British boxing is mourning the passing of Sir Henry Cooper, who died on Sunday aged 76.
'Our 'Enry' - popular from Land's End to John O'Groats
Boxing has united in tribute to the late Sir Henry Cooper, who passed away on Sunday aged 76.
Johnny Nelson, the former WBO cruiserweight world champion, told
Sky Sports News: "Henry was a total champion. He was always a gentleman, always straight down the line. He told it how it was.
"Ali always showed that bit of respect for Henry Cooper. Everybody in Britain: be proud of what he achieved and what he actually did.
"He was a no-nonsense fighter, the man that almost dethroned one of the greatest fighters in the world, Muhammad Ali.
"There's nobody that came across Sir Henry that had a bad word for him."
Colin Hart, boxing writer of
The Sun said: "He never changed, he had the same size in hats and was the same 'Our 'Enry' - he was popular from Land's End to John O'Groats.
"There was a famous boxer called Gentleman Jim Corbett and I think, if he hadn't been Sir Henry, we could definitely have called him Gentleman Henry Cooper."
Hart, talking to
Sky Sports News, looked back on the most famous nights of Cooper's career and added: "He was more famous than anything else for putting Cassius Clay on his backside with that great left hook of his at Wembley. That was Ali in his prime.
"In the first fight, if that round had lasted another 10 seconds, there's every chance Henry would have changed the course of history. If he'd won, then Cassius Clay wouldn't have fought Sonny Liston in his next fight for the world title.
"When they fought again Ali was aware of the left hook and didn't give Henry a chance to use it, and on both occasions Henry lost on cuts.
"I'm sure Ali will shed a tear when he hears the news tonight. I was very lucky, I covered a lot of Ali's career and whenever I arrived, his first question was always 'How's Henry Cooper?'. That rapport and friendship were never broken."
Affection
Promoter
Frank Warren told
Sky Sports News: "He transcended boxing, he was a true gentleman of sport and had a huge place in the public's affection.
"He never won the world title but he had true British grit, he tried. He fought Cassius Clay, who was this brash young kid coming over, and he put him on his backside and went into British sporting folklore. His weakness was that he cut very easily, and he got cut in both those fights."
On Cooper's enduring appeal, Warren added: "He wasn't an extrovert like a lot of fighters in this day and age, saying what they're going to do - he was unassuming and in his time he was a superstar, he became a bit of an icon.
"For generations of people who'd never seen him fight, a legend built up and the public took him to their heart because he was such a gentleman."
British WBA world heavyweight champion
David Haye was joined by former world heavyweight champion
Lennox Lewis and Manchester United and England striker
Wayne Rooney in posting tributes on Twitter.
Haye wrote: "One of Britain's greatest sportsmen Sir Henry Cooper passed away today. A true warrior and great human being. Rest in Peace."
Lewis tweeted: "R.I.P. Sir Henry Cooper. Former British, Commonwealth and European Champion. My deepest condolences to the Cooper family."
Rooney added: "R.I.P Sir Henry Cooper, just heard now, didn't know. One of Britain's all time greats. Gutted, deepest sympathy to his family. Such a sad day."
