Henry Cooper

Hi everyone. I'm a fan of Henry Cooper. I want to get one of his autobiography.
I have notice there seems to be two books out there.

One written by Henry Cooper in 1974, called "Henry Cooper, an Autobiography"
The other biography is authorised. Its Called "Henry Cooper: The Authorised Biography" It appears to have been published after the late great man died. So one wonders how it is authorised. Unless he gave permission before his passing.

If anybody on this forum, has read either book, I'd be greatful for any input.

I read the newest of the two a while ago though. It defo was written after 1974 good read sad in some parts and i didnt even know he had a twin untill i read the book! Met him years ago at a show in hull i think shook the hand that dropped the greatest. Worth a read.

Thanks for your reply.

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Originally Posted by Dave1066

Hi everyone. I'm a fan of Henry Cooper. I want to get one of his autobiography.
I have notice there seems to be two books out there.

One written by Henry Cooper in 1974, called "Henry Cooper, an Autobiography"
The other biography is authorised. Its Called "Henry Cooper: The Authorised Biography" It appears to have been published after the late great man died. So one wonders how it is authorised. Unless he gave permission before his passing.

If anybody on this forum, has read either book, I'd be greatful for any input.

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I have not read either but let us know how you get on. I do have a book in my boxing library called "The Big Punchers" written by Reg Gutteridge with Henry Cooper sharing his thoughts on each of the boxers discussed. I think it is out of print now but worth grabbing if you see it in a second hand book shop. You can hear our Henry's voice echoing in your head as you read it, and for that alone I treasure it. It also reminds you because of Reg's families background in boxing how much more measured, consummate and professional the old commentators were and how much, I for one, miss them.

Cheers for that Green. I have started to read Henry Coopers Tackle Boxing book. Its his how to box book. Very good. Written in a different style to Dempsey, with much more modern approach. In the sense that he places more importance on certain punches used in todays boxing ring then what Dempsey did. Notably the jab. It has fantastic photo's of champs doing the punches in contests. He also for each punch gives a pro-tip. With some cracking ideas. When needed he also uses drawings like Dempsey. I high recommend this book.

In the end after researching online, went for Henry Cooper : An autobiography by Henry Cooper written in 1974. It gets good reviews. Where as the modern one only gets average reviews.

I have read an old autobiography of Cooper which was interesting from the library years back. He said his mum use to feed him and his brother full of food in the amateurs and they use to lose fights because they were so bloated.

Yeah Master, I can understand that. I have been experimenting with my diet and food intake. I ate a fully fledged meal an hour before going to the boxing gym. Never again. At times I thought I might be sick! So I can understand what Henry says about Amateurs bouts.

It's hard not to like old 'enry, the pug had the heart of a lion, his Achilles heel was he was a bleeder. If i'm not mistaken he was the 1st man to KD Ali, and one of only 3 doing that during Ali's entire career.

Great man, great human being, I was saddened to hear about him passing away a few years back.

Henry had one charismatic character. Yeah see my sig Mars, He did it with his signature punch combo. Left jab followed by enry's ammer. Mulhammed Ali since said, he was expecting a 1-2 combo. So didn't see the left hook coming in at all, was out of his field of vision. Which completely cought him off guard.

One thing that struch me, in tackle boxing. When Henry was discribing to do the left hook. He did mention about his contest in 1963 with Ali. There is no grudge there atall. He is a complete gentleman. And came across very gracious. He simply said he knocked Ali down in 5, but Ali won the contest in 6. Because of his eye bleeding, so the fight got stopped by technical knock out. Did not mention atall about Dundee's antics in the corner.

Cooper was left handed so that hook was his power hand.

Today with plastic surgery Cooper would have been a top cruiserweight beating up Enzo and Huck.

Do no something Henry Cooper, was a Gentleman not many in this sport but he showed how,
a professional fighter should conduct themselves in and out of the ring.
Great pity there are not more like Henry Cooper, all them loud mouth shit bags take note.!

It is slowly coming back to me, he was a great advocate about using the jab and varying the speed and strength of it so that you do not become predictable.

Indeed Cooper was left handed, and even wrote in Tackle Boxing, that had he started boxing 20 years later he probably would have been a southpaw.

Yeah agreed he would be a top fighter today. Yes Cooper lost some fights. But then if you look at the opponents he went up against. Some of them with an massive weight advantage, which didn't put him off and he won..Rarely nowadays do you see fighters with such a massive difference in weight fight.

Cooper is all for being unpredictable. Not only does he mention about varying the power of the punches, but making sure your combinations arn't predictable. Be creative is what he advises aswell. Enry advises not to go all out in the first round of a contest, and save your best punch for later. Especially in the later rounds, if its coming down to points. To surprise your opponent and the referee and judges. He's also a fan of doubling up, not just jabs, but hooks aswell. And punching say a straigh right to the body and follow by a straight right to the head. Tackle Boxing is without a dout, the best all rounded how to box manual I have ever read. Even most of the how to box sites online nowadays, who republish "old school" methods, or think they are inventing new training techniques are only really reinventing the wheel.

Yeah agreed Bando. Enry was what I call quiet confident. He was so sure of his abilities, qualities, and weaknesses. He didn't need to mouth off. Which is what a gentleman is. At the end of the day, someone who has to mouth off all the time. Is insecure and trying to cover up a weakness, whether thats an physical weakness or mental weakness..