Bert Cooper

Bert Cooper (born January 10, 1966), also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper was a U.S. professional heavyweight boxer. Cooper was the first boxer to knock down Evander Holyfield and the only boxer to defeat former Olympian Willie DeWitt. Cooper also fought George Foreman, Ray Mercer, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, Mike Weaver, Corrie Sanders, Larry Donald, Jeremy Williams and Joe Mesi. Cooper retired with a record of 36 wins and 22 losses.

Cooper, notorious for his unwillingness to train, was generally considered as one of the most dangerous fighters in the world for four rounds -- after which a balance of incredible heart and a total lack of conditioning kicked in and caused him to underperform and underachieve.

In the early 90s, while managed by Rob Russen and Jimmy Adams Cooper found a resurgence that saw him fight for the heavyweight championship of the world three times within 18 months. This was largely due to the fact he would not go down easily, making him perfect fodder for an easy, but entertaining title defense. At one point during his title fight with Evander Holyfield, referee Mills Lane stopped the fight while Cooper, seemingly oblivious to the unbelievable punishment he was receiving, was still standing, knocked out on his feet, but unwilling to go down.

He was also trained by former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, hence his "Smokin'" nickname.

His hometown is Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, USA. He is 5'11" (180 cm) tall.

[http://boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=1596 Boxing Record]