Publisher's Synopsis
Henry Cooper is most famously remembered for a night in which he nearly changed the course of boxing history. On July 19th 1963 he fought the up and coming Cassius Clay. Henry's famous left hook, "Enry's Hammer" dumped Clay on the canvas, raising "the biggest cheer in boxing history". Clearly in serious trouble Clay was saved by the bell. Sensing dire problems for his fighter, trainer, Angelo Dundee deliberately slit Clay's glove. While the glove was replaced, Clay recovered his senses and went on to defeat Cooper, when a right hand unzipped the skin above his left eye.;Arguably Britain's greatest ever heavyweight fighter, he is much-loved by the British public as boxing's "gentle giant". The South London boy still lived at home with his mum when he went 15 ferocious rounds against Brian London, capturing the British and Empire heavyweight titles in the process. Yet the act of felling Ali remained the British heavyweight champion's most memorable achievement, more often recalled than his many notable wins.;Henry's career has been prodigious and he has fought and seen most of the true boxing greats. His story brings in the legendary names of boxing: Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, and, of course, Ali.;Boxing was not the end of Henry's time in the public eye.
