R I P SIR HENRY COOPER

[stujones]

Didn't get the chance to message at the weekend, I was really shocked by the news. I had heard he had gone quite frail although he did always look in great shape and very sharp when he was making public TV appearance.

If there would ever be a sport of one handed boxing with each boxer not allowed to use one arm - Henry would have been a multiple world champion.

Would he have ever beaten Jimmy Ellis for the WBC world title in 1968 - it would have been a very interesting one thats for sure.

RIP to our 'enry the gentle giant.

[Bob & Weave]

R.I.P Henry.

Gone but not forgotten.

[Darcy Delaney]

i read somewhere that he was the only fighter to win the Lonsdale belt outright 3 times ?? was this true

RIP HENRY COOPER

as far as im aware yes

i just look at Bombadier Billy Wells and he had 14 British title wins would he have got 3 belts aswell ??

[stujones]

RIP. My local library was chock full of his self-penned boxing books. They taught me about the fights, fighters, techniques and shenanigans of boxing at an early age. His Top 100 Boxers was a mixture of past fighters, current champion, Michael Nunn was undefeated at the time and included, and Cooper's opinions on each and every boxer. His claim that 'Thomas Hearns had everything needed to be the greatest boxer of all time apart from an iron chin' is one that I've always agreed with.

Link to his titles is below if anyone wants to track them down, his boxing manuals taught me a lot about the game. His book on great fights included his world title tilt against Ali. I recall him talking about spending time with his family, having a quiet meal and then travelling to Highbury only to find that Ali had improved and would grip his arms in a 'vice like' grip whenever he got close enough to let go with a left hook.

Cooper wrote with great pride about the fact that Ali had clearly learned a few things from fight one, he also wrote with some sadness about the feelings that swept over him when the blood flowed and the ref stepped into pull the plug on his world title dream.

His next fight was against Floyd Patterson for the right to contest it once more. Tough ask. Years before Cooper had been offered to Liston for the belt. His manager Jim Wicks allegedly turned it down as he knew Liston was wrong for his charge, many handlers may have been tempted to throw him in and pocket the dough. Both Cooper and Wicks did great work in the wake of that fight with Clay, whipping up a storm to lay the groundwork for a rematch.

Henry Cooper's boxing books

His 100 greatest boxers books is a lovely little read. The list is probably bias for the British fighters, but given its date of publication he actually predicts alot of things. If I remember rightly he expressed doubts that Tyson would ever capture is old form (he had just lost the title to Douglas).

[bennie]

i read somewhere that he was the only fighter to win the Lonsdale belt outright 3 times ?? was this true

RIP HENRY COOPER

as far as im aware yes

i just look at Bombadier Billy Wells and he had 14 British title wins would he have got 3 belts aswell ??

Nope, Darcy, because Bombardier Billy fought in the days prior to the advent of the Board and the Lonsdale Belt. The Board was formed in 1936.

[SteveO]

Would he have ever beaten Jimmy Ellis for the WBC world title in 1968 - it would have been a very interesting one thats for sure.

I think he would have stood a good chance of beating Ellis. Shame the fight never happened.
I would like to echo everyones condolences - R.I.P Sir Henry.

[Darcy Delaney]

as far as im aware yes

i just look at Bombadier Billy Wells and he had 14 British title wins would he have got 3 belts aswell ??

Nope, Darcy, because Bombardier Billy fought in the days prior to the advent of the Board and the Lonsdale Belt. The Board was formed in 1936.

cheers mate

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

RIP. My local library was chock full of his self-penned boxing books. They taught me about the fights, fighters, techniques and shenanigans of boxing at an early age. His Top 100 Boxers was a mixture of past fighters, current champion, Michael Nunn was undefeated at the time and included, and Cooper's opinions on each and every boxer. His claim that 'Thomas Hearns had everything needed to be the greatest boxer of all time apart from an iron chin' is one that I've always agreed with.

Link to his titles is below if anyone wants to track them down, his boxing manuals taught me a lot about the game. His book on great fights included his world title tilt against Ali. I recall him talking about spending time with his family, having a quiet meal and then travelling to Highbury only to find that Ali had improved and would grip his arms in a 'vice like' grip whenever he got close enough to let go with a left hook.

Cooper wrote with great pride about the fact that Ali had clearly learned a few things from fight one, he also wrote with some sadness about the feelings that swept over him when the blood flowed and the ref stepped into pull the plug on his world title dream.

His next fight was against Floyd Patterson for the right to contest it once more. Tough ask. Years before Cooper had been offered to Liston for the belt. His manager Jim Wicks allegedly turned it down as he knew Liston was wrong for his charge, many handlers may have been tempted to throw him in and pocket the dough. Both Cooper and Wicks did great work in the wake of that fight with Clay, whipping up a storm to lay the groundwork for a rematch.

Henry Cooper's boxing books

His 100 greatest boxers books is a lovely little read. The list is probably bias for the British fighters, but given its date of publication he actually predicts alot of things. If I remember rightly he expressed doubts that Tyson would ever capture is old form (he had just lost the title to Douglas).

Yeah, he also put a question mark over Nunn if I recall correctly. His boxing instruction manual was always on my library card in the days before I got to the gym. Cooper used stills of Hagler etc and one of himself landing a weird right hand whilst ducking down, he used this as proof that unorthodox punches can work.

I tried this myself when I was allowed to go to the local boxing gym, throwing daft shots and doing other little things I'd been taught in that book. My coach asked me what I was doing and then showed me a few things. I turned around and said, "This isn't how it was done in Henry Cooper's book", and got a right earful.

Looking back, the books are a bit ropey but the 100 Greatest Fights one included Ali-Cooper and a nice description of what Henry did on the day of the biggest night of his life. Spent time with the wife, his twin and had a quiet meal before journeying to Wembley for the big one. Recall him saying that Ali gripped his wrists when they were in-close to avoid that left hook.

Cooper's a weird one, some overrate based on the Clay fight, which he was never going to win even if they hadn't had the glove issue, but underrate him in general as he was a decent fighter.

My dad bought me one of Henry Cooper's boxing books called 'The Great Heavyweights' and it was his views on Jack Johnson,
Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and there was a chapter on Walcott/Charles and himself - excellent read - as a 10 year old reading about Joe Louis for the first time in that book was something I will never forget.

[Heartbreak_Kid79]

RIP Sir Henry.

A true english gent

[stujones]

His 100 greatest boxers books is a lovely little read. The list is probably bias for the British fighters, but given its date of publication he actually predicts alot of things. If I remember rightly he expressed doubts that Tyson would ever capture is old form (he had just lost the title to Douglas).

Yeah, he also put a question mark over Nunn if I recall correctly. His boxing instruction manual was always on my library card in the days before I got to the gym. Cooper used stills of Hagler etc and one of himself landing a weird right hand whilst ducking down, he used this as proof that unorthodox punches can work.

I tried this myself when I was allowed to go to the local boxing gym, throwing daft shots and doing other little things I'd been taught in that book. My coach asked me what I was doing and then showed me a few things. I turned around and said, "This isn't how it was done in Henry Cooper's book", and got a right earful.

Looking back, the books are a bit ropey but the 100 Greatest Fights one included Ali-Cooper and a nice description of what Henry did on the day of the biggest night of his life. Spent time with the wife, his twin and had a quiet meal before journeying to Wembley for the big one. Recall him saying that Ali gripped his wrists when they were in-close to avoid that left hook.

Cooper's a weird one, some overrate based on the Clay fight, which he was never going to win even if they hadn't had the glove issue, but underrate him in general as he was a decent fighter.

My dad bought me one of Henry Cooper's boxing books called 'The Great Heavyweights' and it was his views on Jack Johnson,
Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and there was a chapter on Walcott/Charles and himself - excellent read - as a 10 year old reading about Joe Louis for the first time in that book was something I will never forget.

I liked his writing style, I never thought it was him to be honest (always assumed they were Ghost written). Direct and to the point.

Don't seem to get many boxing books in libraries, but I always used to find Henry's books there. His instruction manual was another one I would regularly pick up. It did used to include many things that might seem "odd" but in reality, I think most teenagers learning the amateur game would be asking. E.g. when to have a shave (e.g. bit of beard growth assisting) when to take a shower/bath. You did hear so many wife's tales in the gym (oh a bath will tire you out, so don't take one the night before - and then another coach saying oh a shower will freshen you up).

100 Greatest boxers had some of the most fantastic boxing pics in it. A big basis of my sports science project on the history of selected sport.

[kojebee]

In the modern day, he'd have his eyes sorted through surgery and he'd only be a cruiserweight (always less than 200 pounds at weigh in I believe). Born in the wrong era?

RIP Our 'enry.

[McCannW14]

He may have even made light heavy with previous day weigh in and that.