Very interesting. I worked Track Office as a Scheduling Clerk, Lamar and the Doyle Brothers use to come in and give me slugs in the arm and playfully pretend to to box with me. They were all really good guys. I wouldn’t wanted to ever get on there bad side.
Just to add on to the quality of his opponents as mentioned by the Original poster, several of his opponents had no boxing experience... 17 of them only had 1 fight in their entire career and it was against Lamar,,, another 5 had 2 0r 3 fights, but all against Lamar.
It is true that Lamar Clark’s opposition generally had no real experience so his record is highly inflated. however what many boxing fans don’t realize is that Carlos Zarate, who is considered by many to be the greatest bantamweight champion of all time starting his career 54-0 with 53 knockouts, had a similar fight strategy. Of his first 40 wins, the majority of his opponents had virtually no experience and hardly any career victories. Yet that inflated record is what got Zarate recognition and a title shot , where he proved he was the real deal. also in George Foremans first career, he went into the Frazier fight with a 37-0 record and 34 kos. Yet he had only fought two ranked contenders amongst those 37. But again like Zarate, it was the record that got him noticed not the mediocre opposition, but when he got the opportunity Foreman proved he was great by taking the title from Frazier. with Lamar Clark, his opposition appeared to be terrible by design like The career of Butterbean. Yet Clark did set the record for consecutive ko’s that even Zarate and Foreman did not surpass. And the fact that people are still talking about Clark and his record 60 years later shows that even if Clark was not a world class fighter, his management team knew what they were doing.
I'm sure Lamar was a good man, but he was not anywhere near a top rate boxer. His official record was 43-3-0 with 42 Knockouts... Very impressive , bit his wins but with the exception of Tony Burton , who himself was bottom tier, they were all set ups. While they might not have been fixed, as in his opponents taking a dive, his opponents were carefully selected. They didn't have a chance of beating ANY professional fighter. Of his 46 opponents 37 had not won a SINGLE fight... and 27 had never had a SINGLE match. When he was put in the ring with 3 competent boxers he was knocked out and retired. It sounds like he was an interesting guy though.
Yes, you’re right, many times they just got tuff guys off the street to fight Lamar with no boxing experience. The fight with Clay and Lamar showed how far apart they were with boxing skills, and it was Clays 5th professional fight, of course there was no one like Clay (Muhammad Ali). Thanks for your comment.
Great tribute to your friend!
Thanks, he was a good man.
Sounds like a very interesting guy. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching and the comment!
Wonderful !!!!! 🚀🚂I have a few Gene Fulmer stories fer sure. 😊
Thanks Dale, I remember Gene Fullmer in the Harvest Days parade (Midvale), all beat up waving from a car.
Very interesting. I worked Track Office as a Scheduling Clerk, Lamar and the Doyle Brothers use to come in and give me slugs in the arm and playfully pretend to to box with me. They were all really good guys. I wouldn’t wanted to ever get on there bad side.
Your right I forgot about the Doyle Brothers, thanks Russ.
wow and you knew him that was really interesting
Thanks Dwight!
Just to add on to the quality of his opponents as mentioned by the Original poster, several of his opponents had no boxing experience... 17 of them only had 1 fight in their entire career and it was against Lamar,,, another 5 had 2 0r 3 fights, but all against Lamar.
It is true that Lamar Clark’s opposition generally had no real experience so his record is highly inflated. however what many boxing fans don’t realize is that Carlos Zarate, who is considered by many to be the greatest bantamweight champion of all time starting his career 54-0 with 53 knockouts, had a similar fight strategy. Of his first 40 wins, the majority of his opponents had virtually no experience and hardly any career victories. Yet that inflated record is what got Zarate recognition and a title shot , where he proved he was the real deal. also in George Foremans first career, he went into the Frazier fight with a 37-0 record and 34 kos. Yet he had only fought two ranked contenders amongst those 37. But again like Zarate, it was the record that got him noticed not the mediocre opposition, but when he got the opportunity Foreman proved he was great by taking the title from Frazier. with Lamar Clark, his opposition appeared to be terrible by design like The career of Butterbean. Yet Clark did set the record for consecutive ko’s that even Zarate and Foreman did not surpass. And the fact that people are still talking about Clark and his record 60 years later shows that even if Clark was not a world class fighter, his management team knew what they were doing.
What a great comment thanks for sharing!
I'm sure Lamar was a good man, but he was not anywhere near a top rate boxer. His official record was 43-3-0 with 42 Knockouts... Very impressive , bit his wins but with the exception of Tony Burton , who himself was bottom tier, they were all set ups. While they might not have been fixed, as in his opponents taking a dive, his opponents were carefully selected. They didn't have a chance of beating ANY professional fighter. Of his 46 opponents 37 had not won a SINGLE fight... and 27 had never had a SINGLE match. When he was put in the ring with 3 competent boxers he was knocked out and retired. It sounds like he was an interesting guy though.
Yes, you’re right, many times they just got tuff guys off the street to fight Lamar with no boxing experience. The fight with Clay and Lamar showed how far apart they were with boxing skills, and it was Clays 5th professional fight, of course there was no one like Clay (Muhammad Ali). Thanks for your comment.