Cooney vs Holmes II Odds – Gerry Cooney Opens as Favorite in Potential Rematch

• Cooney vs Holmes II is supposed to be going down in the year 2020
• Does a rematch between the two even end up going down?
• See the odds and prediction for this potential rematch below
  

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Cooney vs Holmes II is a rematch nearly four decades in the making. The initial bout went down on June 11th, 1982 and was one of the most hotly anticipated heavyweight fights of the early 1980s and of all time, by proxy. Holmes would go on to stop Cooney in the 13th round of their initial fight. A merciful stoppage where Cooney’s corner threw in the towel as Holmes retained his WBC world championship. Now the two heavyweights are looking to run it back.

Cooney vs Holmes II Odds

Odds taken Feb. 12th

I have covered some strange boxing bouts for this site but this bout is odd in an altogether different way. The rematch is slated to be an exhibition given the advanced age of the two competitors. Larry Holmes is 70 and Gerry Cooney is 63 years old. Well regarded promoter Lou DiBella is the person helming the negotiations/promotional end of things. A large part of this fight going through is predicated on both passing the pre-fight medicals. Through physical examinations are necessary for fighters to gain licensure to compete.

The rematch idea actually came about when Holmes and his wife were watching Rocky 6 and both played around with the idea of a comeback. Making the story of a retired former champion coming back to the ring a reality. Holmes also jokes that his wife wants him to get back in shape and he comments on how he’s getting fatter as he gets older. Ultimately I could see this fight going down especially since it’s structured as an exhibition.

Leather Slinging Seniors

This fight doesn’t seem oriented in a bad blood kind of framework. It’s more of a by-product of the two wanting one more moment in the spotlight. Another chance to reignite the flame and step through those ropes once more. Holmes put the first blemish on Cooney’s pro record but there doesn’t seem to be some intense redemptive arc aspect to this story. There was a lot of abhorrent race-related promotional tactics used ahead of this fight (pundits referring to it as black versus white, framing Cooney as “the great white hope”, etc), but the bout was a classic that holds up on an in-ring action kind of level.

Highlights from @LarryHolmes75 vs. Gerry Cooney from 1982. This fight is largely remembered for all the wrong reasons, but it's an efficient and professional performance from a great champion and Cooney proved he had plenty of guts #boxing 🥊 pic.twitter.com/IYK0iMmYDN

— Tom Gray (@Tom_Gray_Boxing) July 7, 2019

The two are actually friends now and have a pronounced level of respect for each other. Gerry Cooney eventually retired in 1990 on the heels of two defeats to Michael Spinks and George Foreman respectively. Conversely, Holmes ended his career on a four-fight win streak defeating Eric Esch aka Butterbean for his last bout in July 2002. The reason that Cooney is the betting favorite, in my estimation, lies in a tried and true adage in boxing. The idea that power is the last thing to go. Cooney always had a real strong knockout percentage and ended his pro career with a KO rate of 86%.

Cooney vs Holmes II Tale of the Tape

A lot of Holmes’ techniques are historically rooted in speed/athleticism, technical proficiency, and some level of youthful exuberance. I feel oddsmakers see this situation as one where Holmes’ skillset and his typical set of tools will show more rust than Cooney’s. It also seems like Gerry Cooney’s fitness levels both on a mental and physical level grew even greater once his boxing career wrapped up. Conversely, Holmes has sort of settled into a comfortable retirement with there being some merit to his playful commentary about his wife wanting him to get back in shape.

That being said, talks around the bout center around utilizing headgear and that it will be for charity. I don’t see these elements lending themselves well to Cooney coming out with huge power punches to turn Holmes’ lights out. I see Holmes getting it done via unanimous decision in Cooney vs Holmes II.

Pick: Larry Holmes (+120)