Gerry Cooney
Episode 200
28 NOV 2022
He was a pro heavyweight boxer from 1977 to 1990, following an amateur career in which he posted an amazing won-lost record of 55-3. As a pro, he was 28-3, with 24 of those victories coming by knockout. He rose to a number one ranking by the WBC and in Madison Square Garden in 1981 defeated former world heavyweight champion Ken Norton by a knockout just 54 seconds into the first round. According to the legendary George Foreman, he was one of the three hardest punchers Foreman had faced in his career, which is proven by him being ranked on “The Ring’s” list of “100 Greatest Punchers of All Time.” Unfortunately, there was a curveball thrown into all this, though, as evidenced by the book he co-authored, which is talked about here. He founded F.I.S.T. — the Fighters’ Initiative for Support and Training, an organization which helps retired boxers find jobs. He is an inductee of multiple Halls of Fame and has a show on SiriusXM Radio.
Notable guest quotes:
“I find in myself, if I listen to what God tells me I go down the right path, but so often we choose to do it our way, and we pay for it.”
“I grew up in a large Irish Catholic family… I was confirmed and all that. I went to Mass every Sunday.”
“Some people are gifted to be in the priesthood. Some people are lawyers. Some people are great at whatever they do. For me, at an early age, boxing was simple… and so it was a gift that was given to me by God, I believe.”
“I learned that in life, that God loves me, God wants me to have everything, God wants me to be peace and love and have a great family and a great life, but I have to do the work.”
“Thankfully, I always had God in my life, and I always believed in God.”
“I never forgot about God because God is my God… I believe in the Bible. I read the Bible all the time. I have good friends that read the Bible with me, and I go to Mass three or four days a week and I ask for help all the time and I try to be helpful all the time.”
“We have to stay connected to God and we have to love God’s Word and we have to listen. We have to pray and meditate. Those are the gifts that we have. And when I do that and I quiet down and I pay attention, I know which way to go.”
“We gotta pass that love around and we gotta help people to feel safe and at peace.”
“I’m livin’ the dream, and that dream has been given to me from God, the Almighty.”
Related link:
Book: “Gentleman Gerry: A Contender in the Ring, a Champion in Recovery”
