True warrior Cooper forced to end career
Shaun Cooper…tested some of the game’s real iron
BLACK Country warrior Shaun Cooper has retired from the game at the age of 26.
It is a decision that has been forced upon the quality Willenhall lightweight. It is a decision that comes on the very eve of a title fight.
Tonight (Friday) family man Shaun was to have fought Ben Vaughan for the Midlands light-welter title in Northampton. That has made retirement even harder to bear.
Cooper – one of the game’s true gentlemen – was told to hang up his gloves by medics after fracturing his skull in a freak accident.
He fell down stairs at his home. Shaun, who won 13 of 18 pro bouts, had hoped to continue after the break healed, but doctors have now ruled he cannot fight again.
“The door has been closed,” he told me. “I fractured my skull. I was still getting the same headaches and the doctor said, ‘Shaun, you can’t box again’. I’m gutted.”
Cooper has made the right decision. He has two children, aged seven months and two-years-old, and a wife, Nicole, who has been a rock throughout his career. For their sakes, he cannot risk his long-term health. He knows that.
The man can walk away with his head held high. He has faced some of the game’s real dangermen. He has taken contests on major shows with the odds stacked massively against him, yet made a mockery of predictions he’d be blown away.
On a personal level, I’ve always found Cooper courteous and honest during interviews. He always had time.
He’s been a credit to the sport.
“It’s hard not being able to do what you want to do,” Shaun admitted. “It’s going to be difficult not doing what you’ve done every day. I don’t really know what I can do, but I’ll keep fit and go into coaching.”
“And I’ll get fat,” he laughed.
Cooper, initially trained by Pete Hickenbottom before switching to Martin Gethin, emerged as one of the country’s hottest prospects after amassing a nine fight unbeaten run and outpointing thunderous punching Boy Jones Jnr for the WBO youth lightweight crown.
That 2019 Stevenage 10 rounder was possibly the best performance of his career.
In his 10th fight, Shaun tasted defeat for the first time. He started a heavy favourite against Birmingham’s Jack O’Keeffe with the Midlands title on the line, but was stopped by body punches in four.
In latter years, the fighter dubbed The Scorpion has taken very tough assignments on big bills – and acquitted himself well. He showed he could handle the step-up and big occasion.
Mark Chamberlain had won all six bouts – four by stoppage – when he faced Cooper, but was pushed all the way to an eight round points decision.
Cooper…a credit to the game
Shaun was seen as cannon fodder for KO artist Sam Noakes who had won all his seven fights early. With the WBC international silver belt on the line, Cooper dragged Noakes into waters deeper than he’s ever been before. The Black Country lad’s brave challenge came to an end in the ninth.
And in his last bout, Cooper showed guts and guile to take former British champ Sam Maxwell the full distance. That was a fine performance and a fitting farewell.
“I’m pleased with my career,” said Shaun. “There are losses, but they are losses to quality boxers. I faced men no one else wanted to fight. Today people say, ‘you are a warrior, you have fought the top kids’.
“I do regret the way it’s ended. Looking back, maybe I could’ve done a little bit more. In the ring, losing for the Midlands title (against O’Keeffe) was my biggest regret.”
Cooper paid a tribute to his wife: “She kept things together, she was the bedrock of it all. Anyone who is a boxer’s wife, I take my hat off to them. They have to miss out on going out, missing out on the nice things when their husbands are in camp.”
The Midlands has lost a quality operator in Shaun Cooper. Hopefully, he’ll now pass on his knowledge to future generations.
We wish him a healthy – and well deserved – retirement.