Gerry Cooney Quotes

Anytime somebody climbs up those steps into the ring, they have a heart.

- Gerry Cooney

Ring, Up, Climbs, Anytime

After every fight, I knock myself down. I start from scratch again. I say, 'I'm not as good as I thought.' It makes you work harder. It makes you push harder. It's more than money. It's more than the title. It's my pride, and it can be scary thinking about it. I could lose. It's scary.

- Gerry Cooney

Thought, Knock, About, Scratch

I am seeing all the guys, like Earnie Shavers, Tex Cobb, and Larry Holmes all the time.

- Gerry Cooney

Like, Am, Holmes, Tex

I don't care about the critics. I took a lot of nonsense. I got stuck with silly labels like 'White Hope.' What about other guys like Tex Cobb - they never had those labels?

- Gerry Cooney

Other, Like, Took, Tex

When I hurt Norton, I got scared. I looked to the referee. But in the same sense, you're a fighter: you gotta have the killer instinct.

- Gerry Cooney

Instinct, Gotta, Looked, Norton

I had two managers who couldn't stand each other. I had a promoter, Don King, who couldn't get any fights, and I was fighting once a year. I knocked out Norton and then didn't fight for 13 months. Then I fight the heavyweight champion of the world.

- Gerry Cooney

Year, Other, Heavyweight, Norton

If you look at my career, towards the end you will see I was fighting like once a year. I was not part of the Don King top heavyweights, so I was kind of kept out. His guys were getting three to four fights a year and I could only get one.

- Gerry Cooney

Career, Year, Part, None

Looking back, I couldn't get enough fights because Don King owned most of the top 10 fighters, and he never gave me a fight.

- Gerry Cooney

Looking Back, King, Fights, None

Some have made boxing a terrible thing to be around.

- Gerry Cooney

Boxing, Some, Made, Terrible Thing

I'm easygoing. There's a place and time for everything. When that bell rings, I'm not nice and easy. I'm not meek and passive.

- Gerry Cooney

Easy, Bell, Easygoing, Passive

When that bell rang, I wanted to go out there and do my thing.

- Gerry Cooney

Go, Wanted, Rang, Bell

You take that walk from the dressing room to the ring and that's when the real man comes out. Then you climb up those four stairs and into the ring. Then finally, you can't wait for the bell to ring.

- Gerry Cooney

Stairs, Wait, Ring, Bell

I liked to watch the expression in the fighter's face change when you connected with him. You know when you connect in the right spot. It's like a tunnel vision.

- Gerry Cooney

Change, Expression, Like, Tunnel Vision

Too many fighters stay in the game for too long. They stay because it's awfully hard to walk away from the roar of the crowd. Really hard. You live for that and so you stay too long. And you might have a wife and kids to feed. So you keep fighting because you don't know how to do anything else.

- Gerry Cooney

Game, Crowd, Away, Fighters

The Klitschko boys, they're great fighters, but they're just boring here in America.

- Gerry Cooney

Great, Boring, Here, Fighters

Joe DeGuardia, I love that guy. He's not a superstar promoter yet, but he will be. He was a fighter himself; he's staying the course with these guys. He's developing some good fighters out there. I really applaud him whenever I get a chance to.

- Gerry Cooney

Love, Some, Joe, Fighters

About 99 percent of fighters end up broke. F.I.S.T. helps them turn the page and find new goals.

- Gerry Cooney

New, Broke, About, Fighters

Most fighters, when they're finished, boxing turns its back on them.

- Gerry Cooney

Boxing, Back, Most, Fighters

I don't want anybody guarding me. I want to be free; I want to be left alone... I would like to go out there and have no one know me, but at the same time, it would bother me, y'know.

- Gerry Cooney

Like, Bother, Anybody, Guarding

I grew up in a household where I learned five things from my old man. You know what they were? You're no good. You're a failure. You're not going to amount to anything. Don't trust nobody, and don't tell nobody your business. When I lost to Larry Holmes in 1982, I felt all five of those things smacked me right across the face.

- Gerry Cooney

Trust, Tell, Your, Larry

I've had a long, long road with lots of ups and downs. But that's all behind me now.

- Gerry Cooney

Behind, Long Road, Downs, Ups

Roberto Duran was the kind of guy who was a true fighter and you hardly see guys like that anymore.

- Gerry Cooney

Kind, Like, Roberto, Duran

Just because you don't see someone doesn't mean the love has changed.

- Gerry Cooney

Love, Just Because, See, Changed

They said if I'd fight a ranked contender, I'd get a title shot. I did that, and the next day they changed the rules.

- Gerry Cooney

Rules, Next, Title, Changed

It takes a strong person to admit he's got problems. Things are bugging you, you've got to get it out. Life is supposed to be peaches and cream, but it doesn't turn out that way. I sometimes found things confusing and sometimes didn't understand how things can be so difficult.

- Gerry Cooney

Strong, Sometimes, Peaches, Bugging

Every Saturday and Sunday, when the other guys were out having a good time at the mall, I was at home working in the garden.

- Gerry Cooney

Saturday, Other, Having, Garden

When we first started in Huntington Recreation with John Capobianco, we put four kids in the Golden Gloves finals. We didn't even have a ring. We trained at Stimson Junior High School. They give us the gym three nights a week. We used to box in the gym - no ring, just on the gym floor.

- Gerry Cooney

Week, Ring, Trained, Finals

The road hasn't always been paved for me. People identify with that. Everybody passes through hard times, and I think that's part of my appeal - that I have, too.

- Gerry Cooney

Think, Through, Always, Paved

I don't overswing any more. I can throw a punch and be right in position to punch again. No more 'Hail Mary' punches, where it took me five minutes to get back in position.

- Gerry Cooney

More, Punches, Took, Hail

I am involved in minor league baseball. I go around the country speaking to troubled youths, trying to help them understand that whatever path they choose, they'll need to really pay attention to it.

- Gerry Cooney

Country, Choose, Minor, Youths

I was a left hooker, and I loved hooking. I also really liked to jab and mix it up right away.

- Gerry Cooney

Away, Also, Jab, Mix

I have a great life. I'm the happiest guy in the world.

- Gerry Cooney

World, Guy, Happiest, Great Life

Muhammad Ali was the kind of guy you either loved or hated, but you wanted to see him. I happen to really love him. He brought boxing to another level and always made you laugh.

- Gerry Cooney

Love, Happen, Always, None

I saw my brother have an altercation one time. He hit a guy with a left hook to the body and a right hand to the chin. He not only knocked the guy out, but out of wind. That stuck with me. It scared me.

- Gerry Cooney

Body, Knocked, Guy, Wind

The bad press came because they thought I should fight more. I couldn't get the fights because if I would sign to fight one of King's guys I would be signed to him. I chose not to do that. In hindsight, that might have been a mistake.

- Gerry Cooney

Thought, Bad, Been, Bad Press

Maybe I'll go to acting school. Acting is like boxing, you know.

- Gerry Cooney

School, Like, Maybe, Acting School

I want to win. For myself first. And for all those people who stuck with me and understood.

- Gerry Cooney

Myself, Want, Stuck, Understood

Too many guys don't know what to do with their lives after boxing. I was lucky because I had two managers who didn't trust each other, and so they were always making sure where all the money was, and because of that, so did I.

- Gerry Cooney

Trust, Lucky, Other, Managers

I either had to concentrate on fighting, or I had to help my family. I chose my family. I love my mom; I love my family.

- Gerry Cooney

Love, Help, Either, Concentrate

I'm a real person. I have real feelings. I have real thoughts. It's a quality people like about me. They can reach out and touch me. I wouldn't give it up for anything.

- Gerry Cooney

Thoughts, Give, Like, Feelings

I was embarrassing against Spinks.

- Gerry Cooney

Against, Embarrassing

I'm a happy guy. I just want to see people laugh and smile.

- Gerry Cooney

Happy, Want, See, Laugh

I think I make people laugh, and that's good in life.

- Gerry Cooney

Think, I Think, Make, Laugh

Boxing was a way to express my anger. All of a sudden, I was expressing anger, and I was good at it. I was like a Jekyll and Hyde. Boxing helped me because I was fighting the anger out. I was knocking guys out.

- Gerry Cooney

Like, Expressing, Hyde, Knocking

Winning the Gloves made me believe I was somebody.

- Gerry Cooney

Winning, Me, Made, Gloves

You have a small period of time when you can perfect your career and become good at it. A lot of guys get distracted, which only hurts them. You must stay focused and work very hard at boxing.

- Gerry Cooney

Small, Career, Very, Distracted

If my son wants a boxing career, I won't stop him, but I definitely won't push him. It's bad for a kid to be pressured.

- Gerry Cooney

Career, Kid, Bad, Push

I grew up in a big Irish, Catholic family. My dad was a pretty rough guy. So one of my brothers left home when he was 15 and found his way to the gym. It gave me the opportunity to go and spend some time with him and work out in the gym.

- Gerry Cooney

Big, Some, Rough, His Way

I lost three times in my career. Losing to Holmes I could deal with, because I lost to a true champion.

- Gerry Cooney

Career, Deal, Could, Champion

I believe in myself. I want to be a fighter. I want to be heavyweight champion of the world.

- Gerry Cooney

Myself, World, Heavyweight, Champion

You have got to not get hit. You could be the best puncher in the world, but if you're going to keep constantly taking punches you're going to lose your heart. Once you learn how to miss the punches and then you start to punch them, you become an all-around fighter.

- Gerry Cooney

Best, Punches, Your, All-Around

You go through pain. You feel uncomfortable, uncomfortable, uncomfortable until you change. I acquired a different outlook.

- Gerry Cooney

Change, Pain, Through, Outlook

My father never once told me he loved me. I told him I loved him only one time - that was when he was sick. It was hard, the way he showed his love. I didn't understand what he was trying to teach me. Now I know, but it came too late for him to see it. After he was gone, I realized he was trying to strengthen my mind to make me better.

- Gerry Cooney

Love, Father, Too Late, One Time

I want to get me one of those titles.

- Gerry Cooney

Me, Want, Get, Titles

I retired when I was 30, with all my marbles and a few bucks. But a lot of guys leave boxing penniless with no skills. Men in their 30s and early 40s, old for boxing, young in life, but also old in the job market if you're just getting started with no education. These guys need someone in their corner.

- Gerry Cooney

Education, Young, Bucks, Early

The fight with Holmes was a plus. I gained so much experience.

- Gerry Cooney

Experience, Holmes, Gained, Plus

It's tough waking up in the morning and reading derogatory stories about you.

- Gerry Cooney

Stories, About, Derogatory, Waking

I don't fear Holmes, but I think he's a good fighter. He has a lot of pride. But I wouldn't be fighting him if I feared him. It's going to be a tough fight. People say with all the hoopla out there, I won't be able to handle it. I believe the pressure's on him. I'm just going to do my thing.

- Gerry Cooney

Fighting, I Think, Feared, Holmes

I feel like a pro now. Before I fought Holmes, I felt like a rookie.

- Gerry Cooney

Like, Before, Fought, Holmes

When I fought Holmes, I feel I was a better fighter than he was. I was just so caught up in what was written about the fight - I got caught up in that whole thing.

- Gerry Cooney

Caught, About, Fought, Holmes

My career got sidetracked after fighting Holmes.

- Gerry Cooney

Career, Fighting, After, Holmes

In '82, I was a little too young, I was a little inexperienced, and I was more concerned with going the distance in the fight than going out and taking Holmes out.

- Gerry Cooney

Concerned, Inexperienced, Holmes

I always had the hope that Holmes and I would fight again.

- Gerry Cooney

Always, Again, Would, Holmes

My father would never have lost to Holmes.

- Gerry Cooney

Lost, Never, Would, Holmes

I learned a lot from the Holmes fight. I learned about styles and the pressure. I'm more prepared now.

- Gerry Cooney

More, Prepared, Learned, Holmes

All of the sports have a safety net, but boxing is the only sport that has none. So when the fighter is through, he is through. While he was fighting his management was very excited for him, but now that he is done, that management team is moving on.

- Gerry Cooney

Through, Very, None, Safety Net

When you bottom out, you have to stand up and get going again.

- Gerry Cooney

Going, Get, Bottom, Stand Up

Am I complicated? Nah, I'm interesting. I just like having a good time.

- Gerry Cooney

Interesting, Like, Having, Good Time

When I see a fighter gets into the ring, I not only see the fighter, but I see his wife and children. I care about what happens to them. I care about what happens to that fighter after he gets out of the ring.

- Gerry Cooney

Wife, Ring, About, I Care

I just like people. We have a good time together.

- Gerry Cooney

Time, Like, Just, Good Time

I have this want-to-be-liked thing, but deep down, I had this rage. I was just - I was blinded. I wasn't healthy enough to be able to learn more. I had one mode - to fight.

- Gerry Cooney

Deep, Learn, Deep Down, Rage

When I get finished with fighting, I hope they ask the same questions. It's not my purpose to answer them. Boxing is the art of self-defense. I knock 'em out the first chance I get.

- Gerry Cooney

Art, Chance, Knock, Self-Defense

I believe in my abilities as a fighter.

- Gerry Cooney

Believe, Fighter, I Believe, I Believe In

What hurt most were the people who came up to me and said they lost $1,000 on me. It just makes you mad.

- Gerry Cooney

People, Most, Makes, Hurt

Some of the things written about me hurt, but there is nothing I can do about it.

- Gerry Cooney

Nothing, Some, Things, Hurt

It's like you always think that when you get to a goal, you'll be happy. But then there is always something else that interests you.

- Gerry Cooney

Goal, Think, Always, Interests

It's like I had two things pulling at me: you want to be a fighter, and you have problems. So I couldn't be a fighter, and I wasn't solving any problems.

- Gerry Cooney

Want, Like, Solving, Pulling

We try to tell these guys that the end of a boxing career isn't the end of their lives: it's the beginning of a new one.

- Gerry Cooney

Career, New, Lives, Guys

I've just had some bad luck. I've had every injury known to man. I understand how people think, 'How can this be happening all the time to Gerry Cooney?' But it did.

- Gerry Cooney

Think, Some, Gerry, Happening

Boxing gave me a voice to express the anger I felt for where I came from.

- Gerry Cooney

Voice, Me, Boxing, Gave

I spent a lot of time dwelling on yesterday, and it did me no good.

- Gerry Cooney

Yesterday, Lot, Spent, Dwelling

I had personal problems. I was spending 50% of my life on my family, 50% on boxing. Neither was getting anywhere. It was killing me. So I had to break away from fighting.

- Gerry Cooney

My Life, Away, Break, Neither

Growing up training, I use to get up so early I would wave to the garbage men going by. So, I had this relationship with Blue Collar America and I really liked it. I felt that lots of those people looked forward to me winning.

- Gerry Cooney

Training, Use, Had, Collar

I've spent most of my life in prison. I was a prisoner of my fear and my low self-esteem.

- Gerry Cooney

My Life, Self-Esteem, Spent, Prison

Long Island has a great boxing tradition.

- Gerry Cooney

Boxing, Island, Long Island, Tradition

Sometimes you get so frustrated that things aren't working out, you say, 'Let me step away for a while.' But the fire still burns.

- Gerry Cooney

Away, Still, Frustrated, Step

I don't care what you say about me anymore! I don't care what you write about me anymore. I don't care! This is my life. I can't have anybody messing with my life. I just want to be Gerry Cooney, doing what I want to do. I want to be what I am. A fighter.

- Gerry Cooney

My Life, Messing, Gerry, Anymore

When I was 15, I decided to take up the sport seriously, so I went down to the Y.M.C.A. My first day there, this little Italian guy beat my brains out. I decided to quit. Then I realized I really wanted to be a fighter. I worked at it, went back, and that little Italian guy didn't beat me up no more.

- Gerry Cooney

Down, Back, Guy, Seriously

I always felt I was wounded. That I was no good, a piece of crap, and that I wouldn't amount to anything, because that's what my father always told me. I just felt like I didn't belong anywhere.

- Gerry Cooney

Always, Wounded, Amount, Crap

Boxing was not the sport that I thought is was due to all the politics.

- Gerry Cooney

Politics, Thought, Due, Boxing

I was lucky. I held on to some of my money. I didn't really know what I wanted to do after boxing. But I found what I wanted to do.

- Gerry Cooney

Lucky, Some, Held, Boxing

I see Mike Tyson as too strong for Spinks.

- Gerry Cooney

Strong, See, Mike, None

When somebody used to compliment me, I'd spend 10 minutes trying to talk them out of it.

- Gerry Cooney

Used, Minutes, Them, Compliment

I was a small kid from Huntington, Long Island. I never imagined that anything like that would happen to me.

- Gerry Cooney

Small, Happen, Long Island, Imagined

I never fought because of my father. I started to box before he pushed me. It had nothing to do with him.

- Gerry Cooney

Father, Before, Fought, Box

I know I can fight; that's the only thing that matters to me.

- Gerry Cooney

Me, Only, The Only Thing, Matters

The past is yesterday. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

- Gerry Cooney

Past, Yesterday, Forward, Looking

It's great playing a sport where you don't get hit in the head.

- Gerry Cooney

Head, Hit, Get, Sport

For every athlete, the roar of the crowd goes away, and we have to learn how to turn the page.

- Gerry Cooney

Athlete, How, Away, Page

People who think I lack desire are wrong.

- Gerry Cooney

People, Desire, Think, Lack

You gotta appreciate every day!

- Gerry Cooney

Appreciate, Every Day, Every, Gotta

People haven't seen enough of me. My fights haven't gone the distance, and people have a lot of questions. I want to find out for myself as much as the people do. I want to find out what I can do.

- Gerry Cooney

Myself, Distance, Want, Fights

By the time you're 30 years old, you can be on a nowhere street, if you're not careful.

- Gerry Cooney

Old, Nowhere, By The Time, Street

I have a Roman nose. It roams all over my face.

- Gerry Cooney

Face, Nose, Over, Roman

I feel very blessed.

- Gerry Cooney

Feel, Very, I Feel, Blessed

Everybody handles pressure differently.

- Gerry Cooney

Differently, Everybody, Pressure

Fighting is not something you can just turn off.

- Gerry Cooney

Turn, Something, Just, Fighting

Drug abuse is a very difficult disease.

- Gerry Cooney

Difficult, Disease, Very, Abuse

My father was one tough man.

- Gerry Cooney

Father, Man, Tough

If I keep thinking about yesterday, tomorrow might never come.

- Gerry Cooney

Never, Yesterday, Might, Tomorrow

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