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Alberto Davila (born around 1960), is a
Mexican-American who boxed during the 1970s and
1980s in boxing's Bantamweight division, and,
after realizing his dream of becoming a world
champion, he could not enjoy it much. 

Davila, a native of Pomona, California|Pomona,
California, boxed with many of the best boxers of
that division during that era. He challenged
Carlos Zarate for the World Boxing Council|WBC's
world title, losing by a knockout. Then, he beat
Lupe Pintor by a ten round decision and lost to
Wilfredo Gomez by a nine round knockout in Puerto
Rico. When Pintor beat Zarate for the title,
Davila was given a second chance in a rematch with
the Mexican world champion, and lost by a fifteen
round decision. 

A few years later,during 1983, Pintor suffered a
car accident and had to retire involuntarily,
leaving the crown vacant, so the WBC assigned
their number one challenger, undefeated Kiko
Bejines, to box their number two challenger,
Davila, for the title. The fight was held in Los
Angeles, California|Los Angeles, and it was
described by sports writers as a rather tame bout.
But Bejines held a slim lead on the judges'
scorecards at the end of 11 rounds, and Davila,
knowing that round twelve was the last round of
the bout and it could also mean the last three
minute chance of becoming a world champion he ever
got, rushed out of his corner and attacked Bejines
right away. With 21 seconds to go, a right hand to
Bejines' chin struck, and when he fell to the
floor, he struck his head against the ring's
bottom rope. He was counted out and Davila began
jumping all over the ring, having realized his
lifelong dream of becoming a world champion. But
then he heard the words from one of his trainers
that made him feel as if a cube filled with ice
had been dropped on his back: He was told Bejines
was unconscious and being airlifted to a nearby
hospital.

Davila spent the best part of the next three days
by the side of Bejines' family at the medical
center, until Bejines passed away. 

He had to do some soul searching after that, and
announced his retirement from boxing after the
bout. However, there was one more fight under his
contract with Don King and he had to comply. On
the summer of 1984, he defended the title against
Dominican Republic|Dominican Enrique Sanchez in
Miami, in a fight in which Davila picked his shots
carefully, perhaps worried that his punches might
hurt his opponent badly once again. He was losing
the fight on points halfway through it, but during
round seven, rain started to fall and drenching
the boxers and the whole open air arena. After
that, it looked as if the rain had re-invigorated
Davila, who ended up winning by an 11 round
technical knockout.

Davila effectively retired after fulfilling that
compromise with King, but money problems brought
him back into the ring, and in 1987, he attempted
to become a world champion again by travelling to
Colombia and challenging Miguel Lora, but he lost
a 12 round decision.

Davila now trains boxers in the LA area, but he
has given numerous television talk show and
newspaper interviews, where he has repeatedly
declared that he wishes that his fight with
Bejines had never happened.