A talk with the champ: Gerry Cooney coming to Watertown to support boxing club

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - The Clubs & Gloves Golf Tournament will be held this July at Willowbrook Golf Club.

Former heavyweight boxer Gerry Cooney will be on hand for the event.

Cooney put together a professional career from 1977 to 1990, recording 28 wins in 31 bouts, 24 by knockouts.

He defeated heavyweights like Jimmy Young and Ron Lyle and stopped Ken Norton at 54 seconds of the first round. It was after that win in 1980 that life took a turn for Cooney.

Cooney penned a book with John Grady that chronicled his early life abuse and struggles with the bottle.

A big reason for Cooney coming to Watertown in July is to support the work that John Pepe is doing with young boxers at the Watertown Area Boxing Club.

Cooney is staying involved in boxing with his work for Sirius radio, giving insight from a boxer’s point of view.

Gerry Cooney, the special guest for the Clubs & Gloves Golf Tournament, July 22, at Willowbrook in support of the Watertown Area Boxing Club.

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