Kid Gavilan

Titles: Welterweight champion 1951-1954

Record: 107-30-6

Born: January 6, 1926 in Camaguey, Cuba

Years active: 1943-1958

Nickname: The Cuban Hawk

A colorful, exciting performer who was on of the best when the spirit moved 
him. He often needed to be pushed, becoming lackadaisical when facing an 
opponent who wasn't top caliber. A hard man to stop, Gavilan could box or 
slug. At his peak there was no one in his era faster or more exciting
than Gavilan. His polo punch (a half hook-half uppercut punch) excited the 
crowd and he was quite a showman for his time. The only thing Gavilan 
lacked was a knockout punch, but his tremendous stamina always made for 
exciting fights. It is amazing that "The Kid" was never knocked out in his
career, never weighed more than 151 pounds and fought against middleweights 
after running out of opponents in his own division. He turned pro in Havana 
at the age of 17 and lost 2 of his first 27 fights but it was in New York 
where he made his name. He twice out pointed reigning lightweight champion 
Ike William's before getting his first title shot at welterweight against 
the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson but he did not have the experience to cope 
with Robinson yet and lost the decision. He did well however and thus was 
avoided and shut out of other world title fights for the next 2 years until 
the title became vacant. Gavilan fought for the vacant title against Johnny 
Bratton and defeated him rather easily, his three year reign had now begun. 
In his next fight however he was lucky to get a decision against Billy
Graham.  Six title defenses followed in which he defeated Carmen Basilio 
twice, Gil Turner, Billy Graham again and Chuck Davey among others. When 
Gavilan did loose in Philadelphia against hometown boy Johnny Saxton but 
ringside reporters thought he was robbed. He would fight on with some
success but no titles for the next 4 years. In 1954 Gavilan tried to win 
the middleweight title but was soundly beaten by Carl Olsen, Gavilan was 
now a shell of his former self. Still he fought the best fighters available 
but with little success. Sadly his eyesight was getting worse and he would
later go blind. In retirement Gavilan became a Jehovahs Witness and moved 
back to Cuba to become a farmer. Gavilan lost his earnings and possessions 
when Cuba was taken control of by Fidel Castro but was allowed to emigrate 
to the USA in 1968 and was part of Ali's entourage for a time.


Kid Gavilan

Career record: 107 W, 30 L, 6 D (28 K.O's)

    1943

     Jun 5   Antonio Diaz            Havana                  W 4
     Jun 12  Bartolo Molina          Havana                  W 4
     Aug 7   Valeriano Dustat        Havana                  D 6
     Sep 11  Sergio Prieto           Havana                  KO 5

     1944

     Oct 1   Juan Villalba           Havana                  KO 9
     Nov 26  Esemerido Salazar       Havana                  W 10
     Dec 23  Miguel Acevado          Havana                  W 10

     1945

     Feb 10  Esmerido Salazar        Havana                  W 10
     Mar 10  Jose Pedroso            Havana                  W 10
     Apr 21  Santiago Sosa           Havana                  KO 9
     May 13  Kid Bebo                Cienfuegos, Cuba        KO 4
     May 26  Julio Jiminez           Havana                  W 10
     Jun 23  Pedro Ortega            Havana                  W 10
     Jul 7   Jose Pedroso            Havana                  KO 4
     Aug 4   Julio Jiminez           Mexico City             W 10
     Aug 26  Pedro Ortega            Mexico City             KO 6
     Sep 22  Carlos Malacara         Mexico City             L 10
     Nov 5   Carlos Malacara         Mexico City             W 10
     Nov 17  Johnny Suarez           Havana                  W 10

     1946

     Jan 26  Kid Bururu              Havana                  W 10
     Feb 9   Kid Bururu              Havana                  W 10
     Mar 2   Jose Zorilla            Bayamon, Puerto Rico    KO 4
     Mar 9   Santiago Sosa           Havana                  W 10
     Apr 5   Tony Martinez           Mexico City             L 10
     Jun 25  Chico Varona            Havana                  W 10
     Aug 4   Hankin Barrow           Havana                  KO 7
     Aug 24  Jack Larrimore          Havana                  KO 3
     Sep 7   Hankin Barrow           Havana                  W 10
     Nov 1   Johnny Ryan             New York                KO 5
     Dec 2   Johnny Williams         New York                W 10
     Dec 13  Johnny Williams         New York                W 10

     1947

     Jan 28  Julio Pedroso           Havana                  W 10
     Feb 8   Jose Garcia Alvarez     Havana                  W 10
     Feb 22  Pablo Roca              Havana                  W 10
     Mar 12  Nick Moran              Havana                  W 10
     Apr 26  Vince Gambill           Havana                  KO 2
     Aug 11  Charlie Williams        Newark, NJ              W 10
     Aug 18  Bobby Lee               Baltimore               W 10
     Sep 2   Doug Ratford            Newark, NJ              L 10
     Sep 15  Charley Millan          Baltimore               KO 1
     Sep 18  Billy Justine           Philadelphia            W 8
     Oct 23  Billy Nixon             Philadelphia            W 8
     Nov 3   Bee Bee Wright          Baltimore               KO 10
     Dec 29  Buster Tyler            New York                D 10

     1948

     Jan 12  Gene Burton             New York                D 10
     Jan 23  Joe Curcio              New York                KO 2
     Feb 13  Vinnie Rossano          New York                W 10
     Feb 27  Ike Williams            New York                L 10
     Apr 13  Doug Ratford            Brooklyn                L 10
     Apr 26  Tommy Bell              Philadelphia            W 10
     May 28  Rocco Rossano           New York                KO 1
     Jul 22  Roman Alvarez           New York                W 10
     Aug 12  Buster Tyler            New York                W 10
     Sep 23  Ray Robinson            New York                L 10
     Oct 21  Vinnie Rossano          Washington DC           KO 6
     Nov 12  Tony Pellone            New York                W 10
     Dec 11  Abdul Ben Baker         Havana                  W 10

     1949

     Jan 28  Ike Williams            New York                W 10
     Apr 1   Ike Williams            New York                W 10
     May 2   Al Priest               Boston                  W 10
     Jun 7   Cliff Hart              Syracuse, NY            KO 2
     Jul 11  Ray Robinson            Philadelphia            L 15
             (For World Welterweight Title)
     Sep 9   Rocky Castellani        New York                W 10
     Oct 14  Beau Jack               Chicago                 W 10
     Oct 21  Lestor Felton           Detroit                 L 10
     Nov 21  Laurent Dauthuille      Montreal                W 10
     Dec 17  Bobby Lee               Havana                  W 10

     1950

     Feb 10  Billy Graham            New York                L 10
     Mar 6   Otis Graham             Philadelphia            W 10
     Mar 20  Robert Villemain        Montreal                L 10
     May 8   George Costner          Philadelphia            L 10
     May 26  George Small            New York                W 10
     Jun 8   Mike Koballa            Brooklyn                W 10
     Jun 19  Bobby Mann              Hartford, CT            W 10
     Jul 2   Sonny Horne             Brooklyn                W 10
     Jul 13  Phil Burton             Omaha, NE               W 10
     Aug 15  Johnny Greco            Montreal                KO 6
     Oct 23  Tommy Ciarlo            New Haven, CT           D 10
     Oct 30  Eugene Hairston         Scranton, PA            L 10
     Nov 17  Billy Graham            New York                W 10
     Dec 4   Tony Janiro             Cleveland               W 10
     Dec 22  Joe Miceli              New York                W 10

     1951

     Jan 26  Paddy Young             New York                W 10
     Feb 19  Tommy Ciarlo            Caracas, Venezuela      W 10
     Mar 10  Tommy Ciarlo            Havana                  KO 3
     Mar 30  Eugene Hairston         New York                W 10
     Apr 20  Aldo Minelli            New York                W 10
     May 18  Johnny Bratton          New York                W 15
             (Wins Vacant World Welterweight Title)
     Jul 16  Fritzie Pruden          Milwaukee               W 10
     Aug 29  Billy Graham            New York                W 15
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)
     Oct 4   Bobby Rosado            Havana                  KO 7
     Nov 7   Tony Janiro             Detroit                 KO 4
     Nov 28  Johnny Bratton          Chicago                 D 10
     Dec 14  Walter Cartier          New York                KO 10

     1952

     Feb 4   Bobby Dykes             Miami                   W 15
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)
     Feb 28  Don Williams            Boston                  W 10
     May 19  Ralph Zannelli          Providence              W 10
     May 28  Fitzie Pruden           Indianapolis            KO 6
     Jul 7   Gil Turner              Philadelphia            KO 11
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)
     Aug 16  Mario Diaz              Buenos Aires            W 10
     Sep 6   Rafael Merentino        Buenos Aires            KO 9
     Sep 13  Eduardo Lausse          Buenos Aires            W 10
     Oct 5   Billy Graham            Havana                  W 15
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)

     1953

     Jan 13  Aman Peck               Tampa, FL               W 10
     Jan 21  Vic Cardell             Washington DC           W 10
     Feb 11  Chuck Davey             Chicago                 KO 10
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)
     Apr 14  Livio Minelli           Cleveland               W 10
     May 2   Danny Womber            Syracuse, NY            L 10
     Jun 10  Italo Scortichini       Detroit                 W 10
     Jul 15  Ramon Fuentes           Milwaukee               W 10
     Aug 26  Ralph "Tiger" Jones     New York                W 10
     Sep 18  Carmen Basilio          Syracuse, NY            W 15
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)
     Nov 13  Johnny Bratton          Chicago                 W 15
             (Retains World Welterweight Title)

     1954

     Feb 23  Johnny Cunningham       Miami Beach             W 10
     Mar 8   Livio Minelli           Boston                  W 10
     Apr 2   Carl "Bobo" Olson       Chicago                 L 15
             (For World Middleweight Title)
     Oct 20  Johnny Saxton           Philadelphia            L 15
             (Loses World Welterweight Title)

     1955

     Feb 4   Ernie Durando           New York                W 10
     Feb 23  Hector Constance        Miami Beach             L 10
     Mar 16  Bobby Dykes             Miami                   L 10
     Jun 2   Luigi Cemulini          Santa Clara, Cuba       KO 3
     Jul 13  Cirilo Gil              Buenos Aires            W 10
     Aug 13  Juan Burges             Montevideo, Uruguay     KO 7
     Sep 3   Eduardo Lausse          Buenos Aires            L 12
     Dec 3   Dogomar Martinez        Montevideo, Uruguay     L 10

     1956

     Feb 7   Peter Waterman          London                  L 10
     Mar 29  Germinal Ballarin       Paris                   L 10
     Apr 24  Peter Waterman          London                  W 10
     May 13  Louis Trochon           Marseilles, France      D 10
     Aug 18  Jimmy Beecham           Havana                  W 10
     Oct 13  Tony DeMarco            Boston                  L 10
     Nov 13  Chico Vejar             Los Angeles             W 10
     Dec 4   Walter Byars            Boston                  L 10
     Dec 20  Ramon Fuentes           Los Angeles             L 10

     1957

     Feb 26  Vince Martinez          Newark, NJ              L 10
     Apr 24  Del Flanagan            St. Paul, MN            L 10
     Jun 17  Vince Martinez          Jersey City, NJ         L 10
     Jul 31  Gaspar Ortega           Miami Beach             W 10
     Oct 22  Gaspar Ortega           Los Angeles             L 12
     Nov 20  Walter Byars            Chicago                 W 10

     1958

     Feb 19  Ralph "Tiger" Jones     Miami Beach             L 10
     Apr 4   Ralph "Tiger" Jones     Philadelphia            W 10
     Jun 18  Yama Bahama             Miami Beach             L 10