This content is protected I was watching the "Greatest Contenders" thread and waiting for the Cruiserweight thread to appear (but for obvious reasons it was skipped) because I wanted to list Gator as a contender. It was more of a sentimental thing because he was my boxing coach almost 30 years ago(Man, how time flies!!! I have grey in my beard now!). He was only my coach for about six months as I moved away from the Chicago area and was coached by two other coaches on the west coast the next several years, but he was the one that gave me my initial training. As a youngster I had a lot of quickness and speed and admired Sugar Ray Leonard and tried to pattern after him. Gator was fine with that but forced me to learn to stand and fight too, infighting, etc. I liked not getting hit at the time, but his training toughened me to where I was willing to stand and fight when another boxer pressed, or was simply better and I couldn't "Sugar Ray" him. lol. I became a big Roberto Duran fan suddenly. Gator was an up and comer with a decent professional showing, a very good start in fact, then lost his lower leg in an accident. He came back from this and still put up a good professional showing. When I started going to his gym he has recently fought James Warring. I remember mentioning that to him and that he did well etc, considering that Warring became a Champ, etc. He glared at me (this was the first time we met and he was teaching me how to wrap my hands) and said, "That son of a ***** ran from me the whole fight". He seemed a little salty about it so I didn't say anything more. As I was getting my first session in on the punch mitts I became aware that he had an artificial leg! Suddenly I understood why he wasn't pleased with a guy who stayed out of his range. lol. He was a toe to toe fighter that could take a shot and deliver one too. I am biased on the subject, but feel he would have been a champion at the cruiserweight level had he not lost the leg. Who knows for sure? As it was, he fought Robert Daniels for the WBA title but lost a decision. Here is his record. https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/2071 https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Craig_Bodzianowski https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117845086/craig-steven-bodzianowski The video above is a collection of some of the events of his career. Glad someone put it up as it was a blast from the past. Reminded me of training under him in the early nineties. Great times. He was a tough guy as well as a tough boxer. I realized very soon that he wasn't just training us to box, but also to fight, as the streets in that neck of the woods were pretty rough. Sometimes he would put three of us in the ring together and have two guys try to blast out the one trying to fend them both off. Then he would blow the whistle and someone else would be the victim. Pretty rough stuff, lol, but on the streets there are no rules. That drill taught me not to turn my back when being overwhelmed and to stand and fight cause nobody let up just because my initial instinct was to turn away. Taught me to be an infighter and take what comes. Good memories. Please understand: I am NOT claiming I was a great boxer! I never went pro, nor was it my intention. I was content to train and fight amateur fights. It taught me things about life I have carried for 30 years, though. I am grateful for the training he gave me, about boxing, and about being tough. I was privileged to be one of his students. Anyway, just wanted to share this part of my life and give a shout out to my first boxing instructor. So many stories and memories. He passed away several years ago, but is still remembered. Good old Craig "Gator" Bodzianowski. My one time coach.
I remember him. Thanks for sharing your story (and his). I’m not sure he would have been a cruiserweight without losing the leg — that’s gotta be, what, 20 pounds or so? It’s remarkable that he was able to do what he did with one leg for sure, but I’m not sure about his ability to make cruiser if he hadn’t lost the leg.
True. Never thought of that. Should have, though. I wrestled in college and remember a match I had with a two time national champion. He only had one leg. He stepped on the scale without it and made weight, but it was obvious he was at least two weight classes above the rest of us in terms of his upper body structure and strength. None of us thought it was fair wrestling a guy several sized larger due to missing a body part. His lack of mobility was a moot point as soon as he got his hands on us. Good point.
I remember Bodzianowski, particularly the two Alfonzo Ratfliff fights. If I remember correctly his leg was missing below the knee - like mainly his calf, ankle and foot. Seemed like the missing lower leg impacted his power. He had to lift his prosthetic leg, he couldn't really plant with it or get a lot of leverage off of it. The Ratliff fights were entertaining, though. He was a good pro. I sort of think of him along the lines of a Luke Capuano.
I was just looking him up a few months back. I had no idea he had died and was saddened. I understand everyone loved the guy. Sorry but I am sure the memories are wonderful.
After the boxing drills, he would make us all go out into the parking lot and run sprints until we puked. He was so hard nosed and stern and demanding during practice, but afterward was such a gentle, warm, and motivating person.
He made you run til you puked because he cared about you. He wanted you prepared when you went into the ring. You’re fortunate to have learned from him.
Youre a chatty cathy! Lol i joke.Very nice post i could picture the scene.i remember he got a lot of coverage in the late 80s in the magazines.
To be honest, you didn't notice it much. You really did when he got dropped, though. It was hard to watch when he'd go down and try to get up. Lots of guys drag their back foot, so it wasn't too noticeable when he was actually fighting.
