If Layne can outbox Walcott and Charles and take the power of those men and Satterfield and Turkey Thompson. He can outbox Mercer. Layne by mixed decision
Whether he beat Charles is highly suspect.I don't think Layne was a better boxer than Mercer ,nor a better puncher,nor do I think he had as good a chin.So I don't think he wins.
I think Walcott was leagues better as was Charles over Mercer. Heck I truly think Satterfield is a lot more dangerous than Mercer ever was. There is an argument Turkey was more dangerous as well. I don’t like Mercer chances here. Layne at his peak was a damn good fighter and nothing like the man left after Marciano. I don’t think Mercer can put in the work rate needed to beat Layne. Layne isn’t the type to be one punch KOd like Tommy. Layne hung in there w better punchers in Walcott, Turkey Satterfield and Louis.
Mercer schools him for a bit then stops him after a couple KDs when Layne starts to slow in the later mid rounds. Layne at best wins 1-2 rounds. Totally different eras, Mercer had access to drugs that weren't even a dream of a thought in Layne's day.
Willie James 12-2-1 Dave Whitlock 27-3-1 Andy Walker 18-7-6 D Dale Hall16-7-4 D He only just scraped by Brion. James Dawson, New York Times, scored the bout 7-3 for Brion, giving Layne rounds 1, 2 and 8. Associated Press scored the bout 7-3 Layne. Dawson wrote: “Plunging and tossing like a rudderless ship, Rex Layne, Lewiston, Utah, heavyweight, somehow or other managed to gain a decision over Cesar Brion, from the Argentine, in ten dull rounds of fighting at Madison Square Garden last night. And if there is any consolation in a moral victory, Brion has it. A crowd of 5,768 booed the verdict and it was plain that many, if not the majority, thought Brion had won.” Layne was a contender in a weak era. Associated Press: “22-year-old Rex from Utah’s sugar beet land failed to live up to the gaudy promise of his Nov. 24 upset over tired old Jersey Joe Walcott.”
Draws don’t count, he had one loss early in his career to a very game Dave Whitlock which he avenged. I don’t think Mercer was as good as Layne. I’ll just keep it at thay
I’m picking Layne because I’ll never pick Mercer again purely out of spite after that Marciano thread.
In all seriousness though, I can’t imagine the fighter so incompetent they were schooled by Mercer in anything.