• Boxing

Sir Henry Cooper dies at 76

Henry Cooper's finest hour? Muhammad Ali is sent sprawling to the canvas at Wembley in 1963 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Tributes paid to Sir Henry Cooper at funeral
  
• News: Haye plans to emulate Cooper against Klitschko
  
• News: Ali tribute to 'my friend' Henry Cooper
  
• News: Cooper did it the hard way - Bunce
  

Boxing legend Sir Henry Cooper has died at his son's house in Surrey at the age of 76.

Cooper, a former English, Commonwealth and European heavyweight champion, remained one of British sport's most recognisable figures even though he retired 40 years ago.

Known for a stunning left hook - dubbed 'Enry's 'Ammer - perhaps his most famous moment came at Wembley in 1963 when he put Muhammad Ali, at the time a highly-rated braggart named Cassius Clay, onto his backside in the fourth round of their non-title bout. Ali was briefly stunned but recovered to stop Cooper on cuts soon in the next round. Ali later noted that Cooper "had hit him so hard that his ancestors in Africa felt it".

Three years later Ali, by then the heavyweight champion, gave Cooper his only chance of a world title but again the fight was stopped with Cooper, ahead on all scorecards, bleeding profusely. His face was such a mess that many national newspapers refused to include pictures. It was his tendency to cut and bleed that dogged him throughout his career.

Small by modern standards - were he to box today he would be a cruiserweight - his relentless jab and dangerous left hook meant he was able to stand his ground with much bigger men.

As an 18-year-old he boxed for Britain at the 1952 Olympics, but he really made his mark when he beat Brian London on points to win the British title in 1959 and later that year left an unconscious Joe Erskine sprawled over the ropes at Earl's Court.

Cooper became a household name in the 1960s, a decade in which he became the only boxer to win three Lonsdale Belts outright. But at the highest level his lack of weight and slightly suspect chin found him out. Aside from two defeats by Ali, he was also beaten by former champions Ingemar Johansson and Floyd Patterson, the latter knocking him down three times.

Even though he was in his mid 30s by the end of the decade, he remained a box office draw. Sadly, his final appearance was hugely controversial. Defending his Commonwealth, British and European titles against a relatively unknown Joe Bugner in 1971, referee Harry Gibbs awarded Bugner the fight to the fury of the crowd at Wembley. BBC commentator Harry Carpenter asked, "How can they take away the man's titles like this?" Cooper retired (with a record of 40-14-1) but did not speak to Gibbs for more than three decades. Bugner was never really forgiven by the British public.

In retirement, Cooper exploited his fame and popularity to the full. He was the first man to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year twice (1967 and 1971) and for many years was a team captain on A Question of Sport. He was also the face of Brut 33 aftershave - with the catchphrase "splash it on all over" - as well as many other leading brands. He also worked tirelessly for various charities.

In 2000 Cooper, a die-hard royalist, was knighted for his services to sport and charity.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.