Cassius Clay vs Billy 'The Barber' Daniels

May 19, 1962
Saturday Night Television Fight.
Broadcast on ABC-TV, 10:00 PM, EDT.

May be one of the better bouts, featuring 'two' young undefeated and
talented promising heavyweights, in the early-1960's.

Both evenly matched, very good heavyweight prospects, in the
Top 15 Heavyweight rankings.

Cassius Clay, 20 years-old, and undefeated 13-0-0 (10 KO's)
6' 3", 196 lbs.
#7 Ranked Heavyweight

Billy Daniels, 24 years-old, and undefeated 16-0-0 (7 KO's).
6' 4" 189 lbs.
#13 Ranked Heavyweight

Cassius Clay to receive $6000 for his fight purse.

 

Held at the famous St. Nicholas Arena, in New York City.

What was riding on this fight.
Television fights versus #22 Tom McNeeley in June 1962, and then a possible bout
with fading former heavyweight contender Mike DeJohn in the early summer.

Cassius Clay had 3-bouts in 1962;

February 10, 1962
W KO 4 Sonny Banks 16-2-0 (12 KO's)
Floored in the 1st Round by the Detroit left-hook specialist, Cassius came back with a flurry to floor the dangerous 'Six-Gun' Banks in the 2nd round. Clay unleashes a barrage of punches in Round 4 to stop a game but out-matched Sonny Banks.

February 28, 1962
W KO 4 Don Warner 12-6-2 (11 KO's)
Cassius Clay hammers the Philadelphia KO Artist.

March 31, 1962
vs. #5 Robert Cleroux 31-2-1 (24 KO's) (cancelled bout)

April 23, 1962
W KO 4 #17 George Logan 22-7-1 (13 KO's)
A destruction of Mountain-West brawler Logan. George Logan had reached #9 Ranked Heavyweight
in early 1962, but was knocked off by Canadian Robert Cleroux in February 1962 (L KO 7).
Logan attempts to out-muscle Cassius Clay, by using his strength and swarming style
The strong-armed Idaho-based Heavyweight is successful early in the bout, but by Round 3 he is
out-gunned by a more skillful Clay, and the bout is stopped in Round 4.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy Daniels, a 1960 New York Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champion.
Has a string of impressive victories;

1/29/62 W Dec 10 Claude Chapman 29-7-1 (13 KO's)
A rematch with the tough club-fighting trial-horse.
Billy Daniels opens up fast, and floors the durable Chapman in the 1st Round.
Daniels tries for the knockout, and unloads everything he has.
Daniels continues the offensive-barrage for the next 3 rounds.
Arm-weary and exhausted late in Round 4, Daniels is dropped by a Claude Chapman right hand.
Daniels uses his boxing skills to survive the round.
Chapman goes all-out for a knock-out in Rounds 5 and 6, and shakes Daniels several times,
but is unable to floor or hurt the tall and lanky prospect.
Daniels gets it together in Round 7, as Chapman tires, and boxes well in sweeping rounds 7, 8 and 9.
Chapman, realizing he's behind in rounds, goes for the knockout in round 10, but Daniels fights
a smart defensive round, and holds off the charging trial-horse.
Scoring; 6-4-0,,,,,,6-3-1,,,,,7-2-1

12/11/61 W KO 3 Don Warner 11-5-2 (10 KO's)
Billy Daniels floors the dangerous Don Warner 3-times, en route to a 3rd round stoppage.

11/11/61 W Dec 10 Jefferson Davis 11-1-0 (4 KO's)
In a battle of 6' 4' tall heavyweight prospects. Billy Daniels utilizes his over-hand rights
to stun former Alamama amateur star Jefferson Davis several times, on his way to a clear-cut unanimous 10-Round decision win.

10/2/61 W Dec 6 John Massey 9-1-2 (8 KO's)
Billy Daniels smartly out-boxes the hard-hitting John Massey, a highly-regarded Oregon heavyweight prospect over 6 competitive rounds.

8/26/61 W Dec 6 Claude Chapman 28-5-1 (13 KO's)
Billy Daniels utilizes his sharp boxing skills to win a solid 6-Round decision
over the durable Claude Chapman. Chapman, a 33 year-old Boston club-fighter hangs tough over the 6-rounds.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don Warner is the common professional opponent between the two.
Billy Daniels W KO 3 over Don Warner in December 1961 , and Cassius Clay disposed of the
Philadelphia Knockout Artist W KO 4 on February 28, 1962 of this year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The possibility of a Tom McNeeley (#22 Ranked Heavyweight) bout is in the works for the winner here.
A proposed bout in Boston, for late-June is scheduled.
McNeeley, 24-3-0 (18 KO's) and a former title challenger for Floyd Patterson's crown,
recently lost a decision to Willie Pastrano.
Despite the loss to Pastrano, McNeeley, a New England Heavyweight, would present a good challenge for any
of these 'two' rising heavyweights, especially in his hometown of Boston, Mass.

It's not sure whether either of these boys wants to tangle with the likes of a slick Wille Pastrano just yet.

 

A hot May 19th night at St. Nicks arena.
99 degrees that day in New York.

A small ring, maybe a tad over 16' square.
8 oz. gloves.
Billy Daniels came into the ring with puffiness over both eyes.
A result of some previous heavy sparring sessions.

Round 1,
Cassius comes out dancing and moving, while Billy is the aggressor.
Clay looks to score with some quick right hand leads, and Daniels is winging
long range hooks to the body.
Cassius shows off his fast hands, but fails to land any solid jabs.
Billy, a tall and lanky fellow, utilizes an awkward-style to get in close.
No telling blows are landed by either fighter.
Round 1,,,,,,,,Very close,,,,Even Round
--------------------------------------------------------
Round 2,
Same pattern, but Cassius is able to connect with a few more solid punches.
Billy is able to get close to Clay, but is unable to land any good scoring punches, as
Cassius utilizes his lightning fast feet to dance out of harms way.
Daniels does land a good right hand over the top, which drives Clay back.
Cassius opens up and scores with several medium-power shots.
A cut has opened over Daniels left eye, as a result from a counter-right from Clay.
Cassius scores with clean shots over last third of the round.
Round 2,,,,,,,,,Cassius Clay,,,,A Solid Round