Henry Clark 'The West Coast Cassius Clay'

Not in California,,,,,,,,It was Henry Clark vs. Roy 'Tiger' Williams.

And after defeating,,,,,,,,,Jeff Merritt, Mac Foster, Roy Williams and then Jody Ballard in (February 1975),
not one Top 10 Heavyweight wanted to fight Henry Clark.

Henry had to go to South Africa to get a 'decent bout', 6-months later in August 1975.

And 30 year-old Henry Clark beat the hell out of Jimmy Richards 26-8-3 (11 KO's) at Wembley Stadium,
only to get 'screwed' by the Johannesburg Officials, who ruled the bout a 'Home-Country 10-Round Draw'.

 

December 1975

Oakland Tribune

'Henry Clark can only shake his head at the heavyweight division. After 10+ years
of fighting, and '33' victories, Henry feels at age 30 he has reached the last exit on the
Heayweight Highway. Clark, after a strong comeback run in 1974, only fought 'twice'
in 1975, despite being available on a moments notice.'

'I cannot get a fight, and have been promised a Heavyweight Championship fight no
less than 6-times in my career. Twice with Joe Frazier, then twice with George Foreman
and twice with Muhammad Ali. I've had it, and I'm not going to become a cannon fodder
for any young guys when I get older.'

'In 1974, Jeff Merritt was supposed to use me for his shot at the title. I knock him out,
and nobody calls me. Then Mac Foster was supposed to use me to get a fight
with George Foreman, and I beat him. Then nobody wants to fight Roy Williams, and
I take him on and beat him. After that, no calls or nothing.'

'Then they beg me to fight a 'Hot Texan Prospect' Jody Ballard, with a promise that
if I beat him I will be next. I nearly shut him out, and after I beat him my telephone
didn't ring for 6-months.'

'The kicker, Jody Ballard told me that if he beat me, he was going to get a Championship fight
with Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas, or a fight with Joe Frazier in Madison Square Garden.'

'In August 1975, I had to take a fight in South Africa of all places, just to make some money.
I didn't want to go, but the Promoter offered me $25,000 plus expenses, which was a nice pay-day.
They only asked that I take it easy on their South African fighter (Jimmy Richards), and not to beat
him up too bad. I get there in Johannesburg, and in front of a 30,000 'all-white' crowd. I was thinking,
maybe the Promoter was right, and I better take it easy on this guy.

'I find out that the guy is undefeated in 2 1/2 years, with something like '13-straight wins', and he
is the South African Heavyweight Champion, and some kind of National Hero.'

'So I go easy on him for 3-Rounds, and he's starting to get a little too confident, so I start hitting
him back, and the crowd starts screaming obscentities at me and my corner. So I backed off a
bit, and carried him for a few rounds. In the 8th Round, I opened up and caught him with a left hook,
and he dropped to the canvas. I looked over to the Promoter, and he starts screaming at me for
hurting his fighter (Jimmy Richards).

"I had to back off, because I wanted to make sure I got paid after the bout, so I just tapped him
over the last 2-Rounds, and he was still floundering all over the ring. When they announced it
a Draw, I couldn't care less. They offered me another 2-fights there, but I just wanted my money
and to get out of there.'

 

Sunday - March 28, 1976

Pavillion de Paris - Paris, France

NBC-TV (Televised Bout)

#10 WBC Heavyweight - Earnie Shavers 50-5-1 (49 KO's)
vs
#8 WBC Heavyweight - Henry Clark 33-8-4 (10 KO's)

30 year-old, 6' 0" 203 lb. Earnie Shavers, the 'hardest-hitting' fighter in the Heavyweight Division,
takes on 31 year-old 6' 3" 224 lb. veteran 'rock-jawed' Henry Clark, the crafty boxer and long-time
contender.

Earnie, is coming back after a 'brutal' knockout loss to Ron Lyle in a 'wild fight' in September 1975.

Henry, has been inactive for 7-months, and is looking for one more opportunity to get a chance at
a Heavyweight Championship, and hopes a win over Shavers will throw him into the mix. In the
past 6+ years, Henry has gone 16-2-1, and he is 'unbeaten' in his last '9' bouts.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fight

From the 'opening bell' Earnie Shavers is the aggressor, and takes control by throwing 'heavy-bombs'.
Shavers starts landing heavy left jabs, and by the 2nd-Round, Henry Clark's left eye is beginning
to swell. Earnie is 'effective' over the 'defensive-minded' Clark, and pounds away with hard stiff
left jabs into Henry's face.

Henry Clark is smart enough to lay-back, and not give an opening for Earnie to drop in one of his
right-hand bombs. Clark allows Shavers to pound away, as Earnie does not let-up over the
first 4-Rounds, as he jabs his way to an 'early' lead. By the end of the 4th-Round, Clark's right
eye is badly swollenfrom Earnie's hard left jabs.

In Round 5, the fighting gets a bit rougher, as the fighters engage in 'close quarters'. Both
trade hard punches, but Earnie is getting the better of the exchanges. After one exchange,
the fighters clash heads, and Henry comes out of it with a bad cut under the left eye. By
the Rounds end, Clark goes back to his corner with a nearly closed right eye and blood
flowingfrom the cut under the left eye.

In Round 6, Earnie comes out looking to end it, but he cannot put together a solid combination
on the 'elusive' Clark. Henry is content to jab and lay-back, while Earnie continues to 'dredge'
forward, by throwing heavy left-hands and looking to land a big right hand.

In Round 7, Earnie came out visibly tired, and Henry started to measure him with stiff left jabs.
For the first time in the bout, Henry was now the agressor, as Earnie was trying to catch a
'second wind'. Late in the Round, Clark landed some good punches that shook Earnie, then
Henry unloaded a sharp left hook on Earnie's jaw, which wobbled him.

In Round 8, Earnie tried to mount an offense, but after a few weak attempts, he struggled badly.
Henry ripped in a few hard counters, and despite the flowing blood from the cut under his left eye
and nearly closed right eye, Henry was 'persistant' in trying to land heavy punches. Late in the
Round, Henry landed a tremendous left hook, and the 'weary' Shavers was 'staggered'.
Somehow Earnie made it to the bell.

In Round 9, Earnie Shavers was weary, and did all he could to avoid Henry Clarks's punches. Clark
was steady with his attack, and tried to drop in the 'finisher' but Earnie smartly danced away.
Henry, who was having a hard time seeing out of his right eye, couldn't get the range on his
floundering opponent. Again, late in the Round, Clark landed a hard punch that backed the
'exhausted' Shavers into the ropes, where he 'rested' to recover.

Entering the 10th and 'Final Round', Earnie Shavers was up 'two-points' on each scorecard.
So the only thing Earnie had to do, was stay on his feet. Henry Clark, who was bleeding badly
and had a closed right eye, needed only to get in 'one heavy punch', as Shavers was barely
hanging on.

Round 10. A desperately 'gassed out' Earnie Shavers dances, as Henry Clark stalks and attempts
to land a hard punch. Shavers stays clear by sliding to his right, as Henry cannot see out of his
left eye. Henry Clark's 'cornermen' scream "One more punch, just one more good punch Henry",
but Clark cannot see, and Shavers was able to stay clear to hear the 'final bell', and escape
with a 1-Point Unanimous Decision.

After bout comments;

Earnie Shavers, 'I broke my right hand, here training in Paris. It hurt me to use it, so I couldn't
throw it. I needed the money, so I didn't want to cancel the fight.'

Earnie Shavers, 'I was sick before the fight, and I had lost weight. I was down to 203 lbs., and
I usually fight at 208 or 209. I was really weak after the 6th Round.'

Henry Clark, 'If this was a 12-Round fight, Earnie never makes it another round.

Henry Clark, 'I couldn't see out of my right eye. Too bad it wasn't a punch that closed it up,
it was Earnie's head.'

 

You mean, much like Jimmy schooled "Ossie Ocasio".

I like Jimmy, but styles make fights. He never beats Roy 'Tiger' Williams.

And Henry Clark, whips Jimmy in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

 

The State of California has a GDP greater than all but '8' countries.........:deal

Go West Young Man !!!

 

September 1976

Henry Clark and Earnie Shavers to 'Do It Again'

After their 10-Round War in 'Paris' in March 1976 -

The 'two' contending Heavyweights will square off in another 10-Rounder,
with the winner 'guranteed' a Heavyweight Championship bout versus the
winner of the Muhammad Ali - Ken Norton III Championship bout at Yankee
Stadium in New York.

Both '31' year-old Heavyweights are next in-line for a Heavyweight Championship
bout.

The 6' 0" 213 lb. Shavers at 51-5-1 (49 KO's) is by far, the hardest
hitter in the heavyweight division.

Henry Clark, a 6' 3" 222 lb. boxer-puncher from San Francisco, is considered as
having one of the best chins in the division, and prides himself on durability and
counter-punching skills.

In their 'first bout' Earnie Shavers controlled and dominated the fight up to the
the 6th Round, but Shavers fell apart in Round 7, as Henry Clark rallied and staggered
him, and then continued to stun him several times over the last 3-Rounds.

 

R/T,

By July 1975 - Henry Clark was ranked as the #9 WBC Heavyweight.

He was ranked as the #8 WBC Heavyweight, when he faced Earnie Shavers
in March 1976.

 

WBC Heavyweight Rankings

July 1975

*** Muhammad Ali
#1.. Joe Frazier
#2.. George Foreman
#3.. Ken Norton
#4.. Joe Bugner
#5.. Howard Smith
#6.. Oscar Bonavena
#7.. Ron Lyle
#8.. Jimmy Young
#9.. Henry Clark
#10. Bunny Johnson

Earnie Shavers wasn't even ranked in the Top 10 by the WBC.

By March 1976 - Joe Bugner had retired and Henry Clark moved up one-slot to #8 WBC
depsite the August 1975 - Draw 10 with Jimmy Richards, which was a 'horrible rip-off',
and the inactivity.

And, please, do you really think the George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali was
the 'Fight of the Year'. Only in Ring Magazine's eye's.

Muhammad Ali fought a 'walking banana'.

 

September 28, 1976

"THE LONG ROAD ENDS FOR HENRY CLARK"

The Heavyweight Road for San Francisco's Henry Clark ended at
2:19 of Round 2, at the 'heavy hands' of Earnie Shavers.

Clark was bombed by the hard right hands of Shavers in the 2nd-Round, and
after getting 'stunned' at the 1:36 Mark, Shavers ripped away with lefts and rights
staggering Henry at the 2:05 Mark, and finished him off while keeping Clark pinned
in his own corner.

Referee Johnny LoBianco called a halt to the bout at 2:19 of Round 2, despite Clark's
request to keep fighting.

Henry was hoping a victory over the the hard-hitting Shavers would throw him into
a Heavyweight Championship bout. Now the 31 year-old, who falls to 33-10-4 may
head back to California and retire, without every getting a chance to fight for the
World Championship.

Henry Clark, 'In 12+ years of fighting, and '47-bouts', nobody ever put me down on the
canvas. I repeat, nobody ever put me down.'