Henry Hank: A Look Back at an Overlooked Fighter

By Jim Amato

Henry Hank of Detroit was born in 1935 and began his long professional career in 1953. In less than two years he was fighting the likes of Virgil Akins.

By 1959 Henry was good enough to mix it up with the best middleweights and light heavyweights in the world. Fighting men like Holly Mims, George Benton, Jesse Bowdry, Hank Casey, Randy Sandy and Gene Armstrong.

In 1961 Henry beat Joey Giardello. They met again in 1962 with Joey turning the tables. The rematch was voted the Fight of the Year by Ring Magazine for 1962. Other top names on his record are Chic Calderwood, Dick Tiger and Mauro Mina. Henry also defeated future heavyweight titleholder Jimmy Ellis.

On October 23, 1963 Henry met Eddie Cotton for the Michigan version of the light heavyweight title. Henry lost in fifteen rounds.

Henry would go on to meet Harold Johnson and Johnny Persol. The great Bob Foster halted Henry in ten in 1964 and Bob outscored him in a 1965 return match. Henry would also cross gloves with Roger Rouse and Heschel Jacobs.

Henry became the “Man” for young contenders to fight on their way up the ladder. Henry tested tough upstarts like Mark Tessman, Eddie “Bossman” Jones, Hal Carroll and Charlie “Devil” Green.

In one of his last fights Henry went ten rounds with the then unbeaten mammoth heavyweight heavyweight, Claude “Humphrey”McBride. Henry’s last fight was a decision loss to highly ranked Andy Kendall.

In all Henry had 97 fights with 62 wins and 31 losses with 4 draws. He scored forty KO victories. An impressive record considering the quality of opposition he faced in his outstanding career. He was halted only once and that was by the fearsome Foster. No shame there.