Expectation: This sure as heck won't be a thriller, but I am expecting a sufficiently good match. The first fight between these two (on film) turned out to be a pretty good match in my opinion. This content is protected Description: 1. Your typical opening for Charles. Jab-and-grab. Charles was able to box at close range (sounds stupid to even say), and naturally Layne was already tired halfway through this first round. Charles. 2. Decent round. Charles. 3. Layne landed thudding hooks to Charles' head and Charles landing thudding shots to Layne's body. Both switched attacks half-way through. Even. 4. Layne. 5. Charles landed heavy jabs and straight hands, parrying Layne's with his right glove. Layne initiated all the clinching. This would end up being one of the closest rounds. Charles. 6. Layne went from being merely outpointed to being badly pounded. A number of hard left hooks by Charles did Layne in, and he was staggering around the ring in a groggy state. Charles steadily flailed away at a very game Rex Layne, who finally went down under the cumulation of blows. It's hard to judge though. At the time of the knockdown, Layne is barely visible in the camera eye. Charles. 7. Charles stayed on top of Layne throughout, not landing any one big punch, but an accumulation of them that once again had Layne groggy, and Layne touched the floor with one glove and was up again. The referee did not even consider it a KD, but with how groggy Layne was and the fact that his right glove touched the canvas, it very well could have been. Once again, the camera eye had the lower half of Layne entirely cut off, so I couldn't get a good look at his legs to tell. Shortly after, Layne (who looked like a racoon by the way) did go down, and the referee officially ruled it a KD. Charles. 8. Seems hopeless for Layne; he's exhausted, sliced up, and has already been down twice. Layne put up an okay rally near the very end. Charles. 9. A tough, close round. Very straightforward and little clinching. Charles' blows were more meaningful, but Layne was holding his own. Charles. 10. Layne began by forcing the fight, but quickly turned punch-drunk and was an easy target for a relatively fresh Charles. Layne was eroding away, and a quick left jab turned hook by Charles sent Layne to the floor, quite lazily. Layne was lucky there was not time for Charles to follow up; he would have been butchered. Charles. Final score: 8-1-1 for Charles. Assessment: Charles-Charles is Charles. Never especially impressive as an offensive force, but shows the usual stellar defense he always does. His performance reminded me of ErnieTerrell's fight with Bob Foster, and reminded me that you do not have to have an amazing game plan, but that good stamina and work rate can add up to destroy even a good boxer. Layne-Since this is the last fight film of Layne, I can safely say that I think Layne was pretty inconsistent. He looked great against Satterfield, fair against LaStarza, but poor against Marciano and Charles, in both fights. I guess Layne is the line between the elite heavies of his era and the aspiring greats. Layne just didn't have the conditioning and determination to make it as an elite heavy. Btw, did it not bug anybody that the screen called this a MW fight??? Verdict: It met my expectations about exactly. It was a grueling scrap all the way, not at all unpleasing to the eye in my opinion. My sole complaint is that most of the KD's were impossible to personally rule on because Layne's legs were always not visible in the camera eye!
William, never knew this was out there in it's entirety. Just watched it and loved it. I was reflexively yelling at the screen which tells me I was really into the fight. I had it closer in rounds than you at 6-3-1, but the point system used at the time was dominant for Charles. I'll load the results onto the scorecard thread momentarily. Thanks for this. Really enjoyed it.
I had it somewhat more competitive in rounds than you did, but Charles was way ahead because of all the knockdowns. Layne seems to me to have gone backward as a boxer to become a large mauler, and not to the good. He was 190 for Satterfield. 193 for Marciano. 203 for this one. Training didn't seem to be his bag. Layne did well enough through the first five. I think it was even or perhaps Layne having an edge because he threw so many more punches, but the roof fell in on him in the 6th and 7th. I was surprised he had the stamina to rally rather well in the 8th and 9th. Charles was winning the 10th even before Layne went down very late in the round. He was fortunate that knockdown was so late. I don't think he would have lasted much longer. I thought it funny that Hodges said "watch the footwork" when the feet were never visible, were they? I don't like this angle, but at least we can see the fight. Thanks for posting.
