By Ken Hissner: World Welterweight champion Kid Gavilan was born Gerardo Gonzalez in 1926 in Camaguey, Cuba. His manager Fernando Balido gave him that fighting name after a cafe he owned called “El Gavilan” (The Hawk). Gavalan’s nickname was “The Cuban Hawk.”
Gavilan turned professional in June of 1943, which would be the first of a 143-bout career ending in November of 1947. In just Gavilan’s fifth fight, he fought a ten-rounder. In his fourteenth fight, he won his first title, the Lightweight title of Cuba, knocking out Joe Pedroso, 27-8, in five rounds.
After two wins in Mexico, Gavilan lost for the first time to Carlos Malacara, 47-19-13, in September of 1945 in Mexico City. A little over a month later, in Havana, Cuba, Gavilan won the rematch.
In America, in his tenth fight there, Gavilan, in November of 1947, stopped Bee Bee Wright, 33-3-2, in the tenth round. In September of 1948, Gavilan, 46-5-2, in a non-title fight, would lose by decision to welterweight champion “Sugar” Ray Robinson, 87-1-1, at Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York.
In January of 1949, Gavilan reversed an earlier loss with back-to-back wins over the former world lightweight champion Ike Williams, 98-10-4, both at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
In July of 1948, Gavilan would lose again, this time for the welterweight title to champion Robinson, 95-1-2, at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium. In 1951 Robinson vacated his welterweight title to move up to middleweight.
In May of 1951, at Madison Square Garden, Gavilan would win the NBA welterweight title defeating Johnny Bratton 44-16-2. In his first defense, he defeated Bill Graham, 91-6-1, by a split decision.
In July of 1952, Gavilan came to Philadelphia, stopping Philly’s Gil Turner, 31-0, in eleven rounds. Two cards were even, and one had Gavilan ahead at the time.
In a third fight with Graham, 98-8-8, after a non-title draw, he won by decision, this time in Havana. In April of 1954, he challenged Middleweight champion Bobo Olson, 60-6, losing a majority decision.
In 1982 in Catskill, New York, I watched the replay with 17-year-old amateur Mike Tyson as a guest of his trainer Cus D’Amato, and we both felt Gavilan won the fight and the title.
Six months later, Gavilan lost a disputed decision and his title to Johnny Saxton, 44-2-2, in Philadelphia. Saxton was managed by gangster Frank “Blinky” Palermo. I met Palermo many years later at a promoter’s home in Bucks County, PA, whom he called “Uncle Frank!”
I first met the former world champion Gavilan at Muhammad Ali’s Deer Lake, PA, training camp as a greeter. The other time was when he was living in a hotel in Harrisburg, PA. I asked him, “What are you writing about?” He said, “about Blinky Palermo and Fidel Castro. One robbed him of his title, and the other stole his land in Cuba. I said, “I hope you live to tell it!”
I asked if he had a copy of his record, and he said he didn’t. Under my arm was a copy of the Ring Record Book, and he asked if he could borrow it. I told him, “No,” and hesitated and said, “But I’ll give it to you!” He gave me a signed picture.
Some of Gavilan’s noted wins were over former lightweight champion Beau Jack, 81-14-4; future welter and middleweight champion Carmen Basilio, 35-10-5; Tony Janiro, 80-9-2 and Bobby Dykes, 88-10-6.
Gavilan would have fights in Argentina, France, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His final record was 108-30-5, with 28 knockouts.
In 1990 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. His famous “bolo punch,” it was said, was from using a machete cutting sugar cane in Cuba prior to his boxing career.
