Obituary: Sir Henry Cooper, heavyweight boxing champion

Sir Henry Cooper, heavyweight boxing champion.

Born: 3 May, 1934, in London.

Died: 1 May, 2011, in Oxted, Surrey, aged 76.

THE great misfortune of Sir Henry Cooper was that he was born too soon. Had he born two decades later, he might well have been the finest world boxing champion Britain has ever produced, for he would have been able to compete at cruiserweight instead of heavyweight.

Boxing's various authorities did not introduce the cruiserweight division until 1979, when the World Boxing Council set the upper weight limit at 13st 13lbs, or 195lbs, (88.5kgs). Ironically, that was precisely the heaviest weight at which Cooper ever fought, but boxing only allowed larger men to be heavyweights during his time in the ring, and that meant Cooper frequently taking on much heavier opponents.

One of them was Muhammad Ali, known as Cassius Clay when they first met at Wembley Stadium on 18 June, 1963. Some 20lbs (9kg) heavier than Cooper, Ali's lightning-quick punches opened up a bad cut over and beneath Cooper's left eye in the third round.

The British champion pleaded for one more round to see if he could defeat the brash young American and, with seconds remaining in the fourth, a devastating left hook put Ali on the floor for the first time in his career in his first overseas bout.

Myths have grown up about the aftermath of "Our 'Enery's 'Ammer" felling The Louisville Lip. Contrary to the received wisdom, Ali was not out on his feet when the next round was due to start, but in fact was vertical after four seconds and fully conscious after 30, and trainer Angelo Dundee's sly attempt to rip open Ali's glove to buy him more time barely worked, as referee Tommy Little ensured that the next round was only six seconds late in starting.

Ali, who had predicted a fifth-round stoppage, came hurtling out and his very first punch split Cooper's eye injury even wider. A few more direct hits and the referee had no option but to stop the fight.

Cuts were always a problem for Cooper, who had prominent facial bones. That and a lack of poundage cost Cooper dear, for in his entire professional career he only ever lost to fighters who were heavier than him, and on several occasions he beat opponents who were more than a stone heavier than him.

Born in Westminster and raised in Southwark and then Bellingham, Cooper was a proud Londoner. His father was a tram driver and later a soldier who boxed as an amateur, and Cooper and his twin brother George were both in boxing gyms at a young age.Fighting out of the famed Eltham club, Cooper had an oustanding amateur career at light-heavyweight, winning 73 of 84 bouts, becoming ABA champion and fighting for Great Britain in the 1952 Olympics where he was controversially eliminated, losing on points to a Soviet Union fighter for whom two communist country judges voted, while the French judge, and most neutrals, gave the contest to Cooper.

He and George then did their National Service in the so-called Boxer's Battalion of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and both turned professional on rejoining civvy street. George never prospered greatly in the ring as he was too prone to cuts, but Henry Cooper's name soon began to be touted as a contender. He had good British "upright" technique, was aggressive and, being a converted southpaw, had a ferocious left hook.

In an era when British titles were considerably more prestigious than now, Cooper had to bide his time to get the big fights, especially after he was knocked out in a European title challenge by subsequent world champion Ingemar Johansson.

In that same year of 1957, he was beaten on points in a British and Commonwealth title fight by champion Joe Erskine of Wales. Cooper and Erskine fought five times - the former winning three, including his first British title in 1959. Cooper would hold the British title for most of the 1960s and regain it in 1970 at a time when good class British heavyweights such as Erskine, Jack Bodell, Billy Walker and Brian London were extant - Cooper beat them all. Yet he couldn't step up to the highest world level as a second defeat - again on cuts - by Muhammad Ali and a four-round thrashing by former world champion Floyd Patterson showed his limitations.

Cooper retired at 37 after losing his British title on a highly controversial points decision to the much heavier Joe Bugner in 1971.

His final record of 40 wins, 27 of them by knockout, against 14 losses and a draw, was admirable, as was his record of nine British championship wins that earned him three Lonsdale belts outright - the only man ever to achieve that feat. Twice voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Cooper was hugely popular with the British public as was proven by his advertising of Brut after shave and other products.

He lost much of his wealth in a scandalous collapse at Lloyds insurers, forcing him to sell his Lonsdale belts. He recovered some of his fortune and constant media work kept him in the public eye until he was in his sixties. He came across as what he was - a warm and friendly Londoner who was very knowledgeable about sport in general as he showed while a captain on the BBC's A Question of Sport.

A tireless worker for charity, Cooper received an OBE in 1969, a papal knighthood in 1978 and was knighted in 2000.

Cooper met his Italian wife Albina when she was serving as a waitress.He converted to her Catholic faith and though she refused to watch him box, they were happily married from 1960 for 48 years until her sudden death from a heart attack. It was said by friends that Cooper never recovered from her passing, which was followed by the death of his twin last year, a final blow that caused him great anguish.

Muhammad Ali, now 69 and with his Parkinsonism worn as the cruel badge of a fighter's courage, has paid warm tribute to his great friend. Despite being downed by Joe Frazier and bludgeoned by George Foreman, and having his jaw broken by Ken Norton, Ali still maintained that the hardest punch he ever took was 'Enery's 'Ammer in 1963.

It started the Cooper legend, but even without it, the man himself would have achieved legendary status by dint of his courage, personality and an innate sporting nobility that is sadly part of a bygone age.

Sir Henry Cooper is survived by his sons, Henry Marco and John Pietro.