Gerry Cooney overated?????

[drunkenpiper36]

Eddie 'The Animal' Lopez

Saturday ~ January 13, 1979

"I haven't had a fight in 5-Months. This is not what I would have wanted after not fighting for a while.
But the money is good {$7500}, and the bout is supposed be on CBS-Television. I know Gerry Cooney
is the rising Superstar, but I won't lay down."

"At least I got to work out at the Fifth Street Gym for 6-Days. The Gym Sparring has helped by immensely."

Can you do better than posting excuses?

[drunkenpiper36]

Mr. Drunken Piper,

How did you score the bout ?

What was your impression of Gerry Cooney ?

Tell us all about the 'circumstance' that happened in the 6th Round ?

I was 4 years old in January of 1979.. After searching extensively, I have found no available footage and very little commentary of that bout anywhere. Have you seen it? The only thing I've heard was that it was a close fight and Cooney began to get tired towards the end. But he still won and frankly I don't know what that has to do with your comment about Lopez being "stale." He was 25 years of age and coming off a 10 round decision win over a tough customer. When most people think stale, they think of Cooney going into the ring with Spinks after only seeing one round of boxing action in nearly 3 years.

[drunkenpiper36]

Gerry Cooney vs. Eddie Lopez

Gerry was tentative in the 1st-Round, not knowing what to expect from Eddie. Gerry seemed
reluctant to close, as he was wary of Eddie's power.

Gerry went to strictly jabbing in Round 2, as Eddie tried to maul inside and rip hooks into the body.

Gerry had a good Round 3, when he caught Eddie coming in with a hard left hook to the head, which
forced Eddie to back out. Gerry raked Eddie late in the Round with several good left-hooks the body.

At the start of Round 4, Eddie yelled out > "I'm still here." >

Gerry attacked fast-and-hard early in Round 4, and shook Eddiie 'twice' with left-hooks. But Eddie would
not back down and had a late-Round rally that had the Miami Beach fans cheering.

So what happened in the sixth round, and where did you get this stuff?

[sweetsci]

If you unaware, this Fight Promotion was 'protested' by Reverend Jesse Jackson and his 'Operation PUSH' coalition,
claiming that Kallie Knoetze {South African} was a convicted criminal and an 'Agent of Apartheid'.

Approximately '175' protesters were outside, and in front of the Convention Center with signs protesting
CBS-TV and Madison Square Garden for sponsoring the bout.

I do recall the protests surrounding the Knoetze - Sharkey fight. It was covered in the broadcast.

What I don't recall is seeing the Cooney - Lopez fight on the telecast. But I was only 11 at the time and may have forgotten. And I don't think Cooney appeared on my radar until the end of '79, so if it were on the telecast I might not have paid attention. So I ask… was the Cooney - Lopez fight actually televised?

[drunkenpiper36]

If you unaware, this Fight Promotion was 'protested' by Reverend Jesse Jackson and his 'Operation PUSH' coalition,
claiming that Kallie Knoetze {South African} was a convicted criminal and an 'Agent of Apartheid'.

Approximately '175' protesters were outside, and in front of the Convention Center with signs protesting
CBS-TV and Madison Square Garden for sponsoring the bout.

I do recall the protests surrounding the Knoetze - Sharkey fight. It was covered in the broadcast.

What I don't recall is seeing the Cooney - Lopez fight on the telecast. But I was only 11 at the time and may have forgotten. And I don't think Cooney appeared on my radar until the end of '79, so if it were on the telecast I might not have paid attention. So I ask… was the Cooney - Lopez fight actually televised?

That's what I am wondering as well. I have searched all over the place and have found not a single trace or mention of it. Duce claims that it was broadcasted on CBS which if you're from abroad is an American television network. But if they did, they must have burned the film.

[drunkenpiper36]

Thanks for the info Duce. But I maintain that Eddie Lopez was an able bodied opponent and from the sound of it, Cooney deserved the win. two or three more fights like that one, might have been what he needed to be better prepared for Holmes, but it is what it is, and the dice fell where it fell.

[Nile4000]

That would be something if Larry Alexander sparked Gerry out in that smoker.Kind of embarrassing also.

[Cutman Scabbers]

Being more accomplished than Cooney isn't exactly nominating someone for the HOF. Just stating the obvious.

Yes, because being sparked by michael bentt, dropped twice by an 8-8 Ross Purity, creamed by Mercer, nearly beaten by a shot Carl Williams and having his jaw broken against a high level journeyman with average power is quite the distinction

Yes but you have to consider his achievements as well:

KOs over Ruddock, Williams, Thomas and Tillis,
stopping Hipp despite the broken jaw and hand,
and outpointing George Foreman.

[Cutman Scabbers]

Puritty was no slouch either.

He KO'd Wladimir Klitschko, for Pete's sake!

Also stopped Hipp, and went the distance with Chris Byrd, Michael Grant, Hasim Rahman,
Larry Donald, and Corrie Sanders.

[Cutman Scabbers]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62BIUCHjjRY


Pure awesomeness! Purity!