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Hall of fame boxer, Kid Gavilán dies of a
heart attack.
February 14, 2003 -- Hall of Fame boxer, Kid
"El Famoso" Gavilán died yesterday of a heart attack at a Miami
hospital. Gavilán was 77.
Born Gerardo González in Camaguey, Cuba, on Jan. 6, 1926,
Gavilán started boxing at the age of 16 and had his first pro fight at
the age of 18. Gavilán quickly became one of the most popular fighters in the 1940s and
1950s. He had a 15-year professional career beginning in 1943, compiling a
record of 107 wins, 30 defeats and 6 draws with 28 knockouts.
Gavilán won the vacant welterweight title by out-pointing Johnny Bratton in
1951 at New York, and he defended it seven times before losing it on points
to Johnny Saxton three years later at Philadelphia. One of his successful defenses came against Bobby Dykes at Miami Stadium in 1952 — the first
title bout between black and white fighters in then-segregated Miami.
Before his title loss to Saxton, Gavilán challenged Carl "Bobo" Olson for the
middleweight title and lost a 15-round decision in 1954 at Chicago.
Gavilán, who got his nickname from his coach Ernesto Balido, was
considered a hero in pre-Castro era in Cuba before he moved to the United States in 1968.
Known for his slick defense and timely combinations, Gavilán
often displayed his signature bolo punch, with the sweeping punch beginning like
a softball pitcher's windup and ending in an uppercut.
He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in
1990.
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