Larry Holmes & Gerry Cooney Autographed Custom Boxing Trunks – JSA Witnessed COA

Description

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002 and was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. He is often considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which led to his boxing nickname of the “Easton Assassin”.

Holmes’s left jab is often rated among the best in heavyweight boxing history. In addition to holding the WBC heavyweight title from 1978 to 1983, Holmes held the Ring magazine and lineal heavyweight titles from 1980 to 1985 and the inaugural IBF heavyweight title from 1983 to 1985.

Holmes is frequently ranked as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time and has been inducted into both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the only boxer to have defeated Muhammad Ali by stoppage and the last living boxer to have defeated Ali.

Gerald Cooney is a former professional boxer who competed from 1977 to 1990. He challenged twice for world heavyweight titles in 1982 and 1987. He is widely regarded as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight history. He beat Champions Ken Norton and S. T. Gordon as well as top contenders Ron Lyle and Jimmy Young. He boasts an impressive 85.7% knockout to win percentage.

In 1981, he defeated former world heavyweight champion Ken Norton by a knockout just 54 seconds into the first round with a blisteringly powerful attack. This tied the record set in 1948 by Lee Savold for the quickest knockout in a main event in Madison Square Garden. Since his management team was unwilling to risk losing a big future pay day with Holmes by having him face another viable fighter, Cooney did not fight for 13 months after defeating Norton.

The following year, Larry Holmes agreed to fight Cooney on June 11, 1982. With a purse of ten million dollars for the challenger, it was the richest fight in boxing history to that time. The promotion of the fight took on racial overtones that were exaggerated by the promoters, something Holmes and Cooney did not agree with. The bout was held in a 32,000-seat stadium erected in a Caesar’s Palace Parking lot, with millions more watching around the world. After an uneventful first round, Holmes dropped Cooney with a right in the second. Cooney came back well in the next two rounds, jarring Holmes with his powerful left hook. Holmes later said that Cooney “hit me so damned hard, I felt it—boom—in my bones.” Cooney was tiring by the ninth, a round in which he had two points deducted for low blows. In the tenth, they traded punches relentlessly. At the end of the round, the two nodded to each other in respect. Cooney lost another point because of low blows in the eleventh. By then, Holmes was landing with ease. In the thirteenth, a barrage of punches sent Cooney down. He got up, but his trainer, Victor Valle, stepped into the ring and stopped the fight.

The featured custom Boxing Trunks have been signed by Boxing Legends Larry Holmes and Gerry Cooney in black. The Trunks include an official James Spence Authentication (JSA) hologram (WA991116) and matching COA for authenticity purposes. The signing of this item was witnessed by JSA. Awesome Trunks for a Sports Fan!!!