Thread: Cooney instead of Loius

If we were to replace Joe Louis with Gerry Cooney would Cooney be champ and if so would he be a long reigning champ

No doubt in my mind he'd be champ. A guy with that kind of size and skill would have been poison for most (if not all) of the guy's Louis fought on his title run.

Would he be champ? He'd tower over everyone but Carnera whom he would soundly beat. That said Joe Louis is a guy who you can place throughout history and he'd be a top teir fighter because he was no slouch either.

^true. It's also worth mention the obvious, that a lot of the HW's of old weren't true "heavyweights" in the modern sense of the word. In his prime, he was barely 200 without cutting weight. I imagine with today's sport science, nutrition and weight cutting techniques, Joe and most of the guys he fought would probably be fighting at LHW.

Imagıne Cooney agaınst Patterson. Worse than Liston dıd hım

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

^true. It's also worth mention the obvious, that a lot of the HW's of old weren't true "heavyweights" in the modern sense of the word. In his prime, he was barely 200 without cutting weight. I imagine with today's sport science, nutrition and weight cutting techniques, Joe and most of the guys he fought would probably be fighting at LHW.

Well with proper nutrition and prenatal care Joe Louis and his opponents would probably be bigger than they were in their era. Imagine Joe Louis about 6'4 220-240....that my friends is a dangerous man

Originally Posted by YIDDLE

If we were to replace Joe Louis with Gerry Cooney would Cooney be champ and if so would he be a long reigning champ

Cooney never impressed me that much, he had a great hook and good size but was slow and plodding, like a robot.
When he got his big change, Did he try to change anything? No, so Holmes spanked him like a five year old and sent him home.
Joe Louis is a legend and will be remembered long after we are all gone,on the other hand, Cooney was good enough to be a footnote.

Let me see...Spinks was a blown up light heavy and he destroyed Cooney. Spinks wasn't as good as Charles or Walcott so I'm pretty sure that both of those guys would beat Cooney. And I'd bet my house that the Schmeling of the first Louis fight would stop Cooney, and I think that Max Baer would stop Cooney.
Gerry wasn't much of a fighter.

Cooney was not a great fighter, he may have become champ but he would never have achieved 25 defenses either.

Originally Posted by El Kabong

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

^true. It's also worth mention the obvious, that a lot of the HW's of old weren't true "heavyweights" in the modern sense of the word. In his prime, he was barely 200 without cutting weight. I imagine with today's sport science, nutrition and weight cutting techniques, Joe and most of the guys he fought would probably be fighting at LHW.

Well with proper nutrition and prenatal care Joe Louis and his opponents would probably be bigger than they were in their era. Imagine Joe Louis about 6'4 220-240....that my friends is a dangerous man

No way Lyle, Wladimir would smoke him.

I wouldn't say Holmes "spanked" him, Cooney gave Holmes one hell of a fight.

Unless Cooney and Holmes fought twice, it was a spanking. Cooney was never the same after this fight, his confidence shaken and his fighting spirit dampened.
Oh yeah, it was a spanking, then he ran into George Foreman.

Originally Posted by YIDDLE

If we were to replace Joe Louis with Gerry Cooney would Cooney be champ and if so would he be a long reigning champ

Read this over as its in two parts and let me know where you would place Cooney. No rush.

Rating the All Time Heavyweights in 10 Categories

Heavyweight Greats Rating Chart

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

I wouldn't say Holmes "spanked" him, Cooney gave Holmes one hell of a fight.

Yes, he did. Gave a very good account of himself and landed a nut shot for the ages.

Cooney was on the downslide when he was KO'd in 8 by Spinks, and pretty much done by the time he faced Foreman and got knocked out in the 1st or second.

Wouldn't have mattered with Foreman tho what shape Cooney was in.

I think Cooney could have beaten a lot of the guys of Louis era, but he was def not nearly the boxer Joe Louis was.

Cooney was very much over hyped, he had very little else bar a big left hook, good at dishing it out,
as the saying goes you got to take some to give some.!
Large individual but, that's about it very poor indeed when he faced a live opponent, he was found wanting.