Jon Law 's List: Our Henry

• He wasn't an extrovert like a lot of fighters in this day and age, saying what they're going to do - he was unassuming and in his time he was a superstar, he became a bit of an icon. For generations of people who'd never seen him fight, a legend built up and the public took him to their heart because he was such a gentleman.
• Ali was one of the first 'big' heavyweights and Henry lost to Joe Bugner, who was 15-odd stone and Henry was 14 - just bigger men. For such a small man he put up some great performances in a world-class context.

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• He was the first boxer to be knighted and to my mind that's the greatest compliment of all.

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• Boxing record  Total fights 55  Wins 40  Wins by KO 27  Losses 14  Draws 1  No contests 0

•  <!--NOLStoryBody-->    <!--NewsOnLineQLX--> Friday, 31 December, 1999, 00:08 GMT  
  People's champions knighted 
   

     

  
               

  Sporting knights: Henry Cooper and Stirling Moss

       
   
    Two of Britain's most popular sporting heroes of the 20th Century have been knighted in the New Year honours list. 

• Boxer Henry Cooper and motor racing driver Stirling Moss shared the disappointment of never winning their sport's world title. 

   But the gutsy way in which the pair narrowly failed at the hands of two international sporting legends captured the imagination of the British sporting public. 

   Moss was beaten to the title by the legendary Juan Fangio three times, while Cooper's greatest moment was when Muhammed Ali stopped him winning the world heavyweight crown. 

    

• He will be remembered for small asides, such as observing that cauliflower ears were usually the sign of a good boxer because it showed he could slip punches with just a small shift of his head, the ears being laced by the whir of his opponent's glove.