Benny Paret
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benny "Kid" Paret, born Bernardo Paret (March 14, 1937 - April 3, 1962), born in Santa Clara, Cuba, was a Cuban welterweight boxer.
Contents |
[edit] Boxing career
Paret won the welterweight title for the first time in 1960, but lost it seven months later when Emile Griffith knocked him out.[1] However, half a year later, Paret defeated Griffith when he captured a split decision over Griffith to recapture the crown.[2]
He also attempted to win the middleweight title against Gene Fullmer, but was knocked out again. [1]
Paret had a lifetime record of 36 wins (11 knockouts), 12 losses and 3 draws.[3]
[edit] Last Fight
Prior to the weigh-in for his third fight against Griffith, Paret taunted him by calling him a Maricón (Spanish for "faggot").[4]
In the twelfth round of the fight, Griffith hit Paret twenty-nine times in a row, and eighteen times in six seconds, when Paret was lying against the ropes.[4] Referee Ruby Goldstein came under criticism for not stopping the fight sooner.[5]
Paret went into a coma after the fight, and died nine days later.[5]
The fatal bout and its effects on Emile Griffith's career and life are the subject of the documentary "Ring of Fire."[6]
| Preceded by Don Jordan |
World Welterweight Champion 27 May 1960– 1 Apr 1961 |
Succeeded by Emile Griffith |
| Preceded by Emile Griffith |
World Welterweight Champion 30 Sep 1961– 24 Mar 1962 |
Succeeded by Emile Griffith |
[edit] In popular culture
Paret is one of four boxers named in the lyrics of Sun Kil Moon's album Ghosts Of The Great Highway. The album builds several songs around the stories of boxers who died young deaths.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Segundo, Al. "A Sour Memory of the "Sweet Science"". Retrieved on 2007-05-21.
- ^ The Great Rivalries. Retrieved on 2007-05-21.
- ^ Benny "Kid" Paret: Lest We Forget. Retrieved on 2007-05-21.
- ^ a b Smith, Gary. "The Shadow Boxer", April 18, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-05-21.
- ^ a b Mulvaney, Kieran. "Don't believe the hype? How 'bout the slights?", May 4, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-05-21.
- ^ Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
- ^ Mark Kozelek. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
