View source for Muhammad Ali vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman

{{short description|Boxing competition}}
{{Infobox boxing match
| Fight Name   = Muhammad Ali vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman
| image        =Ali-Coopman.png 
| caption      =On site programme 
| fight date   = February 20, 1976
| location     = [[Roberto Clemente Coliseum]], [[Oriente, San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
| titles       = [[World Boxing Association|WBA]], [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] and [[list of The Ring world champions#Heavyweight|''The Ring'']] [[Undisputed championship (boxing)|undisputed]] heavyweight championship
| fighter1     = {{flagicon|USA}} Muhammad Ali
| nickname1    = "The Greatest"
| hometown1    = [[Louisville]], [[Kentucky]], U.S.
| purse1       = 
| record1      = 49–2 (35 KO)
| age1         = {{age in years and months |January 17, 1942 |February 20, 1976}}
| height1      = 6 ft 3 in
| weight1      = 226 lb
| style1       = [[Orthodox stance|Orthodox]]
| recognition1 = [[World Boxing Association|WBA]], [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] and [[list of The Ring world champions#Heavyweight|''The Ring'']] [[Undisputed championship (boxing)|undisputed]]<br>Heavyweight Champion
| fighter2     = {{flagicon|BEL}} Jean-Pierre Coopman
| nickname2    = "The Lion of Flanders"
| hometown2    = [[Ingelmunster]], [[West Flanders]], [[Belgium]]
| purse2       = 
| record2      = 24–3 (13 KO)
| age2         = {{age in years and months |11 July 1946 |February 20, 1976}}
| height2      = 5 ft 11+1/2 in
| weight2      = 206 lb
| style2       = Orthodox
| recognition2 = 
| result       = '''Ali''' won via fifth round '''[[Knockout|KO]]''' (2:46)
}}
'''[[Muhammad Ali]] vs. [[Jean-Pierre Coopman]]''' was a professional boxing match contested on February 20, 1976, for the [[Undisputed championship (boxing)|undisputed]] heavyweight championship.<ref>{{cite web |title=Muhammad Ali vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman
 |url=https://boxrec.com/wiki/index.php/Muhammad_Ali_vs._Jean-Pierre_Coopman |website=boxrec.com |publisher=BoxRec |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref> Ali won the fight after knocking out Coopman in the fifth round.

==Background==
This was Ali's first boxing bout after [[Thrilla in Manila]], and fifth title defense since [[The Rumble in the Jungle|1974]].<ref name="ESPN record">{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/Ali_record.html |title=Muhammad Ali's ring record |work=ESPN |date=19 November 2003|access-date=5 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="SI fight">{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/boxing/2015/09/24/one-nighter-in-san-juan-muhammad-ali-jean-pierre-coopman |title=Muhammad Ali's road show rolls on: A one-nighter in San Juan |work=Sports Illustrated |date=24 September 2015|access-date=5 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="Flanders News">{{cite news|url=http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/sports/1.2673508 |title=Flemish boxer pays tribute to Muhammed Ali |work=Flanders News |date=4 June 2016|access-date=5 October 2016}}</ref><ref name = "Facing Ali">{{cite book|title=Facing Ali|author=Stephen Brunt |publisher=The Lyons Press|pages = 251–61|year=2002}}</ref><ref name = "Glory Years">{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years|author1=Felix Dennis |author2=Don Atyeo |publisher=miramax books|pages = 244–46|year=2003}}</ref><ref name = "Hauser">{{cite book|title=Muhammad Ali:His Life and Times|url=https://archive.org/details/muhammadalihisli00haus|url-access=registration|author= Thomas Hauser|publisher=Simon & Schuster|pages = [https://archive.org/details/muhammadalihisli00haus/page/329 329]–32|year=1991|isbn=978-0-671-68892-9 }}</ref>

The bout took place in [[Puerto Rico]] at the [[Roberto Clemente Coliseum]] and was televised in the United States live on [[CBS]] to an audience of over 40 million viewers.

==The fight==
In the ring during the introduction, Coopman smiled easily while Ali stared at him. In his orange robe with a small black lion over the left breast, Coopman sat on the stool in his corner and appeared to enjoy Ali's attempted psych. But when the bell rang for the first round, the Belgian stopped smiling.

Ali had a 20-pound advantage in weight at 226 over 206 and a five-inch advantage in reach, in addition to his advantage in skill and experience. In the first round, he coughed twice midway through the round, then coughed up his mouthpiece near the end of the round. Ali was recovering from a recent battle with the flu.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

Through four rounds, Ali was fighting in a flatfoot stance, peppering Coopman with flurries of punches. In the fifth, the champion started to dance, circling to his left, then to his right, and confusing Coopman with backhand jabs. Then Ali threw a big uppercut.

With a combination of punches, culminated by a right uppercut, the 29-year-old challenger toppled into the ropes. Trying to regain his equilibrium, Coopman wobbled back into the canvas in an apparent delayed reaction from the punch. Coopman was counted out by referee Ismael Quinones-Falu at 2 minutes 46 seconds. The referee and the two judges, Ismael Fernandez and Roberto Ranirez, each had rewarded Ali a 10–9 advantage in points in each of the first four rounds.

Moments later, Coopman was dragged to his corner, with Ali helping.

==Aftermath==
About 20 minutes after the bout, Ali appeared in the interview area, dressed and relaxed. This was the first, and to date only, world heavyweight championship bout ever held in [[Puerto Rico]].

In an interview, Coopman denied claims that he had been drinking champagne before the fight, but confirmed that he had drunk some champagne during the fight to help him move faster and to feel euphoric.<ref name = "Facing Ali 257">{{cite book|title=Facing Ali|author=Stephen Brunt |publisher=The Lyons Press|page = 257|year=2002}}</ref>

==Undercard==
Confirmed bouts:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/event/12348|title=BoxRec - event|publisher=}}</ref>
{|class=wikitable
!Winner !! Loser!! Weight division/title belt(s) disputed !! Result
|-
|{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[Alfredo Escalera]]
|{{flagicon|DOM}} [[José Fernandez (boxer)|José Fernandez]]
|[[World Boxing Council|WBC]] World Super Featherweight Title
|13th round TKO.
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jimmy Young (boxer)|Jimmy Young]]
|{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[José Roman (boxer)|José Roman]]
|Heavyweight (10 rounds)
|Unanimous decision.
|-
|{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[Wilfredo Gómez]]
|{{flagicon|JAM}} Cornell Hall
|Middleweight (10 rounds)
|3rd round KO.
|-
|{{flagicon|Puerto Rico}} [[Ossie Ocasio]]
|{{flagicon|U.S. Virgin Islands}} Lorenzo Simons
|Unknown
|3rd round KO.
|}

==Broadcasting==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! align=center | Country
! align=center | Broadcaster
|-
| {{flag|Australia}} || [[Seven Network]]
|-
| {{flag|Brazil}} || [[Rede Bandeirantes|Band]]
|-
| {{flag|Canada}} || [[CTV Television Network|CTV]]
|-
| {{flag|France}} || [[TF1]]
|-
| {{flag|Germany}} || [[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]]
|-
| {{flag|Japan}} || [[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]]
|-
| {{flag|Mexico}} || [[Televisa]]
|-
| {{flag|Philippines}} || [[Radio Philippines Network|RPN 9]]
|-
| {{flag|Spain}} || [[Televisión Española|TVE]]
|-
| {{flag|United Kingdom}} || [[BBC]]
|-
| {{flag|United States}} ||  [[CBS]] 
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef | before=[[Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier III|vs. Joe Frazier III]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[Muhammad Ali]]'s bouts |years=20 February 1976}}
{{s-aft | after=[[Muhammad Ali vs. Jimmy Young|vs. Jimmy Young]]}}
{{s-bef | before=vs. Lisimo Obutobe}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[Jean-Pierre Coopman]]'s bouts |years=20 February 1976}}
{{s-aft | after=vs. Ba Sounkalo}}
{{s-end}}

{{Muhammad Ali}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Coopman}}

[[Category:1976 in boxing]]
[[Category:February 1976 sports events in North America]]
[[Category:Boxing in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Boxing matches involving Muhammad Ali|Coopman]]
[[Category:Boxing on BBC]]
[[Category:World Boxing Association heavyweight championship matches]]
[[Category:World Boxing Council heavyweight championship matches]]

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