| Sometimes in a boxer's career there comes a | | | | Assassin agreed to fight him. Cooney would get a |
| pivotal fight, one that turns his fortunes for the | | | | purse of ten million dollars as the challenger, |
| good and sends him to bigger and better things, | | | | making it the richest fight in boxing history up to |
| as was the case when Irish Micky Ward's | | | | that time. Unfortunately the promotion of the |
| suddenly and unexpectedly knocked out heavily | | | | fight took on racial overtones which, to Cooney's |
| favored Alfonso Sanchez with a deadly left hook | | | | credit, he tried to distance himself from. If |
| to the body in 1997on HBO. And more recently, | | | | Cooney won, he would be the first white world |
| Edison Miranda's stunning TKO of Howard | | | | heavyweight champion in 23 years. Predictably, |
| Eastman which catapulted him from prospect to | | | | promoter Don King, always the cunning |
| world title contender. But there are two edges to | | | | choreographer, played this up by calling him "The |
| this knife and one cuts more deeply than the | | | | Great White Hope," and the fight drew huge |
| other. The following is about the later, about four | | | | attention throughout the world. In fact, it was one |
| fights in which the boxer's career took a sharp | | | | of the biggest closed-circuit/pay-per-view |
| detour the nature of which never led him back to | | | | productions in history, broadcast to over 150 |
| the main road."BIG JOHN" TATE captured a | | | | countries.Thusly packaged by King, Cooney finally |
| bronze medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympic | | | | stepped into the ring against Holmes on June 11, |
| Games, and would go on to capture the WBA | | | | 1982 and lost a competitive and highly entertaining |
| title in 1979 by defeating Gerrie Coetzee by | | | | fight in which Cooney fought bravely and did |
| decision in an impressive showing. Five months | | | | nothing to disgrace himself. He lost by a technical |
| later, on on March 31, 1980, Big John defended his | | | | knockout in the 13th when his handlers threw in |
| crown against Mike "Hercules" Weaver. Tate was | | | | the towel. But this would prove to be his "big |
| well ahead on all cards going into the last ad 15th | | | | detour," for he would never be the same after |
| round and the crowd was chanting, "Big John | | | | this fight and his post-Holmes career would be |
| Tate, Big John Tate, Big John Tate." There was | | | | unimpressive.He took a year off, intending to |
| no way he could lose in front of his home town | | | | return in late 1983, but a cut in sparring forced |
| crowd. Then, out of nowhere, Weaver suddenly | | | | him to lay off for another year. In September of |
| unloaded and landed a devastating hook to Tate's | | | | 1984 he finally stepped into the ring beating |
| chin that left him unconscious and prone for | | | | mediocre Phillip Brown by a knockout in 4 rounds. |
| several minutes. The crowd was shocked into | | | | He fought one more time and won, but personal |
| silence. And so was I.Big John attempted a | | | | problems again took him away from the ring. He |
| comeback on June 20, 1980 against an up and | | | | fought poor competition until he was ko' d by by |
| coming Trevor Berbick. This was on the | | | | Michael Spinks in 1987. Despite being significantly |
| undercard of the legendary fight between Sugar | | | | younger than George Foreman, he was taken out |
| Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran. However, he | | | | in devastating fashion in 1990 ending what could |
| was easily defeated by the muscular Berbick who | | | | have been an interesting, if not promising career |
| chased him around the ring in bizarre fashion. For | | | | had he not taken a detour from which he would |
| the second time in a row, he was knocked | | | | never recover.Cooney has since started the FIST |
| unconscious by a clubbing blow that caught him on | | | | Foundation, an organization which has helped |
| the back of the head as he was running away | | | | retired boxers of all races find jobs. On a positive |
| from Berbick. He lay prone with his leg twitching, | | | | note, Jerry and Holmes have become close |
| another indelible, albeit surreal, boxing memory. | | | | friends and Holmes has even helped with |
| Later Big John would be ridiculed in his hometown. | | | | Cooney's organization.EARL HARGROVE fought |
| Although he fought until 1988 winning 14 in a row | | | | Australian (by way of Uganda) John 'The Beast" |
| before losing his last fight in 1988, he was never | | | | Mugabi on March 17, 1965 in Tampa. Hargrove, |
| again taken seriously as a challenger.Tragically, on | | | | out of Philadelphia, came into the fight with a |
| April 9.1998, he died of injuries sustained in a | | | | stellar 26 and 1 record....his first 24 fights being |
| one-car automobile accident. At the time, his | | | | won by way of stoppage. Mugabi's record was |
| nickname among his hometown friends in | | | | even more impressive. Right out of the |
| Tennessee was "Ordinary." The man who had | | | | professional gate, the unbeaten Beast entered the |
| once been the WBA heavyweight champion and | | | | fight with 24 straight, often spectacular ko's and |
| had made millions was broke when he died at the | | | | had built a big reputation as a devastating puncher. |
| age of 43.SUGAR RAY SEALES, the only | | | | This promised to be a battle between two |
| American fighter to win a gold medal in the 1972 | | | | bangers and someone was sure to go early. |
| Olympics, was a contender for the Middleweight | | | | Maybe even a repeat of the Meza-Garza shoot |
| title during the late 70's and early 80's. He won his | | | | out. Mugabi had beaten James "Hard Rock" Green, |
| first 22 fights before losing to Marvin Hagler on | | | | Frank "The Animal" Fletcher (whose nickname |
| points in 1974. He then put together an unbeaten | | | | matched that of Mugabi's), Curtiss Parker, and |
| streak of six fights including a highly respectful | | | | Eddie Gazo.....all by stoppage. John would enter the |
| draw with the tough Hagler. In December 1976 in | | | | ring to chants of "Beast, Beast, Beast." Hargrove's |
| England, he fought Alan Minter, a tough Brit who | | | | opposition was tellingly far inferior with Greg |
| had garnered notable and credible victories over | | | | Stephens being one of the few with a decent |
| name opponents, in a fight that many thought | | | | record. When he did step up to fight tough Mark |
| would propel Sugar Ray to a title shot, but it was | | | | Medal, he lost by TKO in the 5th.But back to |
| not to be. He was TKO' d in the fifth by the | | | | Tampa where the fighters finally touched gloves |
| determined and tenacious Englishman who caught | | | | and the bell rang. And just like that, before I had |
| Seales in a furious exchange and prevailed. More | | | | time to light up my corona, it was over. |
| to the point, Seales would never again fight at the | | | | Hargerove was dispatched by the Beast in 1.33 of |
| same level of competence and was destroyed by | | | | the first round. Earl was exposed and it was time |
| Hagler in one round in their fight in 1979, being | | | | to take a detour.He would finish a once promising |
| dropped 3 times. In a 1980 fight with Jaime | | | | career with a 32-6 (28-ko's) record finally losing to |
| Thomas, he was thumbed in the eye, tearing his | | | | Darren Maciunski in 1995, Curiously, one of his |
| retina, and he gradually went blind even while | | | | wins came against NJ middleweight Lamont |
| continuing to fight. Seales retired in 1983.Perhaps | | | | Haithcoach by decisive first round ko in 1986. |
| the best way to describe Sugar Ray's detour is | | | | Haithcoach had held Buddy McGirt to a draw in |
| to describe his trilogy with the great Hagler thusly: | | | | 1982 and was no pushover, but this devastating |
| Sugar Ray Seales won his first 21 fights until | | | | loss ended his short 11-bout career. He would |
| losing a close decision to Marvin Hagler in Boston in | | | | close with a 5 (3-ko's)- 3- 3....suggesting that the |
| 1974. Later that same year, held Hagler to a | | | | entire sequence resulted in what one might term |
| draw that could have gone either way. Seales ten | | | | a "double detour.""A truly happy person is one |
| fought and lost to Minter in 1976. Hagler then | | | | who can enjoy the scenery on a detour." Bill |
| scored a savage first-round kayo in their rubber | | | | WilliamsAs a postscript to this piece, an |
| match.....in 1979.One account has Seales currently | | | | undefeated and highly promising Mike Quarry |
| working with autistic students at Lincoln High | | | | fought Bob Foster on June 27, 1972 after having |
| School in Tacoma. I hope it's true.IRISH JERRY | | | | run up a string of over 30 wins. For obvious |
| COONEY, as an amateur, won several | | | | reasons, I'd just as soon not include that story |
| international tournaments as well as the New York | | | | here. May he rest in peace.Ted Sares, PhD, is a |
| Golden Gloves title. His amateur record was a fine | | | | private investor and syndicated writer who lives in |
| one consisting of 55 wins and only 3 losses when | | | | the White Mountain area of Northern New |
| he turned professional. Best known for his | | | | Hampshire with his wife Holly and Min Pin Jackdog. |
| devastating left hook to the body, he quickly ran | | | | He writes a bi-weekly column for a local |
| up a string of ko wins before handily beating title | | | | newspaper, is a regular contributor to the NH |
| challengers Jimmy Young and Ron Lyle, both by | | | | Business Review, and many of his other pieces |
| ko. By this time, he was ranked number one in | | | | are widely published.His works focus on issues and |
| the WBC and was a serious challenger to Larry | | | | themes dealing with socio-political topics, business |
| Holmes' crown. | | | | and (economics in which he advocates a free |
| Then in 1981, he annihilated former world | | | | market approach to capitalism), patriotism, and |
| heavyweight champion Ken Norton by frightening | | | | matters dealing with individual freedom.They are |
| knockout 54 seconds into the first round at | | | | frequently inspirational in nature and sometimes |
| Madison Square Garden and in front of an HBO | | | | reflect the Objectivist philosophy of Ayn Rand. He |
| audience. A year later, his life took a positive turn, | | | | is also a boxing historian and writes about the |
| at least financially speaking, when The Easton | | | | pathos of the sport. |