Henry Cooper KO’s Johnny Prescott

June 17, 1965 - Henry Cooper retained his British and Empire heavyweight boxing titles tonight when Johnny Prescott quit in his corner after absorbing a vicious beating in the 10th round of a scheduled 15-round bout.

Cooper, who was making his sixth title defense since winning the crown from Brian London in 1959, knocked down Prescott three times, twice in the 10th. The champion had a big lead in points before the final round. 

Cooper dropped Prescott for a count of 6 in the eighth with a left hook. He began his demolition of the 26-year-old Prescott in the 10th with a left to the chin that floored the challenger for a 2-count. Prescott was no sooner off the canvas than Cooper sent him sprawling again for an 8-count with a terrific hook.

The challenger, who weighed 190¾ pounds to 186½ for Cooper, dragged himself up again and staggered into another series of lefts to the body and head. He tried to fight back but walked into another hard left to the chin as the bell sounded. Prescott stumbled back to his corner a shattered man. 

“I stopped the fight for him because I think he had taken enough,” said Prescott’s manager, George Biddles. “He could not win, and I did not want him to take any more punishment.”

The fight, originally scheduled for Tuesday but postponed by rain, was held in a drizzle at the Birmingham City Soccer grounds. About 25,000 fans showed up to see Prescott, a local boy, get demolished.

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