LAMAR CLARK. A PUNCHER FROM UTAH.
Big punchers in the sport of professional boxing have always
captivated boxing fans. They bring an electric excitement into the
ring that is unique to the sport. At any time they can alter the course
of bout with a single punch. In the late 1950's and early 1960's there
was a heavyweight fighter from Cedar City, Utah. His name was
LaMar Clark and he possessed a thunderous knockout punch.
Clark, who fought mostly in his home state of Utah was a total
unknown when he made his pro debut on January 4th, 1958, in
Cedar Citym, Utah. He fought John Hicks and after six lackluster
rounds he marginally won a decision. However, Clark was a game
fighter who wanted to improve. He trained vigoriously and made
every effort to fine tune his skills. He also learned how to use his
right hand more effectively. In his next bout he knocked out Willard
Whitaker in the second round on January 11th, 1958, in Cedar City,
Utah. It was quite a knockout and Clark seemed to show knockout
power that was phenomenal. He kept fighting in the pro ranks and
kept winning with all his bout ending by knockout. He fought in the
180 pound range and stood five foot ten which was slightly small for
a heavweight but Clark always entered every bout determined to win
and win impressively. Some of his earlier opponents were Buck
Dixon, Jack Read and Dynamite Jackson. All of whom he defeated
by knockout. As the big knockout streak began to grow Clark
received good write up's in Utah newspapers and developed
somewhat of a following in his home state. He was even
nicknamed " The Cedar City Bomber. " That was quite an
achievement for someone who was a boxing nobody when they
made their pro-debut. To keep the knockout streak alive he was
carefully matched and the wins kept coming and so did the
knockouts. Not every bout was easy for Clark. In a bout against Hal
Crump on November 12th, 1958, in Kanab, Utah, Clark was
knocked down twice. He beat the count both times and went on to
win by knockout. Also, in a display of his punching power and a test
of his stamina he fought six different opponents in one night winning
all six bouts by knockout. Eventually the knockout streak reached the
incredible sum of 44 straight. A world record at the time. It came to
an end on March, 8th, 1960, in Ogden, Utah, when Clark lost to
Bartonolo, Soni, in the a ninth round technical knockout. Clark lost
two of his next three bouts and then fought a brash young fighter
from Loiusville, Kentucky, named Cassius Clay who later changed
his name to Muhammad Ali. Clark lost to Clay by knockout in the
second round. After that bout Clark retired with a record of 45 wins
and 3 losses, with 45 knockouts. He was 27 years old.
Boxing fans should really give the big puncher from Utah some
credit. He never challened for a title, never got much recognition
outside of his home state, nor was he ever ranked. However, Clark
always stepped into the ring ready to rumble and winning by
knockout became his trademark. His world record for consecutive
knockouts is one that still stands today and still garners interst. In
fact, while he was retired from boxing in Utah LaMar Clark regularly
received letters and phone calls from boxing fans throughout the
world. He died in November of 2006 but with his efforts in the ring
he clearly made his mark in the sport and also proved himself to be a
true winner. LaMar Clark, " The Cedar City Bomber," hip, hip,
harrah, hip, hip, harrah, hip hip, harrah.
