This was a great find. I really like Baker. When he started out he was referred to as having Joe Louis-like power, but bad hands prevented him from realizing his full potential. Still, he made up for the fact that he couldn't bang like he did when he turned pro by firing fast combos, which is evident in the sequence. Below is the write-up from boxrec on the fight. Baker makes little of the win, but in actuality it was pretty good because Mederos was coming off his KO over Roland LaStarza and was about to engage in the 'spiked orange' incident with Harold Johnson. So it really was a good win. "Bob Baker of Pittsburgh shook off Julio Mederos' right-hand bombs Saturday and gave the Cuban a methodical head and body beating for a lop-sided decision in MSG. Baker staggered the Cuban several times with his short combination punches to the head but was unable to floor him. Baker forced the fighting through the nationally televised and broadcast 10 rounder and registerd his ninth straight victory. Mederos nailed Baker with several terrific rights to the head, but none of them were flush on the button. Baker shook them off and continued to shuffle forward. Baker's greater experience was apparent in every round as he outboxed and outpunched Mederos." -United Press Unofficial UP scorecard - 9-1 Baker Attendance - 3,808 Gate - $10,730 Post fight comments "It was a win of no major importance. It was just another win. Now I'm looking ahead to the big boy." -Bob Baker, hoping to meet Rocky Marciano for the title in September. "I couldn't get rid of the nervous tension. The NYSAC man made me nervous explaining the rules. I kept saying to myself: 'I don't want to look bad. I don't want to throw any wild punches'." -Julio Mederos
Been watching all the Baker stuff on YouTube unfortunately don’t see the Chuvalo or Moore fights. Two of like to see most. Really more impressive then I remembered him. Fast hands good combos shots looked harder then his KO record suggests.
