Heavyweight Bert Cooper versus 42-0 Bare Knuckles Champ Joe Savage, Who Won?
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
On April 22, 1994, at Civic Arena in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, former number one heavyweight contender Smokin’ Bert Cooper, a two time heavyweight world title challenger, was matched against two time world heavyweight bare knuckles champion Joe Savage. Truth be told, Joe Savage, the underground bare knuckles world heavyweight champion, had an ‘unconfirmed’ bookies record of 42-0 with 42 knockouts. Savage was forced to retire because one of his ears was almost completely torn off in combat. His ear was reattached. Savage was forced to retire from bare knuckles boxing due to the injury.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z10ZTKD0_U Bert Cooper versus Joe Savage, 1994
Had Joe Savage fought Bert Cooper in his prime as a healthy fighter, the bout would have been much closer. It should be noted professional boxing and bare knuckles boxing, whether underground or in professional competition, are completely different sports.
Savage came forward and tried to take the fight to Cooper, who simply looked for counter punch openings to the head of Savage. Cooper dropped Savage, who got up. Then Cooper knocked Savage out at 1:41 of the first round. The matchup was not as lopsided as a sumo wrestler crossing over into MMA. It was a bad experiment, as the injured Savage was far from his former self at this point. Cooper was wearing hand tape, and when he connected, anybody watching the tape will tell you Savage was completely outclassed in the gloved version of pro boxing. Pro boxer versus bare knuckles becomes an unfair advantage when a bare knuckles fighter wear gloves, because bare knuckles fighters aren’t used to gloves.
Bare knuckles as being fought without a ring, in a ring with ropes, or in a cage. Bare knuckles is a major illegal underground bettor’s sport in many countries, and is on the rise in the United States as a regulated professional sport. Bare knuckles can be likened to dog fighting, rooster fighting, and barroom boxing. Legal or not, people will do it and bet on it.
Going back to the changes initiated by World Heavyweight champion John L. Sullivan over a century ago, the purpose and intent of the new Marquess de Queensberry rules was to glove the combatants, protecting the knuckles and bones of the hand from damage inside of a ring. New rules changed boxing forever. Rounds were not necessarily limited to 20. The presence of new rules, gloves and a referee made the sport of boxing more civilized. Later, heavyweight Jack Dempsey got done in by the new rule requiring the standing fighter to go to the neutral corner after a knockdown. Finally, 15 became 12 safer rounds.
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