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British boxing legend Henry Cooper is still remembered for it. More than 41 years after the fact, Cooper remains a beloved figure in his native England and when fans reminisce about old ’Enery, they talk about the potent left hook he landed to the jaw of 21-year-old Cassius Clay. And they talk about what might have been ...
On June 18, 1963, the young, brash American Clay entered the ring in venerable Wembley Stadium in London to take on the 29 year-old Cooper, who was a top flight fighter in Europe and the British Empire, but who was not considered by most to be a serious threat to derail Clay’s title ambitions.
Cooper had a record of 27-8-1. He was a capable fighter who had won 12 of his previous 13 bouts, the only defeat being a KO loss to the highly regarded American Zora Folley in December of ’61. The Englishman was a long shot to beat Clay, but an upset was not out of the realm of possibility. Cooper wasn’t flashy, but he did possess a left hook that could separate any heavyweight around from his senses. A decision win for the plodding Englishman over the slippery, fast-moving, fast-punching Clay was very unlikely. Cooper would certainly need to knock Clay out to win. But could it be done? Many of Cooper’s countrymen believed it could happen, even though Cooper at 186 pounds weighed 20 pounds less than the cocky American. Cooper, the pride of Bellingham, had won impressively in his previous two outings, knocking out Joe Erskine in nine rounds and Dick Richardson in five rounds in successful defenses of the Commonwealth (British Empire) and British heavyweight titles. Cooper had the punch if he could somehow find Clay’s chin with it.
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On June 18, 1963, the young, brash American Clay entered the ring in venerable Wembley Stadium in London to take on the 29 year-old Cooper, who was a top flight fighter in Europe and the British Empire, but who was not considered by most to be a serious threat to derail Clay’s title ambitions.
Cooper had a record of 27-8-1. He was a capable fighter who had won 12 of his previous 13 bouts, the only defeat being a KO loss to the highly regarded American Zora Folley in December of ’61. The Englishman was a long shot to beat Clay, but an upset was not out of the realm of possibility. Cooper wasn’t flashy, but he did possess a left hook that could separate any heavyweight around from his senses. A decision win for the plodding Englishman over the slippery, fast-moving, fast-punching Clay was very unlikely. Cooper would certainly need to knock Clay out to win. But could it be done? Many of Cooper’s countrymen believed it could happen, even though Cooper at 186 pounds weighed 20 pounds less than the cocky American. Cooper, the pride of Bellingham, had won impressively in his previous two outings, knocking out Joe Erskine in nine rounds and Dick Richardson in five rounds in successful defenses of the Commonwealth (British Empire) and British heavyweight titles. Cooper had the punch if he could somehow find Clay’s chin with it.
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