GERRY COONEY - BOXING GLOVE SIGNED - HFSID 288623

GERRY COONEY
Red Everlast left hand boxing glove, signed in silver sharpie
Boxing Glove signed: "Gerry Cooney". Red Everlast 14-ounce boxing glove for the left hand, signed on the back in silver sharpie. In 1980, Cooney (b. 1956) was ranked number 1 in the WBC and challenged Larry Holmes. In 1981, he beat former world Heavyweight champion Ken Norton by a knockout in the first in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd and HBO cameras. In 1982, Holmes agreed to fight him, with a purse of one million dollars for the challenger. Cooney, who was attempting to become the first white World Heavyweight champion in 23 years, was nicknamed "The Great White Hope" by promoter Don King. In what would be one of the biggest HBO Boxing productions in history, the fight was broadcast to over 150 countries around the world. Cooney lost his bid to become World Heavyweight champion by a knockout in 13 rounds. In 1987, he made a one-fight comeback to meet former World Heavyweight champion Michael Spinks, losing by a knockout in five rounds; and in 1990, in Cooney's last fight, he lost in two rounds to former world champion George Foreman. It's appropriate that Cooney has signed a left glove, since his left hook was, according to Holmes, Foreman and others, among the most powerful they ever faced. After retiring from the ring, Cooney founded FIST, Fighters' Initiative for Support and Training, to help ex-boxers find jobs. Fine condition.