Kid Gavilan's epic at-the-death KO of Walter Cartier

Good upload. I was just thinking of this fight the other day, when someone asked whether Gavilan could've beaten Giardello. I thought perhaps this fight could be used as a gauge. Cartier always looked to me like a similar type of fighter as Giardello, only without the chin.

 

Don't forget what Giardello did to Cartier though.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_G59OqGUeY[/ame]

 

To put this win in even better perspective, here's an example of how hard Cartier hit:
[yt]2UYzCsJbOc0[/yt]

In his day, his tagline was "He boxes like Tunney and hits like Dempsey."

 

One of my favrouite knockouts.

Who said the Keed couldnt hit?

 

I always say he is a 'whipping' puncher, describes the way he hits and the damage

 

Thought you might get a kick outta this behind-scene-moment in the ol' Garden before the Joey G-Cartier fight, TGA:

I was in the dressing room with a buddy who was fightin’ on the undercard.

Walter was a very serious, intense guy -- strapping shoulders and chest -- trained religiously under the watchful eye of his twin brother at Stillman’s Gym. Under his brother’s encouragement, he believed he could beat Joey and be vaulted into the title picture.

He was gettin' his game face on. In deference, everyone kept the noise down. All of a sudden, the door burst open. It was Giardello in an outrageously expensive camel’s hair coat tied at the waist -- cigar in his yap -- surrounded by an army of goombahs spilling into the room. All commotion and noise.

Joey strode to Cartier, who’s mouth was open, and gave’m a big slap on the back: “Hiya doin', Walta?”

The blood drained from Cartier’s face. The TKO in the first round was a formality; Walter lost it in the dressing room.

 

Amazing stuff. Theres always some interesting stories about pre-fight antics. I guess you were pretty shocked yourself at this one.

 

J.G ,I hope this message to you gets through...I enjoyed your post of Walter Cartier.Cartier was one of my favorite middleweights in the 1940s..Handsome he was and a very heavy puncher,but underneath his muscular build,wasn't a very rugged 160 pounder...I remember his twin brother was his second,in his career...You know who today reminded me somewhat of Cartier? John Duddy,from Ireland,who Cartier would have disposed of in a couple of rounds..cartier after his career did a few tv gigs...Cartier had everything for a top middleweight, except the ruggedness required to be a champion, in those competitive times, in the 1940s...Great post J.G.

 

J.G. In 1950 at Eastern Pkwy Arena I saw a young great prospect Joey Giardello fight a local favorite of mine Harold Green...Green who was an acquaintance of my father and me,knocked out Giardello, in the sixth round with a perfect left hook,stretching young 20 year old Giardello,out like a board...Who would have thought after that ko,that Giardello, years later would be middleweight champion?.Perserverance will out,I guess...B.B.