Holmes, Cooney, race

[JAB5239]

After Johnson-Jeffries was Holmes-Cooney the most racially charged fight in history?

More than 70 years after Johnson-Jeffries and huge leaps and bounds in racial harmony in America Don King worked the race card to such perfection for Cooney-Holmes that white supremacists threatened to shoot Holmes and black supremacists threatened retaliation. Police snipers were placed on every nearby hotel in Las Vegas on fight night and racial tension was once again at the fore front of a major fight. What are your thoughts on this and is it in fact the second most racially charged fight in history in spite of the era it occurred?

[TBear]

Hi JAB5239, I wonder if Louis-Schmeling might challenge Holmes-Cooney for that spot?

Ironic that Schmeling disliked the whole master race thing and Cooney publicly criticized the white hope tag some had pinned on him. Perhaps the only simularity between the two matches is the label placed on Schmeling and Cooney and how they resented it.

[JAB5239]

Hi JAB5239, I wonder if Louis-Schmeling might challenge Holmes-Cooney for that spot?

Ironic that Schmeling disliked the whole master race thing and Cooney publicly criticized the white hope tag some had pinned on him. Perhaps the only simularity between the two matches is the label placed on Schmeling and Cooney and how they resented it.

From a historical perspective nothing surpasses Louis-Schmeling. And maybe my opinion is wrong, but I've always viewed that fight as more political than racial. I of course wasn't around for it so I can't have a complete understanding of the feeling surrounding that fight. Holmes-Cooney on the other hand was simply black vs white and divided on those terms for much of the country. Louis may have been black and Schmeling whit, but I believe the majority of the country was in Joe's corner because he was an American and his color had nothing to do with it. That said, its said when good men get cast into these roles by no doing of their own.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

I would go with Louis-Schmeling II as the runner-up to Johnson-Jeffries.

[JAB5239]

I would go with Louis-Schmeling as the runner-up to Johnson-Jeffries.

As I've stated I see Louis Schmeling as more political, but Im happy to defer to both you're and Tbears better understanding of the era as you're both a bit older than myself.

What exactly are your feelings on Holmes-Cooney, how it was promoted and how the country divided do to that though?

[TBear]

Holmes-Cooney didn't strike me as much as race involved, at least not where I live. I wasn't challenging your post or opinion at all JAB. That wasn't my intention.
Just for Holmes-Cooney most everybody I knew were fans of Holmes and to them and the twenty plus people(mixed races) that came over to watch the fight at where I lived, race was not an issue. But perhaps in other parts of the country things were different. That I didn't see so I couldn't say.

[GJC]

Minter Hagler had an unpleasant air to it too

[joseph5620]

After Johnson-Jeffries was Holmes-Cooney the most racially charged fight in history?

More than 70 years after Johnson-Jeffries and huge leaps and bounds in racial harmony in America Don King worked the race card to such perfection for Cooney-Holmes that white supremacists threatened to shoot Holmes and black supremacists threatened retaliation. Police snipers were placed on every nearby hotel in Las Vegas on fight night and racial tension was once again at the fore front of a major fight. What are your thoughts on this and is it in fact the second most racially charged fight in history in spite of the era it occurred?

Jab this is why you are my boy. You keep it real. I have read a lot about those fights but have I have only seen Cooney- Holmes and know the deal with that .Honestly I don't know much about Johnson-Jeffries.

[Forza]

it was supposed to be just another fight for holmes but don king had to market it

What stood out about cooney besides the fact that he was a decent boxer? He was white! Only way to sell the fight really.

[JAB5239]

it was supposed to be just another fight for holmes but don king had to market it

What stood out about cooney besides the fact that he was a decent boxer? He was white! Only way to sell the fight really.

Its the way King sold it that made it so repulsive. He made it sound as if whites were only backing Cooney because of his color.