Henry Cooper
Sir Henry Cooper (3 May 1934 – 1 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer. He was undefeated in British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship contests for twelve years and held the European heavyweight title for three years. In a 1963 fight against a young Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali), he knocked Clay down in Round 4, before the fight was stopped by the referee, Tommy Little, in Round 5 because of a cut to Cooper's left eye caused by Clay. Cassius Clay had correctly predicted he would defeat Henry Cooper in Round 5 by knockout.
In 1966 he fought Ali for a second time. Ali was then world heavyweight champion. However, Cooper got TKO'd again. Cooper was twice voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year and, after retiring in 1971 following a controversial loss to Joe Bugner, remained a popular public figure. He is the only British boxer to have been awarded a knighthood.
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