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Gerardo Gonzalez (January 6, 1926 - February 13,
2003), better known in the boxing world as Kid
Gavilan, was a former gardening|gardener and world
welterweight champion from Cuba. He was a native
of the city of Camaguey, Cuba|Camaguey.

Gavilan was managed by Yamil Chade, a part
Lebanon|Lebanese, part Cuban and Puerto Rican
manager who also directed the careers of Wilfredo
Gomez, Wilfredo Benitez, Carlos De Leon and Félix
Trinidad among others.

Gavilan started as a professional boxer on the
evening of June 5, 1943, when he beat Antonio Diaz
by a decision in four rounds in Havana. His first
ten bouts were in Havana, and then he had one in
Cienfuegos, but soon he returned to Havana for
three more wins. After 14 bouts, he left Cuba for
his first fight abroad, and he beat Julio Cesar
Jimenez by a decision in 10 rounds in his first of
three consecutive fights in Mexico City. It was
there that he suffered his first defeat, at the
hands of Carlos Macalara by a decision. They had
an immediate rematch, this time in Havana, and
Gavilan avenged that loss, winning by decision
too. 

Gavilan had a record of 25 wins, 2 losses and 1
draw already when he had his first fight on United
States|American soil. This happened on November 1
of 1946, when he beat Johnny Ryan by a knockout in
five at New York,New York|New York City. 

He would split his time between the Eastern coast
of the United States and Havana in 1947, a year in
which he went 11-1-1 with 3 knockouts. However, by
1948 he had decided to stay in the United States
indefinitely. That year, he met some very
important fighters, like former world champion Ike
Williams, who beat him by decision in ten, Tommy
Bell, against whom Gavilan won by decision, Sugar
Ray Robinson, who beat him by decision in ten, and
Tony Pellone, with Gavilan obtaining a decision
against Pellone.

After beating Williams twice by decision, he met
Robinson with Robinson's world Welterweight title
on the line. He lost his first title try, when
Robinson won a decision in 15 rounds. Back to the
drawing board, he beat Rocky Castellani,
Lightweight world champion Beau Jack and Laurent
Dauthuille (the latter of which fought Gavilan in
Montreal, Canada|Montreal). All of them were
beaten by decision in ten.

In 1950, he went 10-4-1, beating Billy Graham
(boxer)|Billy Graham, Sonny Horne, Robert
Villemain, Eugene Hairston and Tony Janiro among
others. 

In 1951, after beating Tommy Ciarlo twice, once in
Caracas,  Venezuela|Caracas, and Hairston once
again, he finally became a world champion when he
beat Johnny Saxton for the world Welterweight
title by a decision in 15 on May 18. He defended
that title for the first time against Graham,
winning by a decision, and promptly made four non
title bouts before the end of the year, including
another win over Janiro and a draw in ten with
Bratton.

In 1952, he defended the title with success
against Bobby Dykes, Gil Turner and with Graham in
a third encounter between the two. All those
fights were won by decision in 15. He also had
five non title bouts, including three that were a
part of an Argentina|Argentinian tour. His third
fight with Graham was his first world title
defense in Havana and his fight with Dykes marked
the first time that a Black and a White had a
boxing fight in then segregated Miami, Florida.

In 1953, Gavilan retained the title by a knockout
in ten against Chuck Davey, by a decision in 15
against Carmen Basilio and by a decision in 15
against Bratton. He had seven non title bouts,
losing to Danny Womber, but beating Ralph Tiger
Jones. 

In 1954, Gavilan went up in weight. After two more
points wins, he challenged world Middleweight
champion Bobo Olson for the world title, but lost
a decision in 15. Then, he went down in weight,
and lost his world Welterweight championship, by a
decision in 15 to Johnny Saxton. That same year,
he apperaed on a Telemundo Puerto Rico poster that
promoted that country's first television
transmission.

From that point until 1958, when he retired, he
had a career of ups and downs. He lost to Dykes,
Jones, Eduardo Lausse, former world champion Tony
DeMarco, Vince Martinez and Gaspar Ortega, but he
also beat Ortega, Jones and Chico Vejar among
others. After losing to Yama Bahama by decision in
ten on June 18 of 1958, he never fought again,
announcing his retirement on September 11 of that
year.

Gavilan was one of the few boxers ever not to be
knocked down or out in their professional careers.
In 1966, he was inducted into the original boxing
Hall of Fame, and now, he is a member of the newer
International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota,
New York|Canastota.

He had a record of 106 wins, 30 losses and 6
draws, with one no contest (boxing)|no contest and
27 wins by knockout in a career that spanned 143
professional fights.

Gavilan died in Miami of a heart attack.