For years, Kid Gavilan, fondly known as “The Cuban Hawk,” was a prominent figure in the boxing world, climbing his way up the ranks long before he claimed the world welterweight title. His journey to the top saw him going toe-to-toe with fierce competitors like Tommy Bell, George Costner, Ike Williams, Tony Janiro, and Beau Jack, showcasing his prowess before finally becoming champion. His first shot at a title was an intense match against Sugar Ray Robinson, which was a rematch after their debated non-title fight back in 1948. During that event at Yankee Stadium, the award of a unanimous points win to Robinson left the crowd in an uproar. Although those sitting ringside generally agreed with the judges, Gavilan’s late-match flurry had won the crowd’s hearts.
A year later in Philadelphia, their battle for the championship left less room for debate. Everyone knew Robinson was struggling to meet the 147-pound requirement, so Gavilan saw this as his chance, opening the fight with blazing speed and taking the lead for the first four rounds. However, Robinson soon found his footing and took control, dominating the Cuban in the latter part of the match. While Sugar Ray might not have looked like one of the all-time greats in their first encounter, he certainly did in their second.
But Robinson moved up to the middleweight division, eventually securing his second divisional crown by famously stopping Jake LaMotta in the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” of 1951. Meanwhile, Gavilan rose to prominence at 147 pounds, defeating Johnny “Honey Boy” Bratton to take the welterweight crown. For a few years, “The Hawk” stayed busy, mixing in dominant championship defenses against fighters like Billy Graham, Gil Turner, Chuck Davey, and Carmen Basilio with a handful of non-title victories.
By 1954, having faced most of the competition in the welterweight class, Gavilan set his sights on the middleweights, particularly after Robinson retired following his tough defeat to Joey Maxim in 1952. It wouldn’t be long before Robinson returned in 1955, but during his hiatus, Carl “Bobo” Olson had claimed the vacant 160-pound title with his victory over Randy Turpin. Like Gavilan, Olson had experienced losses to Robinson. The first was a knockout in the twelfth round in 1950, and in 1952, Olson did manage to challenge Ray briefly before the champion came back to win a unanimous decision. Olson had then rattled off twelve straight victories, making him the favorite to defend his title against Gavilan.
The contrast between the two fighters was stark as the big day drew closer. Gavilan’s ever-present grin was a stark counterpoint to Olson’s constant grimace. The media enjoyed covering Gavilan’s upbeat demeanor, filling column inches with images of his winning smile. “I’m feeling better for this fight than ever,” the welterweight champ declared, his confidence brimming. “I’m past worrying about weight issues; I can now eat and drink with ease. People think Olson’s weight will be too much—I’ll prove them wrong with my speed and skill.”
Meanwhile, “Bobo,” or “The Kalihi Kid,” wasn’t in the mood to chat with reporters, and his team conceded his moodiness was more pronounced than usual. Manager Syd Flaherty remarked, “That’s a great sign. When he gets cranky, it means he’s ready for a serious fight.”
The anticipation for Olson vs. Gavilan turned it into a hot ticket event. In that era, with only eight weight divisions and one champion per division, a clash between two legit titleholders was a major draw. Around twenty thousand eager fans packed into Chicago Stadium to witness this encounter of boxing titans, and the fighters did not disappoint, serving up an exhilarating contest of skill and will.
Each round was nail-bitingly close, but Olson’s natural size advantage became apparent as he applied relentless pressure, forcing Gavilan to retreat. The two slugged it out fiercely, trading blows, until Gavilan suffered a cut over his right eye in the ninth round. The tenth round saw a toe-to-toe exchange that The New York Times described as “one of the most intense and grueling in ring history.”
Round ten’s grueling pace seemed to sap Gavilan’s energy, allowing Olson to take control in the final rounds with punishing left hooks targeting both body and head. Although Gavilan fought valiantly with his signature flurries of punches, the champion’s efforts were more effective. In the last round, Gavilan made a gallant push, landing a left hook that stunned Olson, but it was too late to swing the scorecards in his favor. The decision was split, with two officials favoring Olson by six and eight points, while the third scored it a draw. Some spectators swore they glimpsed a rare smile from “Bobo” upon hearing the verdict.
Post-fight, Gavilan expressed his belief that he had clinched victory and revealed an unexpected claim: He had fought with an injured right hand, a lingering issue from a recent tune-up match. Olson, unfazed, merely pointed to the fact that Gavilan had cleared his mandatory health checks before stepping into the ring.
Gavilan’s reign in the welterweight division came to a contentious end when he lost to Johnny Saxton in October, with allegations circulating about Saxton’s connections to Blinky Palermo and the Philadelphia mob. The uproar was such that bookies had suspended betting weeks in advance. Gavilan slugged it out for four more years but never returned to a world title bout.
In June 1955, Olson aimed for new heights, but light heavyweight champ Archie Moore was not so accommodating, knocking Olson out in three rounds. By year’s end, a revitalized Sugar Ray Robinson had stripped Olson of the middleweight title, knocking him out in the second round. While Gavilan and Olson soon drifted from the forefront, the indomitable Sugar Ray marched on. — Michael Carbert
