One of England's great boxers, and one of sports' great gentlemen, Sir Henry Cooper died today just two days before his 77th birthday. Cooper was the first British boxer to be knighted. He was skilled and rugged, and both British and European champion, though he didn't quite measure up to the best of the rest of the world, he was still a ranking contender and one of the best of his era. He was also one of the few people to knock down Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEDM4EC5kw Cooper, who had a tendency to bleed, was stopped on cuts in the next round. He didn't fear or duck anyone, taking on many of the top heavyweights of his day, including Ali (twice), Floyd Patterson, Zora Folley (twice), Karl Mildenberger, and Ingemar Johansson. His final record was 40 wins, 14 losses, and 1 draw, with 27 wins by knockout. He was beloved by his fans, and respected by his opponents, known for being a tough competitor who gave 100% every night he fought.