Bob Baker vs. Willi Besmanoff

Willi Besmanoff 194 lbs beat Bob Baker 214 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10

• Date: 1957-04-01
• Location: St. Nicholas Arena, New York, New York, USA
• Referee: Al Berl 5-4
• Judge: Bert Grant 5-4
• Judge: Nat Cooper 5-4

"'No 13' held no terrors to the new German heavyweight threat. Billy Besmanoff, 194 1/4, who spotted twenty pounds as well as several inches in height and reach to the veteran Bob Baker, 214 1/4, Pittsburgh, and outpointed him in a lively ten at St Nicholas Arena. Unbeaten in eleven outings in Europe in 1956, and winner in his one previous American start this year, Besmanoff was shooting for his 13th straight victory in the most important bout of his career to date. The German fought a cool, methodical bout against his bigger and more experienced foe. Billy outboxed Baker most of the way and even outpunched him in several brisk exchanges. It was an unexpectedly lively bout for heavyweights and Baker, though he lost, showed more animation than New Yorkers have seen him display in a long time." (New York Times?)

• Unofficial AP scorecard - 5-4-1 Besmanoff

Post fight comments

• "He's the biggest and the best I ever fought, but I'm sorry I didn't slug it out with him more often. I think I could have knocked him out." -Willi Besmanoff

• "I thought I won it by a couple of rounds." -Bob Baker

• "No return. We're aiming higher now. Now we want Willie Pastrano." -Jersey Jones, Besmanoff's manager