Henry Cooper

[Dave1066]

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.

[Master]

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.

[Dave1066]

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.

[Mars_ax]

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.

[Dave1066]

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.

[Master]

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.

[Dia bando]

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.!