agility and possessing only average hand speed. So I question if Big Gerry could clip Tua with the full force of his pulverizing left-hook.

But who knows...when we're talking power hitters, anything can happen.

[Joson]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

I can understand what you mean, as Tua - particularly later in his career - sometimes fought without vigor, and consequently, his work rate and ring efficiently were poor. That version of Tua was sluggish, reduced to following his foes around the ring, hoping to get lucky with the occasional left-hook. Obviously he could be soundly outboxed by taller guys who box well in the open.

Cooney had an impressive left-jab, which was long, persistent, and hurtful. But Gerry used that punch to set-up his offensives. He rarely used his jab to box from center ring. He didn't really have the speed, agility, and defensive acumen to box efficiently from long range. That's why I'm pessimistic about his chances of outboxing Tua.

[Ambling Alp II]

A lot depends on which Cooney shows up and which Tua shows up.
The Cooney that fought Tua would have beaten Tua.
However, it is easy to see Tua blasting out Cooney like ancient Foreman did.
Then again, Tua often had fights where did almost nothing except try to land an occasional left hook. Cooney probably beats that version.

who did you mean?

Surely he meant Holmes.

Yeah, I meant Holmes.
It was really the best fight to judge him by. Too bad he didn't fight guys like Thomas, Witherspoon, Dokes etc.

[DrDuke]

Tua stopps Cooney later in the fight. Tua is known for many comebacks and Cooney wasn't that special. Tua was so hard-chinned and durable, that he could withstand the early Cooney and open him up after the midpoint.