Henry Cooper Lays Muhammad Ali Down For A Spell: GIF Spotlight

In June of 1963, a very talkative, very confident, 18-0 contender from Kentucky took on a British heavyweight champion and future European heavyweight champion in 27-8-1 Henry Cooper. The Kentuckian, later known as Mister Muhammad "The Greatest" Ali, had a little British grit in his gravy before he could go home to the states. Sir Henry went for it with no regard for likelihood and dropped The Greatest down like a ton of bricks in the fourth round. There is no great fighter that can't be pushed by a good fighter when the stars align.

That said, the next round, after a controversial recovery, the Kentuckian forced a referee stoppage, technical knockout, from a severe cut around Cooper's eye. In his very next fight, future Muhammad Ali wouldn't get caught with a shot like that in taking Sonny Liston's world title and shocking the world. Henry Cooper would get a shot at that title in a rematch with future Ali, and, again, suffer a TKO on another cut, in 1966. Presumably in a backroom deal, Joe Frazier would buy Cooper's left hook and use it on Ali several time to great avail. That's just a rumor. Rumor, presumption, six of one, half a dozen of another. Don't quote me on any of this.


Work that bag,
Basement Gym Boxing


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