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.
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