View source for Bob Baker (boxer)

'''Robert "The Grinder, belt em" Baker''' (October 26, 1926 – April 23, 2002) was a heavyweight boxer whose professional career spanned from 1949 until 1960. Baker was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania and originally fought out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was also bodybuilder.

Contents:

1 Career<BR>
2 Personal life
   

Career

Baker had very impressive amateur career. He only lost one amateur fight and won the 1949 New York & Intercity Golden Gloves championship in the heavyweight division. He also won 2 other major tournaments. He started his professional career with twenty-six consecutive wins. However, his winning streak came to an end when he was defeated by another leading contender, Clarence Henry, in 1954. In his previous fight, only days before, he drew with bulky Kid Riviera. He also lost to Bob Satterfield, Archie Moore and other contenders during this era. After his defeat to Archie Moore in 1954, he never lost by a knockout again. There was talk of Baker facing heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano between January 4 and February 3 1956. However, even though Baker defeated Nino Valdez on December 7 1955, the championship bout never materialized. The bout against Valdez was a rematch of a bout fought in May 1953 and both were won by Baker by unanimous decisions.

Before losing a split decision to Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson on Friday February 3 1956 (day Rocky was to fight Baker), Baker won thirteen straight bouts and was ranked as a top contender for Marciano's heavyweight title. The February fight should have been drawn. Baker fought well, avoided most of the punches, punched hard back. After defeating another leading contender, John Holman, in Miami Beach Auditorium, Florida, on May 9 1956, he lost a rematch with Jackson on September 26 1956. Again it was a split decision. A majority of the ringside press felt Baker won, although the Associated Press scored it for Jackson.

After 1957, his fighting skills diminished, although Baker defeated George Chuvalo, multiple Canadian champion and multiple world heavyweight title contender in the 1960s and 1970s, by unanimous decision, on September 9 1957 in Canada.

Personal life

Baker served 3 years in the Navy prior to becoming a boxer. He was an only child and had only one child himself, Robert Baker, Jr.[2

External Links
[http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/U1304008INP/bob-baker-and-tommy-jackson-in-boxing Baker vs Tomy Jackson II.III.56=DRAW!]<BR>
[http://static.boxrec.com/wiki/c/ca/Tommy_Jackson_vs._Bob_Baker_.Fasan.jpg Baker vs Jackson, Baker was robbed of draw, fight was dead even!]

==See Also==
[[2356]]<BR>
[[Eddie Nichols]]