Lamar Clark 'I Hurt Cassius Clay'

Lamar' The Cedar City Bomber' Clark

A very talented and 'hard-hitting' - 5' 10" 180 lb. Utah fighter.

An exceptional high school athlete, who had a very good amateur career in the 'Mountain West' area,
including winning several Regional Golden Gloves and National A.A.U. Championships, in 1956, 1957 and 1958.

A confirmed amateur record of 65-4 (43 KO's).

In January 1958, at age 23, turned professional, under the management of West Jordan, Utah
'fight manager' Marv Jensen.

After winning a 6-Round Decision in his 'first professional bout' over local Cedar City, Utah
Light-Heavyweight, John Hicks -

Lamar then over a 2-year span, remarkably won his next '44' bouts by 'Knockout'.

Included in his wins, were 'knockouts' over the tough,
* John Hicks (rematch)
* Willard Whitaker
* Buck Dixon
* Dynamite Jackson
* 'Oakland' Oscar Talley
* Hal 'Bump Bump' Crump
* Sain 'Totally Insane' Thompson
* Del 'Meatball' Randall
* Cornell 'Chowder' Butler
* Eric 'Eric the Great' Forsland (3x)
* Ox Anderson
* Rod 'Drill-Bit' Orell

By January 1960, 'The Cedar City Bomber' had compiled a 45-0-0 (44 KO's) record, fighting mainly at 180 lbs.

 

Monday Night - December 1, 1958 -

Won the grueling - 'Intermountain Heavyweight Championship' - in Bingham, Utah.

By defeating '6' opponents in one-night, all by 'knockout'. ('5' by First-Round KO's)

In the Championship Bout, scored a '1st-Round Knockout' over Del 'Meatball' Randall in only 0:22,
by landing his famous right-hand 'Thunder-Punch'.
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In April 1959, 'The Cedar City Bomber' at 39-0-0 (38 KO's) travelled out to Palm Springs, California
to be evaluated by 'The Great' Jack Dempsey, who also referee'd his fight.

In a 180+ lb. bout, Lamar (186 lbs.) was 'impressive', by stopping (KO 4) Tony 'Quicksilver' Burton 12-2-0 (5 KO's),
a scrappy 22 year-old 6' 0" 181 lb. Los Angeles-based Light-Heavyweight.

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Thanks - Shake.......:good

Eric the Great, (a.k.a Eric Forsland) was also Ferron Barr, a 6' 1" 225 lb. 'grappler'.

He was a 'famous' Salt Lake City, Utah 'professional wrestler'.

He was known for the 'ankle dangler move', where he would grab his opponent by the ankles, and dangle
him over the ring ropes, while banging his opponents head on the ring apron, until he was 'knocked out'.

On Friday Night, December 26, 1958 in a 'boxer vs wrestler' Dave Reynolds Promotion in Salt Lake City,
where both boxing and grappling were allowed -

In the opening moments of the 'contest', Lamar Clark, after getting grabbed by the ankles, breaks free,
and unloads a left hook/right hand to the jaw of 'Eric the Great', who flips over the ring ropes, where upon
Lamar Clark grabs Eric by the ankles, and dangles him, pounding his head up-and-down on the ring apron
until 'Eric' is knocked out.

The referee counts out 'Eric the Great', at 1:31 of the 1st Round.

As a professional boxer, yes 'Eric the Great' got clobbered by 'The Cedar City Bomber' three times,
but he improved in every fight.....

 

Aprill 19, 1961 (Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky)

Lamar 'The Cedar City Bomber' Clark, here landing his 'Thunder-Punch' on Cassius Clay, who whinces.

The 26 year-old, Lamar Clark had to travel to 'Freedom Hall' in Louisville, Kentucky to fight Cassius Clay.

The 'young' Cassius Clay would not fight 'The Cedar City Bomber' in Utah.

And, Lamar Clark had to agree to come in at 181 lbs., to Cassius Clay's 193 lbs.

Also, a 'slippery canvas' was placed over the ring mat, to prevent 'The Cedar City Bomber' from getting good
footing, to unload his 'heavy bombs'.

In Round 1, Lamar sunk a hard right hand 'Thunder-Punch' into Clay's ribs, knocking the wind out of him.

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Thanks JM,

On Monday Night - January 11, 1960

Lamar Clark was being 'showcased' on an undercard at 'The Convention Center' in
Las Vegas, one of the few times he ventured out of Utah.

'The Cedar City Bomber' blasted out (KO 1) 6' 1" 195 lbs. Kenneth 'Kenny Boy' Hayden 3-4-0 (1 KO's) in 0:59,
exhibiting frightening power, to improve his 'unbelievable record' to 45-0-0 (44 KO's).

At that bout, was Edwin Ahlquist (Manager of Ingemar Johannson). Marv Jenson, the
Manager of Lamar Clark pressed Ahlquist for a bout with 'Ingo' for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Ahlquist stated, that if Lamar Clark could beat one of the 'top' European Heavyweights,
he would give him a shot at 'Ingo' in Sweden for the Champ's 'hometown defense'.

Later, Marv Jensen stated, that he was trying get Lamar Clark a bout with Great Britain Heavyweight,
Brian London in the United Kingdom for sometime in early 1960.

 

December 1, 1958

Lamar Clark 'The Cedar City Bomber' winning the 'Intermountain Heavyweight Championship'
by knocking out (KO 1) Del 'Meatball' Randall in just 0:22 of the 1st-Round.

Lamar Clark, after the blow-out said, 'When I hit them, they go. Nobody under 190 lbs. can take my punch.
I can actually feel my opponents bones crack when my fist lands in their ribs.

24 year-old Lamar, from Cedar City, Utah improved his record to 28-0-0 (27 KO's).

Marv Jensen, Lamar's manager - 'I wish they had a division for fighters under 6 feet tall and with a 190 lb. weight limit.
If they did, Lamar would own it for as long as he wants.'

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April 19, 1961

Unknown Louisville Heavyweight 'Cassius Clay' reeling into the ropes, after getting body
punched by 'Intermountain Heavyweight Champion' Lamar 'The Cedar City Bomber' Clark.

The 5' 10" 181 lb. - 26 year-old Utah Heavyweight, with a record of 46-2-0 (45 KO's)
slammed his right hand 'Thunder Punch' into the ribs of the 'Dancing Heavyweight from Kentucky'
early in the 1st-Round.

After absorbing the punch, the 'young' Clay let out with a loud OOOOH!,
as the wind was knocked out of him, and he reeled backward along the ropes.

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Friday Night - April 8, 1960

Ogden, Utah

A Gillette Televison Friday Night Fight

Lamar Clark (Cedar City, Utah)
'The Cedar City Bomber'
45-0-0 (44 KO's)
Age; 25
Height; 5' 10"
Weight; 183 lbs.

vs

Bartolo Soni (Dominican Republic)
'The Spanish Fly'
14-2-1 (9 KO's)
Age; 23
Height; 6' 0"
Weight; 181 lbs.

The Fight;

From the 'Opening Bell' through the 5th-Round, Lamar Clark went after Bartolo Soni
with right-hand bombs. But by the 6th-Round, Lamar had literally punched himself out.

Bartolo, who patiently boxed from a distance, kept his hands held high, to protect his
chin. Lamar, who tried to land his vaunted right-hand 'Thunder Punch' to the body,
was unable to get close enough to unload the 'rib crusher', as Bartolo would shoot out a
straight pin-point left jab to the onrushing Clark's nose.

In Round 7, Bartolo turned on the 'Spanish Heat', and started to drive home straight
right hands on the 'gasping for air' Lamar Clark.

In Round 8, Bartolo landed 'at will', and pummeled the 'winded' Utah-Bomber all around the ring,
with a steady beat of left jabs and straight rights down 'Broadway'. Referee, Ken Schulsen
nearly stopped the bout, but gave a battered Lamar Clark a 'Standing 8-Count' with 10-seconds
left in the Round.

In Round 9, Bartolo continued where he left off, and 'pot-shotted' the exhausted Lamar. At the 1:15 Mark,
Bartolo dropped Lamar with a hard right hand. Lamar just beat the 'count' but was met with more punches by the
in-control Dominican. After a constant battering by Bartolo, Referee Ken Schulsen called a halt to the bout at
2:02 of Round 9.

Lamar Clark, 'The Cedar City Bomber' suffers his 'first defeat', and falls to 45-1-0.

 

Nice Job...........The Great A

Some 'big disadvantages' for 'The Cedar City Bomber'

A) He had suffered a 'broken nose' in his previous bout, only 6-weeks earlier.
B) He had only 'one-bout' in 10-months, prior to this bout with Cassius Clay.
C) The bout was held in Louisville, Cassius Clay's backyard.
D) The ring was a 24' square (to give Clay more boxing room)
E) The ring ropes were loose, so Clay could use the soft bands for leaning on.
F) The ring mat was 'slickened' to prevent Lamar Clark from getting traction.

All in all, a fair 'bout'.