Nino Valdez

Giraldo Ponciano Valdés ( born December 5, 1924 in Havana, Cuba, † June 3, 2001 in New York), known as El Niño ( ger the child, usually written in the USA Nino Valdes ) was a Cuban professional boxer.

World Ranking Boxer

Valdés was a heavyweight boxer and weighed in his active years (1941 to 1959) is about 90-97 kg at a height of 1.90 m. As a professional boxer, he played 70 fights of which he won 48 (36 KOs ) and twice reached a draw. Nino Valdes punched many well-known heavyweights, who were in the world rankings and Europe rankings, but never a recognized world championship.

In 1955, he boxed against Archie Moore to the created specially for this fight Nevada World Heavyweight Title after he was eleven times after another win and was able to defeat inter alia Ezzard Charles, Heinz Neuhaus, Karel Sys and Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson. The former heavyweight champion James Braddock was referee in this dispute, the Archie Moore could decide in his favor: The fight went over the distance of 15 rounds; Moore could gain from eight, five Valdés.

" Journeyman "

The second half of the 1950s denied Valdés as - albeit high-class - " Journeyman " and touchstone of punched everywhere and everyone. He was defeated by the top people of that world ranking Eddie Read ( even on points, once by TKO in the eighth round ) and the subsequent challenger of the World Champion 1967 Muhammad Ali, Zora Folley ( by Points). Alex Miteff and Alonzo Johnson were also later Cassius Clay and opponents were when they fought against Valdés and won by laps, also to advanced world leaders expected. In the battle with Miteff it was a 2-1 verdict. 1959 defeated Sonny Liston " El Niño " Valdés by KO in the third round. That Valdés nevertheless was a class man, though over the zenith of his powers addition, showed in his last fight against Brian London, the Valdés decided by TKO in the seventh round in London for themselves. London had come in his previous fight for the world title against the reigning champion Floyd Patterson to the eleventh round before being knocked out. 1966 fought Brian London again for the title, but against Muhammad Ali.

Life after the Boxer career

" El Niño " Valdés was in his native Cuba very popular and a very broad segment of the population known, so that he also campaigned for food and had earned a higher standard of living. He planned a boxing school start, but by the takeover of Fidel Castro Valdés could not put it into practice this idea and decided to immigrate to the United States, where he since expropriated in Cuba and raised in the U.S. as a largely unknown and unskilled, worked as a bouncer. He died impoverished 76 -year-old in 2001.

Boxhistorische Review and Relevance

At a time when there was only one title holder in any weight class and also other titles were sown far and few between, it's hard to compare Valdés with today's successful boxers. But a measure of value could be the fact that Valdés former world champion Ezzard Charles defeated on points, ten months before he punched the first time against Rocky Marciano for the title and controversial lost, so a rematch had to take place.