Gilbert Lavoine
Gilbert Lavoine ( born February 3, 1921 in Laon, † January 22, 1965 ) was a French boxer. He was European champion professional boxer in the welterweight division.
Career
Gilbert Lavoine came late to boxing. As an amateur, denied the stocky, only 1.64 m great athletes, only 25 fights, of which he won 24. In 1948, he became a professional boxer and won in his first fight in Laon, Aisne, against Maurice Fourel after six rounds on points. Already in his next fight he landed on November 4, 1948 in Paris to get a KO in the first round of Roger Djabali. Quick knockout victories were in the career of Gilbert Lavoine his trademark. At the end of his career he had won nearly 50 percent of his fights by knockout. This fact indicates its impact strength and assertiveness. Gilbert Lavoine remained his home town of Laon faithful during his long career. More than half of his fights he competed in this city or cities in the surrounding area such as St. Quentin, Lille, Rennes or Reims. Abroad, he started only very rarely. He soon received the nickname " Matador of Laon " or " Attila of the Rings".
Already on February 15, 1949 Gilbert fought Lavoine welterweight against Charles Humez, which was far superior to him as a former French champion in the amateurs of experience. Humez won that fight after six rounds on points. By mid-year 1950, Gilbert Lavoine had in France but boxed so far forward that he could Emmanuel Clavel challenge, the French welterweight champion. This battle took place on July 16, 1950 held in Laon and Gilbert Lavoine was a Disqualifikationssieg in the 12th round of new French masters. He defended this title on October 16, 1950 in Paris against Bruno Marostegan and on 5 December 1950 in Amiens by a points victory over Omar Kid Le Noir, successfully. Both fights went the full distance of 15 rounds.
On February 26, 1951 Gilbert Lavoine lost this title in Paris by a point defeat to Charles Humez. On June 30, 1951, he lost in Marseille against Pierre Langlois, another French top welterweight boxer just on points. With victories over the German champion Walter Schneider on July 12, 1952 in Laon, Spaniard Vicente Echevarria on February 8, 1953 in Laon and Bruno Marostegan on 27 February 1953 in Rouen, he fought his way to the right on 22 March 1953 in Paris to be able to fight against the British Cliff Curvis for the vacant, laid down by Charles Humez European champion welterweight title. He won this fight by disqualification of his opponent in the 10th round and was so new European champion in the welterweight division.
This track defended Gilbert Lavoine on 6 June 1953 in Nice by a knockout victory in the fourth round against the Belgian Kid Dussart. On 26 August 1954, he defended the European title in Liverpool then against the Englishman Wally Thom once again. Thom proved in this fight to be extremely strong and defeated Gilbert Lavoine by techn. Knockout in the 10th round.
Gilbert Lavoine was active thereafter until 1962. He moved to the middleweight and was in Paris on February 4, 1957 by a points victory over Robert Guivarch French champion at middleweight. Already on 2 June of the same year he had this item but already give by a point defeat against the much younger Andre Drille again. 1959 and 1960 he also fought twice in Germany. On March 13, 1959, he boxed in Berlin against the German welterweight champion Günther hare and draw on 13 February 1960, he lost in Stuttgart against Max Resch on points.
On August 7, 1962 Gilbert Lavoine denied in Berck -Plage, Pas -de -Calais, his last fight. He won it on Gilbert Souday on points.
His last years were spent Gilbert Lavoine in his home town of Laon, where he died from a severe viral infection already on 22 January 1965 at the age of only 44 years. In his honor, wearing a sports hall in Laon his name.