Nino Valdes vs. Don Cockell
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Nino Valdes 207 lbs beat Don Cockell 218 lbs by RTD in round 3 of 10
- Date: 1955-09-13
- Location: White City Stadium, White City, London, United Kingdom
- Referee: Charles Davidson
"Hulking Nino Valdes of Cuba barged back into the heavyweight picture Wednesday on the strength of a technical knockout over Don Cockell that he claims was "better than Rocky Marciano's." Valdez slashed Cockell's left eyebrow so badly that the stocky British champion was forced to retire at the end of the third round of their scheduled 10-round bout at White City Stadium Tuesday night. Marciano knocked out Cockell in the ninth round of their title bout May 16. It was an impressive comeback for Valdes, who had tumbled out of title contention when he lost successive bouts to Archie Moore and Bob Satterfield this year." - United Press
Notes
- Valdes always insisted on wearing white trunks. His fight against Don Cockell was almost canceled after Valdes was informed that the British Boxing Board of Control did not allow fighters to wear white. Valdes said, "I am Catholic, and when I was baptized in Havana many, many years ago, I swore to the cardinal that I would honor his wish and box only in white." Eventually a compromise was reached: The BBBofC allowed him to wear his white trunks as long as they were covered, apart from a white stripe down each leg, by a dark material. Valdes chose red as the covering color. The shorts already bore a black stripe on each leg, which remained uncovered. The white part that he was permitted to show was two inches wide.
- Valdes floored Cockell for an eight-count with a right to the face in the third round.
Post Fight Comment
- "The London result didn't surprise me. It just proved that Marciano is a nothing fighter. Archie'll knock him out in five or six rounds." - Charley Johnston, manager of Archie Moore, comparing how Valdes and Marciano fared against Cockell. Moore would be fighting Marciano a week later.