Henry Cooper: a Hero for All Time by Norman Giller
When Sir Henry Cooper died in May this year the depth of affection in the tributes that filled the press were a testament to his remarkable popularity. Put simply, Henry Cooper was the nation's favourite boxer; a gentleman and a great sportsman of whom Muhammed Ali - who Cooper famously floored in 1963 - remarked, Henry Cooper hit me so hard my ancestors in Africa felt it.A" Sir Henry's popularity transcended boxing and he became an even bigger national hero in the years after his retirement at the end of a 27-year fight career in 1971. He was the first person to be twice voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. During his fighting career he was the only boxer to win three Lonsdale Belts outright, was undefeated European and 'Empire' champion and the British title-holder for more than eleven years. Originally planned as an autobiography, and written using interviews with the author recorded before Sir Henry death, A Hero for All Time is a well-informed and intimate biography that puts his life and extraordinary boxing career into fresh focus. It includes in-depth summaries of the major fights with new commentaries from Sir Henry. It also includes many previously untold stories about his boxing career and paints an intimate portrait of a man whose courage, skill and sportsmanship lifted him into the land of sporting legend.