Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fights: The Second Match Against Henry Cooper

The great ones battles on Mohammedan Ali: The second game vs Henry Cooper

The fight that best highlights the style and dominance of the great boxer

Many people would associate boxing with the name of Muhammad Ali, and this is no accident. Born Cassius Clay Jr., the boxer is one of the greatest in history and in the professional ring has 56 wins from 61 fights, 37 of them coming by knockout. He is also a long-time heavyweight champion, and his matches are some of the most memorable in the history of the sport. One of them is undoubtedly his second clash with the British Henry Cooper, which we will recall in the following lines.

The rivalry between the two boxers dates back to 1963, when Ali managed to knock down his opponent in the fifth round and win the match unquestionably. A match that hardly makes the charts for the most exciting clashes of one of the greatest, but it is certainly a fight that demonstrates his dominance.

Three years later, however, the two get in the ring again, and this time something far more memorable happens. The date is May 21, 1966, and the arena "Arsenal Stadium" in London, England. Ali's willingness to fight anywhere and anytime is demonstrated once again. He never misses a single chance to box outside of his homeland and away from the usual time zone where he lives and trains. In fact, he has not turned down a single meeting that takes place outside the United States. And the damage it inflicts on opponents is long-lasting.

The second match against Cooper is extremely indicative of the unforgettable style of Muhammad, who moves with incredible speed around the ring and finds the right moments to deliver his heavy blow. This fight is very similar to the first meeting between them due to the dominance of Ali, who manages to stay away from his opponent and uses his height advantage in an excellent way.

In the first 3 rounds, Henry just walked around the ring and chased his opponent without inflicting heavy damage. In the next two parts, however, Muhammad allowed his opponent to get closer and began to look more and more seriously for accurate shots with a left straight to his head. Little by little the Brit starts to back off, although the crowd is clearly on his side and erupts with every accurate shot he lands. This seemed to motivate Ali, who did not stop being accurate enough in his performances and in the sixth round he opened a severe wound above Cooper's left eye. The injury was so serious that the fight was stopped, and the winner, of course, was Muhammad Ali.

After the fight, Cooper admitted he had the style to stop the world champion, but Ali was a quick learner and responded well to every more surprising move the Brit tried against him. He also says that he has never been so close to an opponent without having the opportunity to seriously injure him.

Muhammad Ali's second fight with Henry Cooper is an indication of the style, dominance and variety of opportunities that one of the greatest fighters in boxing has offered us throughout his career.

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