True Gentleman Of Heavyweight Champs

[max baer]

henry cooper was an amazingly nice guy and gentleman by all accounts.
my dad met john conteh in a pub in the seventies and they had a drink as they both had drink problems and to this day my dad tells me what a really warm kind man conteh was. he was a big star in the seventies. my dad used to meet celebrities due to his work and he told me john conteh was the kindest friendliest man. here is a interview with him. he was huge star in his heyday now he is a public speaker and plays golf in retirement. he was a light heavy just to add in case queeny consults his lawyers about my posts accuracy.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/bo...gside-Ali.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhuSiyff1Ow
this is conteh on superstars in 74. as a kid we used to watch recordings of these and then have our own contest of fitness and skill. happy memories.

[Rockin']

1 vote for Chris Byrd..................Rockin'

[Rockin']

henry cooper was an amazingly nice guy and gentleman by all accounts.
my dad met john conteh in a pub in the seventies and they had a drink as they both had drink problems and to this day my dad tells me what a really warm kind man conteh was. he was a big star in the seventies. my dad used to meet celebrities due to his work and he told me john conteh was the kindest friendliest man. here is a interview with him. he was huge star in his heyday now he is a public speaker and plays golf in retirement.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/bo...gside-Ali.html

You'd be surprised to find how many fighters are actually very kind souls.................Rockin'

[max baer]

You'd be surprised to find how many fighters are actually very kind souls.................Rockin'

yeah i agree. i've met fury a number of times and he always was kind, gentleman and he asks how i was feeling not a ounce of arrogance just really sincere. i have a reckon that these men like ali, baer, fury, iron mike, lewis etc are kind because they are very comfortable in themselves so have no hangups or confidence issues that make others act silly or foolish.

[Rockin']

yeah i agree. i've met fury a number of times and he always was kind, gentleman and he asks how i was feeling not a ounce of arrogance just really sincere. i have a reckon that these men like ali, baer, fury, iron mike, lewis etc are kind because they are very comfortable in themselves so have no hangups or confidence issues that make others act silly or foolish.

Tyson didn't lose it until he married that cvnt and her mother, then the snowball started rolling down hill. Mitch Green deserved exactly what he got doe. The rest of them, yeah, they're probably nice guys.......................Rockin'

[Willie Pep 229]

yeah i agree. i've met fury a number of times and he always was kind, gentleman and he asks how i was feeling not a ounce of arrogance just really sincere. i have a reckon that these men like ali, baer, fury, iron mike, lewis etc are kind because they are very comfortable in themselves so have no hangups or confidence issues that make others act silly or foolish.

I agree with your assessment. I believe confidence has much to do with it.

I sat next to Arguello one fight (in Miami), I never saw a more gracious, patient celebrity deal with a never ending of handshakes and autographs as he did.

But there are always exceptions.

When I look at Dempsey and Tunney.

Dempsey was a mensch, kind of a man child. Tunney on the other hand was a bit of a prick.

Tunney oozed confidence. Dempsey was always more self doubting.

[max baer]

I agree with your assessment. I believe confidence has much to do with it.

I sat next to Arguello one fight (in Miami), I never saw a more gracious, patient celebrity deal with a never ending of handshakes and autographs as he did.

But there are always exceptions.

When I look at Dempsey and Tunney.

Dempsey was a mensch, kind of a man child. Tunney on the other hand was a bit of a prick.

Tunney oozed confidence. Dempsey was always more self doubting.

you know willie an interesting fact. tunney came from the same tiny town in mayo ireland as my dad.
it is the towns claim to fame as it had a population of around 900 people at the time.
i watched a video where they said tunney was an academic who liked the company of intellectuals and writers which kind of alienated him. dempsey was thought of as a draft dodger at the time so many fans hated him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8wIyrRPn-M
this video is a good one if you have some time it goes right through the history up to around tyson's era. it is very educational and it's where most of my learning that i discuss here comes from. if you have time it is well worth it.
watching tyson douglas at the end of video i just thought "man iron mike could withstand punishment. lewis fight too he took so many blows to the head and kept fighting. i seriously reckon 99% of other fighters would no way take that many blows before going down. he is there getting blow after blow after blow and he stays standing all that time. incredibly tough man.

[billeau2]

Tunney was a condescending prick. But that's just my two cents.

He was moving up... Just an irishman from hell's kitchen with literary asperations. He married up as well lol.

[max baer]

He was moving up... Just an irishman from hell's kitchen with literary asperations. He married up as well lol.

ha ha. yeah that's my guy!

[billeau2]

ha ha. yeah that's my guy!

Tunney was a very smart guy but had some somewhat eyebrow raising ideas. I remember in one of his literary masterpieces he was saying a man could beat a chimp/ape with a good shot to the nose. All I can say is thank God Gene never tested that hypothesis. he would have been the first boxing champion in history without a face... surpassing by a wide Margin the great, and former opponent of his, Harry Greb, who managed to be a champion minus a mere eye.

But I have a real soft spot for literate warriors. You learn a lot because they can describe a lot, Dempsey's punching tome is STILL an authority on hitting properly. Tunney described the games they played and it is jarring: They would seek a birth on a ship leaving port, and at a certain time dive off the ship and swim back to shore in the Hudson! Thats tough!! I thought we were tough grabbing the back of the 3rd avenue bus for a ride in NYC!