| Kid Chocolate | |
 |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Eligio Sardiñas Montalvo |
| Nickname(s) | The Cuban Bon Bon |
| Rated at | Featherweight |
| Nationality |  Cuban |
| Birth date | January 6, 1910 |
| Birth place | Cerro, Havana, Cuba |
| Death date | August 8, 1988 (aged 78) |
| Death place | Cuba |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 152 |
| Wins | 136 |
| Wins by KO | 51 |
| Losses | 10 |
| Draws | 6 |
Eligio Sardiñas Montalvo (January 6, 1910 – August 8, 1988), better known as Kid Chocolate, was a Cuban boxer who enjoyed wild success both in the boxing ring and in society life during a span of the 1930s. Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of Boxing and Wrestling (Greco-Roman Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, A boxing ring is the space in which a Boxing match occurs A modern ring which is set on a raised platform is square with a post at each corner to which four parallel The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression.
Contents |
Biography
Chocolate, nicknamed The Cuban Bon Bon, learned how to fight by watching old fight films in Cuba. He later sparred with boxers such as Benny Leonard and Jack Johnson, all world champions, before beginning an amateur boxing career. Benny Leonard ( April 17, 1896 &mdash April 18, 1947) born Benjamin Leiner was an American boxer and one of the greatest Arthur John Johnson (March 31 1878 – June 10 1946 better known as Jack Johnson and nicknamed the “Galveston Giant” was an American boxer and Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, As an amateur, he won all 100 of his fights, 86 by knockout.
His professional boxing debut, officially, occurred on December 8, 1927, when he beat Johnny Cruz by a decision in six in Havana. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading Whether that was his actual debut or not has been a point of contention, because some Cuban boxing historians claim that he was actually paid for 21 bouts before that, supposedly winning each of them by knockout, which would put him on Ring Magazine's list of longest knockout streaks in history. The Ring (often called Ring Magazine) is an American Boxing Magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing But documents show the Cruz fight as being his first professional bout.
His first 12 bouts, including a five round knockout win in a rematch with Cruz, were held in Cuba. In 1928, he moved to the United States and began campaigning in New York. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous He won his first nine bouts there, five by knockout, and 12 of his first 13 fights in his new hometown. The only person to escape the ring without a defeat against Chocolate during that span was Joey Scalfaro, who held him to a ten round draw.
By 1929, Chocolate started to become a name to be reckoned with in boxing. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He had 23 fights that year, and continued his undefeated run by winning each of them. He also began to meet better opponents, and among the boxers he beat were former world champion Fidel LaBarba, beaten by a decision in ten, future world champion Al Singer, also by a decision in ten, and fringe contenders Bushy Graham, Vic Burrone and Gregorio Vidal, all of whom, except for Graham, were beaten by decision. Fidel LaBarba ( September 29, 1905 &ndash October 3, 1981) was a United States boxer and Sportswriter. Al Singer ( September 6, 1909, in New York NY &ndash April 20, 1961) was an American boxer. Graham was disqualified in the seventh round.
In 1930, he beat Burrone twice again, as part of his first seven bouts that year, all of which he won. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. But then, he was faced with future world Jr. Welterweight champion Jackie Kid Berg, who took away Chocolate's undefeated record by beating him in ten rounds. Judah Bergman, known as Jack Kid Berg or Jackie Kid Berg ( June 28, 1909 &ndash April 22, 1991) was an English After three more fights, which resulted in two first round knockout wins and a decision loss in a ten round rematch with LaBarba, Chocolate found himself in a ring with world Featherweight champion Bat Battalino. Trying to become Cuba's first world boxing champion ever on that night, Chocolate lost a 15 round decision.
World champion
He started 1931 by winning four fights in a row, after going up in weight to the Jr. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lightweight division. Then, on July 15 of that year, his dream of becoming Cuba's first world boxing champion finally came true, as he knocked out the defending world Jr. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Lightweight champion Benny Bass in seven rounds to take the world title. Benny Bass, known as "Little Fish" ( December 15, 1904, in Kiev, Ukraine; immigrated to the United States in 1906 – June 25 Five non-title wins followed, including a first round knockout in a rematch with Scalfaro, and then he finished the year by going up in weight once again, and challenging world Lightweight champion Tony Canzoneri, losing by a decision in 15 in his first attempt to gain the Lightweight crown. Tony Canzoneri ( November 6 1908 &mdash December 9, 1959) was an American boxer who was born in the town of Slidell
He started 1932 by winning his first eight bouts, including a world title defense in Havana against Davie Abad, beaten in 15 by decision. Year 1932 ( MCMXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. Then, he faced Berg in a rematch, losing again, this time by decision in 15. He engaged in seven more bouts, including two decision wins over Johnny Farr, before fighting Lew Feldman on October 13. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees The fight was recognized as a world Featherweight title bout, but only by the New York state athletic commission. Chocolate won by a knockout in 12 rounds, gaining the New York world title.
He retained that world title twice, including a third fight with LaBarba, before relinquishing it while in the middle of a European boxing tour that took him to Madrid, Barcelona and Paris. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city He won all of his fights on that tour by decision. Upon returning to America, he lost by a knockout in two in a rematch with Canzoneri, then lost his world Lightweight title, being knocked out in seven by Frankie Klick. After that fight, it was revealed that he was suffering from Syphilis. Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum.
Later years
He retired shortly, but came back in 1934. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He won 47 of his next 50 bouts until he retired in 1938, but never faced the kind of opposition he had faced before. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Furthermore, he never received another world title try and felt abandoned by boxing's powers behind the curtains when he decided to retire.
Chocolate was known as a wild party man during his years as a world champion. He was a boxer who enjoyed being out at night and engaging himself under the bright lights of the city's nightlife. However, when he stepped out of boxing, he went back to Cuba and lived a quieter life.
In 1959, Chocolate's figure in Cuba was totally relegated by Fidel Castro and his revolutionary forces, and he almost became a forgotten champion, but by the late 1970s, Chocolate's achievements were finally recognized by the Cuban government, who then put him to live in a state backed house, as had occurred with other important Cuba athletic figures. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born August 13 1926 is a Cuban revolutionary leader who was prime minister of Cuba from December 1959 to December 1976 and then president until This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. It was in that house that Chocolate died in 1988.
His record was of 136 wins, 10 losses and 6 draws, 51 wins coming by knockout, also making Ring magazine's list of boxers with 50 or more career knockout wins. He became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame alongside Bass, Berg and Canzoneri. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall
He was the inspiration for the character Choclolate Drop in Clifford Odets' play Golden Boy.
External links
BoxReccom is a website dedicated to keep updated records of professional boxers, both male and female.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic