Kid Gavilan vs. Tony Janiro

Kid Gavilan 148 lbs beat Tony Janiro 153 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10

• Date: 1950-12-04
• Location: Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• Referee: Jackie Davis

"The sleek Gavilan, a whippet at 148 pounds, never was in trouble but had the heavier Janiro spinning around from left jabs mixed up with his famous bolo punch. Janiro, at 153, could never get set for a hard punch at the longer-reaching Cuban and as a result had to spend practically all his time trying to tie up Gavilan. Out to rid himself of the epithet, "hard luck fighter of 1950" because of four split decision losses and a draw in four fights, Gavilan started out as if he wanted to end it in the first round. His left hooks stunned Janiro at the outset, and from that point on the Youngstown, Ohio, boxer fought a defensive battle. Janiro, his baby-face reddened by the jab-jab of Gavilan’s flying fists, had to grab the ropes in the first and again in the eighth to keep from falling, but he was game and kept coming back. ...But the Cuban was much too sharp and consistently beat the Steel City boy to the punch. ...In the eighth, two hard rights to Janiro’s ear set Tony up for a solid left smash that left him staring glassily. Had Janiro been able to get inside Gavilan’s guard, the shorter fighter might have had a better chance with his infighting. But as it was, Gavilan took every round except the fifth and sixth when Janiro received the edge for trying. The fourth round was even." -UP

Attendance: 9,342

Gate: $61,269