Even though weaver was a better and tougher fighter than Cooney, this might be a bad match for him. In addition to being the much larger of the two men and with extreme power, Gerry Cooney was also a very fast starter while Weaver often began slower. Not sure Mike would have the option of taking 6-7 rounds to warm up while waiting for Cooney to wear out. If Gerry got Hercules into trouble the way that Dokes did in the first he might well finish him and wouldn’t need a premature ref intervention.
This is a very dangerous fight for both men. Both loved throwing powerful left hooks, neither were particularly durable yet didn't have very good defense. Both were fine with fighting up close working on the inside or mid range for shootouts. The difference is Cooney (aside from being taller with longer range) is a faster starter than Weaver and a better finisher with more raw power. That's a recipe for disaster for Weaver who could be vulnerable early and a slow starter. On the other hand, if Weaver can weather rh early storm his late round endurance and work rate could turn things around. I wouldn't hold my breath tho. My pick is Cooney by KO within 4-5 rounds in an exciting and dramatic match. Weaver has his moments, but in some ways this is a bad matchup.
