[Rocco Del Sesto]

1/15/67 Sunday
Akron, OH, USA
Tom Bell – LHW (0-1-0) vs. Ray Anderson - Heavyweight (8-0-0)

Tom Bell - USA Rating 1
Light Heavyweight 1962,67

0 wins / 2 losses / 0 draw / 0 KO

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Someone from out of the Akron/Cleveland area of Ohio who gave Marion Connor a bout in November 1962 loosing to Marion by 3rd round KO and then came back in Jan. 1967 to climb into the ring against Ray Anderson. Anderson KO'd Bell in the first round.

Ray Anderson - USA
Heavyweight 1965-70 Rating 5
Light Heavyweight 1970-77 Rating 2

35 wins / 19 losses / 5 draws / 20 KO

Hometown: Akron, OH
Birthplace: Anniston, AL
Manager: Joseph Gennaro/Dean C.

Yes, the TBCB has Anderson rated as a Light Heavy and is probably mentioned in writing(at least where I could find mention of him) as a Light Heavy, but when you study is record in BoxRec and look at his opponents, over the first ½ of his career, he fought predominantly heavyweights as they are classified in BoxRec and as their careers would show. Of Anderson’s first 8 fights, 1 was against a middleweight, Larry Tadum, 1 against Light Heavy Al (Tiger) Williams and 1 against a James Ross who’s not given a weight class in BoxRec. The other 5 opponents were heavyweights as listed in boxrec. If you look at the course of his career up through his fight with Hydra Lacey in January 1970, the fights are predominantly against heavyweights. During this period he fashioned a 30-2-0 record with 20 KO’s. His 2 losses were by KO and TKO. Its at that point that there is a definite shift in the class of fighters that Anderson took on. Starting with Allen Thomas in March 1970, Ray’s opponents through the rest of his career are now predominantly Light heavyweight. It’s interesting to note that the caliber of fighters he took on in these later bouts with light heavyweights is much better for the most part then the heavyweights he fought earlier on. There’s a big turn in the fortunes of his career though at this point. From that Thomas fight on, Ray fashions only a 5-17-5 record with no KO’s while he’s stopped in 9 of his 17 losses. Quite a change in outcomes of his fights against that better class of light heavyweights fought in the latter half of his career. Looking at this I felt there was a definite need to come up with a heavyweight rating for Ray Anderson along with a light heavyweight. During the course of my play testing I’ve come up with a new light heavyweight overall rating that is a 2 compared to the 4 in that came with the game. Ray’s heavyweight rating on the other hand is a 5. Many of you may disagree with all of this, but I wanted to give you the background of why I’m showing Anderson as a heavyweight. Tom Bell, he was just a local guy from Akron it would appear who agreed to give Anderson a fight back in January 1967 even though he’d not fought professionally since 1962 according to BoxRec.

The Fight....
The fight in 1967 was no fight at all apparently with Anderson knocking out Bell in the first round. Our replay outcome was pretty predictable. Anderson comes out quick landing a hard lead right hand. He misses with some jabs then lands a right hand flush to the chin a crushing cross that leaves Bell struggling to hang on only a minute into the fight. Anderson then lands a hook and after Bell misses with a wild left hand, Anderson lands a crushing blow to the ribcage of Bell sending Tom down on his knees. Bell manages to regain his feet in a 5 count. But Anderson has Bell reeling back on his heels. Ray lands a clean jab and then drills him with a quick right, left and right combination! Bell can’t fend for himself and the referee sees it as he suddenly steps in and stops the fight. A first round TKO victory for Ray Anderson at the 2:42 mark!