'The Hawaiian Punch' Andy Ganigan

Andy Ganigan,

The 'super popular' Hawaiian Lightweight.

A national treasure in Hawaii, and World-Rated fighter.

A 'Superstar' on the rise, until knock-out upset losses to
Johnny Lira and Robert Vasquez, both of whom parlayed their
victories over Ganigan to get World Title shots.

Anyone remember the 'Hawaiian Punch', the bomb-throwing southpaw.

I saw his fight with Johnny Lira in 1978. Andy went all-out over the first 4 rounds,
burning himself up against the tough Chicago fighter. Then Lira starting dropping right
hand leads down the barrel, and through Ganigan's guard.

 

Remember the 'BIG FIVE' Lightweight prospects.

Andy Ganigan
Herman Montes
Howard Davis
Sean O'Grady
Hilmer Kenty

In Hawaii, Andy got alot of press as the 'new Roberto Duran'.
He was the #1 Lightweight by mid-1978.

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Andy got the 'ink' after going 25-0-0 (23 KO's).

By mid-1978 he was without a doubt the #1 Lightweight.

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Andy Ganigan turned professional in May 1972 at age 19 1/2.

He did have a pretty good amateur career.
Had 4-bouts early and went 4-0-0 (3 KO's).

But then was out of boxing for 2 1/2 years.

Came back in October 1975, and went on a rip-n-tear streak,
by winning his next 16 bouts, all by knock-out.

Included in his Knock-out streak;

May 1977, a TKO 2 over the previously Top-rated lightweight and two-time World Title Challenger, Arturo 'Tury the Fury' Pineda.

June 1977, a KO 5 over another undefeated prospect Jose Talamantez (11-0-1)

October 1977, a TKO 5 over Mexican Lightweight Champion and #19 ranked Gerardo Ferrat in 5 rounds.

'The Hawaiian Punch' entered the Top 10 Lightweights after his win over Ferrat.

 

Lots of behind the scenes political stuff with that O'Grady vs. Ganigan fight.

Including Papa O'Grady creating that 'bogus' World Athletic Association (WAA)
Championship fight.

CBS-TV even sponsored the event (shame on them).

The 'Bubblegum Kid' got drenched by an 'Hawaiian Punch' on national television.

 

November 29, 1977

In Ganigan's 21st fight, he is forced to go 10-Rounds.

Tough Mexican Ernesto Garfias, the #10 WBA Ranked lightweight,
breaks Ganigan's 16-bout knock-out streak.

"The Hawaiian Punch" goes to 21-0-0, but not before having a
tough go with Garfias. Despite only having a 13-3-1 record, Ernesto
can punch (10 KO's) and recently upset highly-regarded and world rated
Buzzsaw Yamabe of Japan.

Andy Ganigan drops Garfias in Round 2, and dominates the fight through
5 rounds. But Garfias stages a comeback in Round 6 and rocks the southpaw
Hawaiian with right hand leads.

Ganigan rallies in the 8th round, stemming the Mexican's bull rushes.
But Garfias puts in one last charge in the 10th, nearly flooring Ganigan
with a big right hand bomb.

Scoring; Ganigan (7-3-0), Ganigan (6-3-1), Ganigan (6-3-1)

Fight Purses;
Andy Ganigan.......$10,000
Ernesto Garfias......$6000

 

February 7, 1978

Andy Ganigan fights before 6000 fans at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu.

'The Hawaiian Punch' takes on Ignacio 'Negro' Campos of Mexico. Campos 19-1-0 (9 KO's)
is one of Mexico's top prospects, and is the #5 rated Mexican Lightweight.

Andy Ganigan gets back to his knock-out ways, with a 6th round TKO
over Campos. Ganigan dominates the Mexican Lightweight from the outset
with a non-stop attack. A variety of right hooks and straight left hands
hurt the durable Campos time and again.

Campos proves his toughness by absorbing the walloping over the first 5 rounds.
But he can't keep the southpaw Hawaiian off him, and gets floored in the 6th round.
Campos gets up at the count of 5, but is met with another Gannigan barrage and
is floored again. Campos gets up at the count of 8, but Referee Wilburt Minn halts
the bout at 2:02 of the 6th Round.

Andy Ganigan moves to 22-0-0 (20 KO's) and gets a #7 WBA ranking.

Fight Purses;
Andy Ganigan........$10,000
Ignacio Campos......$4000

The Ganigan backers put a call-out to challenge 'Schoolboy' Bobby Chacon.

3 months later Ignacio 'Negro' Campos takes on Bobby Chacon, and gets stopped in 7 rounds.

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March 1978

'The Hawaiian Punch'

Unable to get 'Schoolboy' Bobby Chacon to come to Hawaii, the Andy Ganigan
backers get World-Rated and NABF Lightweight Champion, Vicente Mijares Saldivar of
Mexico to agree to a Pacific Island fight.

The 24 year-old Mexican is one tough hombre. A tall 5' 10" boxer, Vicente has a slashing left jab and
the ability to throw quick combinations as fast as anyone. Sporting a fine
record of 28-2-0 (12 KO's), the NABF Champion is rated as the #4 Lightweight by Ring Magazine.
(Also #3 WBC and #5 WBA)

This will be Andy Ganigan's toughest fight of his young career.
On Vicente Mijares Saldivar's fight list, he has victories over world rated fighters;
Sigfredo Rodriguez, Randy Shields (twice), Arturo Pineda, Vilomar Fernadez, Javier Muniz and Jose Talamantez.

How good was Vicente Mijares Saldivar. He twice defeated Randy Shields.
First knocking the top-rated Shields off the unbeaten ranks by slicing him up
with his slashing left jab and stopping by a TKO. Then handily defeating him in
a re-match by a unanimous decision.

Below, June 28, 1977 in Puerto Rico.
#1 WBC Rated Lightweight, Vicente Mijares Saldivar lands a solid right to the mid-section of WBC Lightweight
Champion Esteban De Jesus. The undefeated Vicente gives the powerful Champion Esteban De Jesus a good battle for the
championship bout, before succombing to a right hand and left hook combination in Round 11. Vicente was
counted out at 2:20 of the 11th Round. De Jesus was ahead on the scorecards at the time of the knock-out
by marks of 5-3-2, 6-3-1 and 6-4-0.
Esteban De Jesus improves his mark to 51-3-0. Vicente Mijares Saldivar suffers his first loss and drops to 26-1-0.

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March 28, 1978

Andy 'The Hawaiian Punch' Ganigan and Vicente Mijares 'Orgullo de Durango' Saldivar
fight for the NABF Lightweight Championship.

Vicente at 28-1-0 (12 KO's), the #4 Lightweight by Ring Magazine, is the more skilled boxer of the two.
Mijares a slashing boxer is coming off an upset decision loss to the talented Columbian Lightweight
#9 Ranked, Alfredo Pitulua. For this fight, Mijares 'The Pride of Durango, Mexico' has trained hard,
and is in excellent condition.

At the opening bell, Ganigan immediately tears into Mijares with an assortment of
right hook and straight left hand bombs. Mijares, tries to keep the wild Hawaiian off
him with left jabs, but he has trouble as Ganigan is much stronger than he expected.

Ganigan keeps the pressure on through the first 3 rounds, shaking the Mexican
with every punch he lands. In round 4, a counter right hook by Ganigan badly staggers
Mijares, who holds on with all his strength.

Mijares utilizes all his boxing skills to hold off Ganigan through the middle rounds, but
Ganigan's constant pressure is sapping his strength. Late in Round 7, a sharp right hook
by Ganigan has Mijares in real trouble. In Round 8, sensing that Mijares has not recovered,
Ganigan tears into Mijares with his full arsenal, and Referee Wilbert Minn calls a halt to the
matters at 1:25 of the round when Mijares is not defending himself properly.

Andy Ganigan wins the NABF Lightweight title with a TKO 8 over Vicente Mijares Saldivar.

Fight Purses;
Andy Ganigan................$15,000
Vicente Mijares Saldivar...$15,000

 

The Honolulu Advertiser
April 1978

Andy 'The Hawaiian Punch' Ganigan, the southpaw lightweight from Waipahu
has emerged as the #1 World Rated contender in both the WBC and WBA
sanctioning bodies.

With Roberto Duran holding both versions of the Lightweight Championship, by
knocking out WBC Champion Esteban De Jesus in January 1978, the organizations
have enlisted the 25 year-old Ganigan as next in line for a Title shot.

Ganigan, 23-0-0 with 21 knock-outs is the current NABF Lightweight Champion.
His last victory was an impressive 8th round knock-out win over world-rated
Vicente Mijares Saldivar in a bout held at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu two-weeks
ago.

Whether Roberto Duran will defend his Title Belts is the big question, as the
Panamanian fighter has whispered his desire to jump up in weight, to attempt to
add the Light-Welterweight (140 lb.) Championship to his list of accomplishments.

For the time being, Andy Ganigan must play the wait-and-see game. To stay busy,
'The Hawaiian Punch' plans to fight next month. No opponent has been named as of yet.

 

May 1978

'Andy Ganigan To Take on Californian Bomber Becerril'

Unable to secure a Lightweight Title shot against Roberto Duran,
'The Hawaiian Punch' will battle Carlos Becerril for the NABF Championship
here in Honolulu, Tuesday May 30, 1978.

Andy Ganigan is Rated #2 by Ring Magazine in the 135 lb. division. He
recently won the NABF Championship, and is looking stay busy while
waiting for the Panamanian Duran to make a decision.

In Carlos Becerril, a 23 year-old Mexican-American fighter based out of Los Angeles,
Ganigan will be facing a tough kid. Becerril is an offensive-minded fighter, with power
in both hands and has a record of 20-4-0 (19 KO's). He has fought mostly at
the Super-Featherweight level of 130 lbs., and is a regular at the Olympic Auditorium
in Los Angeles. He was last seen on ABC National Television, in an exciting battle
for the WBC Super-Featherweight Title against Champion Alfredo Escalara.
In that fight, Becerril had the Champion Escalara in trouble several times, before
being stopped in the 8th round.