In memoriam: Kid ”The Cuban Hawk” Gavilan (6.1 1926 – 13.2. 2003)

Janne Romppainen

16.02 - The boxing world is in grief as it had to receive the news that one of the most liked and respected ring legends Kid Gavilan has passed away last Thursday at the age of 77. Now that the incomparable Hawk reached the end of his flight it is time to take a look at his career that might be unknown to the younger boxing fans but which in many ways is not surpassed.

Gavilan was born in Gamaguey, Cuba. His original name was Gerardo Gonzales and he received his better-known nickname in the United States. Gavilan is a Spanish word and it means a hawk and for most of his career he was known as Kid Gavilan. He started his boxing career in Havanna just like thousands of other Cuban boys. He made his professional ring debut at the age of 17, besting one Antonio Diaz via points victory over four rounds. He fought in his homeland to the year 1946 and also made couple of trips to the Mexico. At the time Gavilan succeeded pretty well, winning more than losing, but was still an unknown fighter outside his home turf.

His American debut came in the November of the same year. The audience quickly approved his aggressive fighting style which brought back-to-back victories over Johnny Ryan and Johnny Williams. At the forties the competition was very tough however and Gavilan had to return temporarily to his home country. In the next year he was back in the States and gathered a list of 11-1-1 and at the end of the year he was already a name in the boxing circles as The Ring magazine placed him as the seventh contender of the world title. In the next year he faced Gene Burton who was the first challenger of the legendary reigning champion Sugar Ray Robinson. Their ten-round bout ended in to a draw, which cemented the Cuban’s place at the very top. He also got a chance to fight in the main event in the Madison Square Garden which at the time was every fighter’s dream that most of them could never materialize. Gavilan also had his troubles as he lost back-to-back to the lightweight champion Ike Williams and Doug Ratford. Back then losing a fight didn’t mean as much as it does today however and defeating the worthy challenger Tommy Bell secured Gavilan’s place as the best challenger for Robinson.

Robinson himself wasn’t too eager to fight his new and hungry challenger. After some public pressure he agreed to face Gavilan, but only in a ten-round non-title fight. In September 1948 Robinson showed to the world that the title still belonged to him as he clearly out-pointed the Hawk even though Gavilan gave him a good fight. In 1949 those two met again in a title fight and Robinson retained his belt with a convincing unanimous decision victory. Gavilan had to live in his shadow for two more years until Robinson moved up to the middleweight division. For three years Gavilan was the number one contender, defeating among others Ike Williams in both of their rematches and being one of the most popular fighters in the world and fighting regularly in the MSG. Gavilan also made a couple of visits to the middleweight, defeating the Frenchman Laurent Dauthuille who is best remembered for losing to Jake LaMotta just a couple of seconds before the final bell in a middleweight a title fight.

Gavilan did not get the first shot at the title which rightfully would have belonged to him. Johnny Bratton and Charley Fusari fought for the vacant NBA title in March of 1951 with the former winning by decision. Gavilan got his long-awaited chance only two months later however, taking the belt by an unanimous decision. The Hawk had finally reached his dream at the 18th day of May in 1951.

Gavilan proved that he was a worthy successor for the legendary Sugar Ray by being a dominating champion for four years. He even tried to follow Robinson’s foot steps by challenging Carl ‘Bobo’ Olson for the latter’s middleweight crown but he didn’t quite make it, losing only by a majority decision. Gavilan defended his title seven times, defeating among others Carmen Basilio, a rising star who would become a legend himself and defeat even Robinson. Besides the official defences Gavilan fought 20 times during his title reign, losing only to Olson and Danny Womber. The only time that Gavilan was in real trouble was in 1951 as he took on Billy Graham. Those two had split victories in their two fights before Gavilan became the champion and in the rubber match he retained his title only with a highly controversial decision. They met again next year in Havanna but their Gavilan was not to be surprised.

Gavilan was clearly the best man of his weight class but unfortunately it wasn’t always enough back in the fifties. The decade is remembered as one of the darkest periods of boxing because of not what happened inside the ring but for what happened outside it. Frankie Carbo with his assistants had taken the control in the IBC and even the New York boxing commission was powerless as the new men took over in boxing. Johnny Saxton was a rising star in the welterweight division . His manager was Frankie ‘Blinky’ Palermo who happened in turn to be a close friend of Carbo’s. Gavilan met Saxton in a title fight in 1954. Under normal circumstances Gavilan would have retained his title by a decision victory but now he didn’t have a chance of winning unless there was a knockout. Gavilan was never known as a big puncher and the title changed hands.

Gavilan had a contract for a rematch but it would not happen, now would he ever again get a title shot. He continued his career but the age and probably frustration had already taken over and his career came to a downswing. The years of glory were over and he became a good name for upcoming challengers’ records. Gavilan retired from the ring at 1958. He returned to his homeland and hoped to spend pleasant time with his family and the money he had made during his fifteen-years long career. The communist revolution however changed his plans and he moved to Miami, working in Muhammad Ali’s camp and staying in the States also after the work relationship had ended.

Gavilan gathered a ring record which included 143 victories, 30 losses and seven draws. Gavilan was best-known for his outstanding stamina, aggression and chin. He also created a new term to boxing as he became famed for his right-hand ‘bolo-punch’ which he had learned when he worked as a youngster in Cuba cutting sugar-cane. Gavilan only knocked out 27 opponents but he was never knocked out himself which is quite remarkable considering the huge amount of bouts. Gavilan was always a nice personality and highly respected both inside and outside of the ring. Now he is not among us anymore but his reputation and achievements will remain for decades in the minds of the boxing fans. My hat goes of for the Hawk, the great welterweight champion whose wings never gave out in the ring.

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