Boxing legend and national treasure Sir Henry Cooper dies ‘of a broken heart’

MUCH-LOVED former boxer Sir Henry Cooper has died, aged 76.

He floored Ali in the fourth round with “Enry’s Ammer” – his trademark left hook – but Ali eventually won the 1963 non-title fight at Wembley.

Ali triumphed again when they boxed three years later but Cooper remained a favourite with the British public.

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Colin Hart, sports journalist and good friend of Sir Henry, paid tribute to the former boxer on Sky News, saying: “I’m not shocked he died, sadly, because I saw him deteriorate over the years as he got quite ill. He wasn’t the same after the death of his wife (Albina). He died of a broken heart.”

David Haye, the current WBA World Champion, wrote on Twitter: “One of Britain’s greatest sportsmen Sir Henry Cooper passed away today. A true warrior and great human being. Rest in Peace.”

Mr Hart described Sir Henry as a “national treasure”.

“He was as modest and unassuming throughout his boxing career which lasted 17 years and then all the years, the 40 years of his retirement, he was as popular today as he was when he retired in 1971,” he said.

“I just wonder whether David Beckham will be as popular 40 years from now as Henry was over that kind of period.”

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He said Ali and Cooper had a “tremendous rapport” that lasted nearly 50 years. “I am sure that Muhammad will be shedding a tear tonight when he learns the news back home in the states.”

He added: “Everybody who knew him, even people who had never seen a fight in their lives knew about our Henry because he was such a loveable guy, he was one of the nature’s nice guys.

“You could sum up Henry in three words – integrity, goodness and honesty. Everybody loved him, everybody who met him.

“Nothing was too much trouble for him – autographs, if people wanted their photograph taken with him, he never refused.

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“He was the same man as when he won his first amateur title as a 17-year-old back in 1951. He never changed, he was the same no matter how famous he was, he never changed.”

Robert Smith, the general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, described Sir Henry as “one of the sporting icons, not just for the boxing public but sport in general”.

On the affection in which Sir Henry was held, he added: “It’s not just the boxing and your ability, it’s the personality as well.

“He won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year on two occasions, which is a tremendous feat for a boxer. Everyone called him ‘Our Enry’, and he was much loved, he served boxing wonderfully.”

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Yorkshire TV personality Sir Michael Parkinson said: “He was a wonderful guy, generous and funny and kind, and one of the best heavyweight boxers we have produced.

“I never met anybody who didn’t like Henry Cooper. He was a very fine fighter, a good boxer, although a bit too light and he cut too easily – ultimately remembered for decking Ali in that spectacular fight.

“He was the best kind of athlete, the best kind of boxer, he wasn’t boastful, he was genuinely modest and a gentleman.

“I think of him in the same way as I do Bobby Charlton – the two of them represent something which I think has gone out of sport rather, that kind of hero.”

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Sir Henry became a boxer with his twin George, who fought under the name Jim and died in April last year.

As an amateur he won almost all of his 84 bouts, winning the ABA light-heavyweight championship at 17 and representing Great Britain at the 1952 Olympic Games. He turned professional and in 1959 took the British heavyweight title from Brian London.

But his most famous fights were against Cassius Clay – later Muhammed Ali – when Sir Henry’s tendency to bleed easily let him down. But Sir Henry’s famed left hook gave Ali one of the biggest upsets in his career and helped make him a British boxing legend.

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