Gerry Cooney is an example of a prospect too protected too long, then fed to a lion--Larry Holmes. He was spoon fed 20 some fights then given Lyle and Norton who were washed up and boom a year later had his ass handed to him. Could he have been champion? He might have beaten Mike Weaver. Then again Weaver gave Mike Dokes a war in their second fight, someone with greater boxing skills than Cooney ever had.