Clarence Henry vs The 2 Bobs - Satterfield & Baker

Awesome footage. Just awesome. Two talented, powerful, young heavyweights, both top 5 in the world slugging it out. Too bad neither got a shot at Marciano in the early 1950s. Baker has some mighty fine skills for a big man here. Henry packed a mean punch in that left hook eh?

 

Clarence Henry was definitely one of the best young heavyweights in the early 50s, but I think his career went downhill when he suffered an eye injury and loss to Archie Moore. He came back after that and scored another win over Baker in an upset, but that was it really.

I think Henry was a better fighter than LaStarza, and better than Layne probably too. Other than Marciano he might have been the best of the young crop c.1951 - '52

 

People say the 50,had a dearth of good heavies,maybe they are right ,but there was more excitement and action in those clips ,than in all Wlad's defences combined.

 

Agreed! :good

 

Henry lost to Moore in June 1952 and it was actually an eye injury (retina?) suffered in training for a September rematch that put him out for almost a year. He never regained his form, and I assume he was fighting with impeded vision, yet he still managed that second win over Bob Baker in 1953 before losing to Jimmy Slade and Hurricane Jackson, before retiring.

 

You know your stuff!! Unforgiven one of my dream matches is a fight between Rocky Marciano and Clarence Henry in early 1952. Two young prime top heavyweight contenders battling it out. How do you think the fight would have gone.

 

I have to favour Marciano inside the distance, but Henry could definitely have hurt him. It would have been a war.

 

Butting in ,I dont know how the fight would have turned out ,but I am positive it would not have been a dream match for Al Weill.:good

 

Definitely not. In fact, Al Weill chose a washed up Lee Savold in 1952 instead of Clarence Henry so he wouldn't ruin his title shot chances vs Walcott. In fairness to rock, he had already earned his shot by beating Lastarza, Layne, and Louis...but it would have been nice to see Henry get an elimination shot vs Rocky instead of someone like Matthews. Henry had been in the top 5 for 2 years in a row.


Does anyone think Henry's come forward slugger style plays right into Marciano's hands more so than a stick and move boxer type?

 

Good point.
Especially after Marciano had already sealed the top spot with wins over Layne and Louis. I think Weill wouldn't have entertained the idea, although it might be worth checking old newspapers for any talk of a possible fight between the two.

Of the young crop of contenders at the time, Henry was the one fighting the toughest fights on his way up.

 

Marciano fought Lastarza, Layne, and Louis.

Henry fought Bivins, Baker, Satterfield, Davidson, and Holman.


It's pretty close...who do you think was better between Louis and Baker in 1951?

I think Marciano beat better quality, but Henry beat a longer list of solid fighters.

 

Henry also fought Archie Moore, Harold Johnson and his career only lists 42 fights. He fought Bivins in his 12th fight. Lost, and fought him again later on.
He was managed less carefully than Marciano.
Weill only took Layne and Louis because they were absolutely necessary to get the title shot.


Joe Louis was better than Bob Baker, IMO.