Bob Baker vs. Willie James

Bob Baker 219 lbs beat Willie James 208 lbs by KO at 2:57 in round 2 of 10

• Date: 1955-02-09
• Location: Coliseum, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
• Referee: Benny Goldstein
• Judge: Eddie Leonard
• Judge: Jimmy Jones

James retired after this bout. He started out well against Baker, winning the first round and going after him in the second, but a couple of big rights stopped him.

"Big Bob Baker of Pittsburgh floored Willie James of Roxbury, Mass., with a right to the chin for a full-count knockout Wednesday night at 2:50 of the 2nd round. James was forcing the fight when Baker suddenly hit him on the chin with a straight right. James staggered backwards. Baker followed with a left hook to the chin and another right and then a terrific right to the jaw dropped Willie near a corner for the 5th defeat of his career. James appeared to give Baker a hard fight in the 1st round. He used his long left jab to advantage and appeared to be out-speeding Baker. When James hit the deck in the 2nd round, he took most of the count sitting down. He had nearly regained his feet at the count of 10, tolled by referee Benny Goldstein." -United Press

• Attendance - 2,300
• In his last bout, James had knocked out former Olympic Gold medalist Ed Sanders, who, unfortunately, passed away three days later from ring injuries.
• This bout was a substitute for the originally scheduled rematch between Joey Giardello and Al Andrews. Their bout was scrubbed when Andrews pulled out of the bout after pulling a muscle in his side when he slipped in the snow during a workout in Chicago.