Name: Career Record: http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=010925&cat=box er

Alias: Kid Birth Name: Bernardo Paret Nationality: Cuban Birthplace: Santa Clara, Hometown: Santa Clara, Cuba Born: 1937-03-14 Died: 1962-04-03 Age at Death: 25 Stance: Orthodox Height: 5′ 7½″

Died on April 3, 1962, in City of injuries received during a world championship match against on March 24.

Bernardo Paret Valdes was born, one of a family of seven children, in Santa Clara. Cuba, about 100 miles east of the capital, Havana, on 14 March 1937. His father, Alberto, was a stonemason and his mother, Maxima, did her best to teach the children herself because they lived in an area where there was no school. When he was 12, Bernardo was sent to work on a sugar farm with friends of the family. Here, he spent the long summer days swimming and catching fish in the river...and with other boys.

The young Paret's earliest ambition was to become a baseball player, but in time he realized that he was more suited to fighting. When he was 13, an old boxer named Anguito took him in hand and taught him the basics. Then he let him loose to learn in the amateur game, first as a featherweight and then as a .

SANTA START

At 18, Paret made a winning professional debut, knocking out Esmeraldo Moya in one round, in Santa Clara. in August 1955. It was the first of six consecutive wins that year, and the other five went the scheduled distance of either four or six rounds. Even in those days, Paret was not blessed with chilling power.

He could light, however, and learned to punch at a ferocious pace, drilling streams of punches into an opponent's body, gradually draining his energy.

Managed by Manuel Alfaro and trained by Jose 'Caron' Gonzalez, Paret won his first 13 fights, in either Santa Clara or Havana, before losing his unbeaten record to Rolando Rodriguez on a second-round , in November 1956. Although he avenged that by defeating Rodriguez three times in the following 14 months, Paret also lost an eight-round decision to Guillermo Diaz, in Havana, and was considered no more than an ordinary prospect. His results rarely drew more than a line to record their passing, and his name was often spelled Parets, with his first name sometimes shortened to Nardo.

'Nardo Parets' appears twice in the record of another future world welterweight from Cuba, Luis Rodriguez. There is no doubt that this is Paret...but there is a dispute over the result of their first bout, in Havana, in February 1958. It was reported as a win for Paret, hut the record books carried it as a win for Rodriguez, who was later referred to in reports as unbeaten.

ST NICK'S REGULAR

Paret made his New York_City debut in May 1958, with a six-round draw against Bobby Shell from Washington DC, in the St Nicholas Arena. He did well enough to return to St Nick's, on West 66th Street, the following month and hammered out a 10-round points win over Eddie Armstrong from Elizabeth, New Jersey. For five rounds, the smaller Armstrong gave a good account of himself, but then the 1501b Paret took over and won clearly.

Back in Cuba, Paret stopped Agustin Rosales in eight rounds, but then lost the second fight with Luis Rodriguez, who won the Cuban title in his next bout. But by November 1958, Paret was back in – this time for good.

The St Nicholas Arena matchmaker Teddy Brenner was much more interested in Paret when, in his reappearance there, he flattened Andy Figaro of Puerto Rico after two minutes 19 seconds of the first round. At that stage, Paret, scaling 1541b, looked like developing into a .

A 10-round points win followed against veteran Barry Allison, but it was a split decision victory over unbeaten Argentinian Victor Zalazar which caught the eye. Zalazar had won his previous 15 fights inside , but Paret made light of his physical disadvantages to win with fast, snappy, combination punching.

Zalazar stayed with him most of the way, but tired in the final stages. It was also Paret's first main event in New York. Ironically, an undercard slot featured a -based welterweight named Emile Alphonse Griffith.

CROWD PLEASER

Brenner knew a good attraction when he stumbled on it, and he made a Paret-Zalazar rematch the following month. This time Paret staggered Zalazar in the first, fourth and seventh rounds, but had to come through a rough patch in round three. In the end he simply stayed the pace better to win the decision.

Any thoughts Paret might have had of driving himself into the middleweight world rankings were thwarted by his next two fights, which brought back-to-back points defeats at the hands of Cecil Shorts and Eddie 'Machine Gun' Thompson. At the time, few would have predicted that Paret would turn into a world champion, but at least his crowd-pleasing style ensured him plenty of work.

In June 1959, he outpointed Rudy Sawyer from Harlem with a strong finish, but was still considered less of a prospect than his old rival Luis Rodriguez, who was already ranked seventh in the world, and the hard-hitting Florentino Fernandez. However, in August 1959, all that suddenly changed.

GARDEN SUBSTITUTE

Paret answered the call as a substitute for a substitute on a nationally televised show at and made the 1471h limit at short notice in time to meet world ranked Gaspar Ortega from Mexico. Ortega won a split decision, but Paret had proved his worth and there were experts at ringside who thought his neat skills and snappy punching should have been better rewarded.

A trip to San Juan followed, where he held 1956 Olympian Jose Torres to a 10-round draw. Reports that returned to New York suggested Paret, who conceded five pounds to the fully blown middleweight, was unlucky. Torres, who was managed by Cus D'Amato, was an unbeaten 13- fight prospect at the time and, six years later, he would become world light- champion.

In December, Paret further enhanced his reputation against Charley Scott, who had won Ring magazine's prestigious 'Progress Award' for 1959. Paret swarmed all over Scott, crowding him, outpunching him and dropping him in the final round to take the decision.

Although that result put Paret into the world ratings, there were those who considered it a fluke as he was still an astonishing seven places below Scott in the rankings. The only answer was to do it again, which was exactly what he did in a return at the end of January 1960. A flash knockdown in the fifth round gave Paret a split decision win, but it was much closer than their first battle.

Suddenly, Paret was ranked number four, behind world welterweight champion who was having a terrible time behind the scenes. He lost twice in a row in non-title fights, including a bad knockout against Federico Thompson in Argentina, and was then diagnosed as suffering from a blood disorder when the police found him sleeping off a night on the town in his car. There were marital and backroom troubles too, and he owed money. Behind him, the contenders were queuing up.

JORDAN'S SOFT OPTION

Jordan's connections probably saw Paret as a reasonable option. They had to fight somebody and, although the Cuban had scored two points wins over a hot prospect and lost a split decision to Gaspar Ortega, he was still unproven, to some extent, at world class. His rating may even have turned out to be flattering, yet he would satisfy the critics who had been pouring scorn on Jordan for failing to put his title on the line.

Paret signed for the fight, but first took what now seems a ridiculously tough warm-up, against Federico Thompson, the 32-year-old Argentinian who had knocked out Jordan in a non-title fight. The pair fought a gruelling 12-round draw and, since Paret already had a contract to fight Jordan, it was agreed that Thompson would meet the winner.

On 27 May 1960, Paret challenged Jordan for the title, at the Las Vegas Convention Center – the first world title bout ever staged at the venue. It was also the first title fight –in Nevada since Jack Johnson knocked out James J. Jeffries, in Reno, in 1910. Outside the hall it was 89 degrees, but air conditioning made fighting, even under television lights, tolerable. The fight is featured in Video Action.

Jordan was a miserable, forlorn figure. Before the fight, the $85,000 he would gross was already promised to his co-managers Don Nesseth and Jackie McCoy, and, on top of that, his wife was claiming half of his purse under the Nevada and California community property laws. As if that wasn't enough, Jordan had apparently pinched a nerve in his back during training.

In the event, Paret took a comfortable decision. Afterwards Jordan said his left side had been numb from the end of round five. It was also revealed that he had a return clause in the contract, and said he would sue if that was not honoured. But Paret was committed to defend against Thompson inside three months, and the National Boxing Association also said the winner of the ParetThompson bout would have to defend against the number one contender Luis Rodriguez 90 days after that. Whether he liked it or not, Jordan would have to wait.

PRE-DEFENCE SHOCK

With the Jordan fight out of the way, Paret's main concern now was to prove himself a worthy champion. Ile began with a sixth-round, non-title knockout of Sugar Hart two months later, but then lost a non-title decision to , a smart. cagey youngster. in August 1960.

Paret. however, had more important things on his mind. He was desperate to maintain his world title profile and. after an attack of tonsilitis. his first defence of the championship was settled for December 1960.

Paret made his first title defence, in December 1960, against Federico Thompson, who was unbeaten in his last 32 contests. Although Paret only drew a disappointing crowd of 6,000 to an arena which could take three times that number, those fans who did turn up saw an exciting battle. Paret forced the pace, steaming in to land his body shots and fast combinations, but he had to ride several jarring left hooks to get into range.

At the end of the fight, Paret held onto his crown by one round according to referee Arthur Mercante and by three according to the two judges, Joe Eppy and Leo Birbbaum. Some fans and a few pressmen felt it was a misguided verdict, but most saw Paret as a worthy winner.

Afterwards, Paret talked of defending his title once more – Emile Griffith had replaced Luis Rodriguez as the number one contender – and then stepping up to middleweight to fight either , Paul Pender or Terry Downes.

ORTEGA TRIUMPHS AGAIN

Meanwhile, a non-title appearance against middleweight Jose Torres was pencilled in, only for that to fall through. Instead, Paret boxed Gaspar Ortega at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Paret had a score to settle with the Mexican, having conceded what he considered a had decision against him 18 months earlier. However, Paret looked slow and heavy at more than seven pounds above the welterweight limit, and Ortega, a pre-fight underdog, won a close, but deserved unanimous decision after 10 fast, hard and competitive rounds.

In those days, non-title defeats were not as alarming as they would be today, although eyebrows were raised about Paret's weight. The question was now being asked: was he losing his edge?

On April Fool's Day. 1961, everyone found out. At Miami Beach Convention hall, Paret lost his world title when Emile Griffith knocked him out in the 13th round – a left hook to the chin and a following right hand sending him lurching backwards to the canvas for the full count.

At the end of the 12th round. Griffith had been warned by his trainer, Gil Clancy, that he had to land a knockout to win. He cut loose, and Paret, who had been swallowing blood from a cut mouth since round three and also had a cut left eye, could not stay with him. Clancy was reading the fight well: Paret was ahead on two cards and level on the third before the start of round 13.

GRIFFITH RETURN

After the fight. Paret gloomily admitted that he had experienced trouble in making the weight and said he took off eight pounds in the final week. It cost him more than the title. He had been set for a lucrative European tour which would have earned him $160,000 for two fights against Duilio Loi in Milan and Brian Curvis in London. However, the offer was conditional on his holding the world championship.

Paret was given a rematch by Griffith and decided to take the fight at Madison Square Garden without having a warm-up fight.

Instead, Paret spent the build-up recovering from the knockout and then returning to serious training. Ile had accepted S20,000 to step aside and allow Griffith to box Gaspar Ortega in between their two fights, a delay which actually suited his desire to prepare himself fully. Once again, there was a poor turnout of only 4,390 (from which Paret's purse was a disappointing $24,000). However, when he stepped into the ring, in September 1961, he was much fitter and better prepared mentally. The difference was remarkable, and in a desperately close fight that could reasonably have gone either way, Paret won a split verdict.

CHAMP ONCE AGAIN

Paret's decision over Griffith was certainly controversial. Ring magazine had the fight even in rounds, but thought Griffith had done enough to retain his title because of big advantages in the fourth and 11th rounds. Of the 22 writers present at ringside, 18 had Griffith in front. Paret said: thought I won. He was throwing leather in there, but I thought I had him hurt and I thought I heat him. I was determined to win it hack. I went hack to the gym, I started training better.'

Trainer Gil Clancy claimed Griffith had been robbed, but Manuel Alfaro for Paret said they were not interested in a third fight. 'No place, no time, no how,' was his response to the demands from the Griffith lobby. 'It's time we made some money and we intend to make it with overweight matches in Europe.'

How Paret must have wished that the plan had come to fruition. The European tour did not materialize and, instead, Al faro negotiated Paret a shot at the NBA middleweight title which was held by Gene Fullmer, the rugged, brawling Mormon from Utah. In hindsight, the contest, in Las Vegas, in December 1961, was a complete mis-match which should not have taken place.

Paret's weight troubles had long been known and it must have been a relief not to have to grind himself down to 147Th anymore. Yet he still conceded weight, and more importantly, strength, to the middleweight champ.

Fighters will tell you they need time to adjust to boxing in a higher weight division, but for Paret there were no such niceties. It was a one-off gamble. If it succeeded, then he would move up and relinquish the welterweight crown. If it failed, he would return to 1471b.

In the event, Fullmer pummelled Paret to a painful, one-sided defeat in 10 brutal rounds. Some say that Paret was never the same man again.

FULLMER FAILURE

'Para was one of the toughest guys I ever fought,' said Fullmer. '1 beat Paret like I never heat anybody in my life. 1 didn't feel like 1 for six weeks and 1 didn't take nothing compared to what he took.'

Unfortunately, Paret was back in the ring three months later, in , in front of 7,600 fans at Madison Square Garden. He was offered a purse of $50,000 to meet Griffith for the third time, but he never saw the money and it remains one of the blackest days in the history of boxing.

The sport was already under fire following the findings of the Kefauver Commission and then the jailing of mobster Frankie Carho and several henchmen over what was described as 'muscling in' on the contract of former welterweight champion Don Jordan. However, the events of 24 March almost wiped out the sport completely.

At the weigh-in, Paret taunted Griffith, who had a high pitched, somewhat effeminate voice and a job in a New York millinery warehouse. In fact, at one point, Griffith had actually been a designer of hats, which was hardly conducive to boxing's macho image.

Paret, looking for a psychological edge, pounced on that, calling Griffith 'Maricon', which translates as 'faggot'.

Griffith was incensed and drew on his rage to fuel the fire in his belly. Although Paret fought well and put his challenger on the canvas in round six, Griffith eventually overpowered him in a horrible 12th round. The Cuban was driven into a corner, where punches rained in on his head. Paret's arm became entangled in the ropes and for some seconds as his arms fell limply by his sides, and his senses slipped away, he could not fall.

Griffith continued to pound away, until Paret crumpled and fell, with referee struggling between them. Reporters counted 21 blows on Paret's unprotected head, but the effect was all that really mattered.

TRAGIC END

Paret was unconscious, probably already in a coma, as he was stretchered from the ring. He lay at the Roosevelt Hospital in New York City for 10 days, with his wife Lucia at his side, before his life finally faded away on 3 April 1962. Ile was 25 years old.

'People had all kinds of theories about that fight,' wrote matchmaker Teddy Brenner in his autobiography Only The Ring Was Square. 'I think it was an unfortunate accident. Some said Paret actually had been hurt in a street brawl some months before the fight. Others said that Griffith was intent on maiming him because he had challenged Griffith's manhood. Who knows?'

Ruby Goldstein, who had been criticized before this for stopping major fights too soon, never refereed another major fight, and although the New York Commission cleared him of any blame, he gave up soon afterwards. Griffith, horrified at his own capacity for viciousness, admitted that, although he boxed on for another 15 years, he could never finish off a man.

He said that if he hurt anyone in the ring, he would instinctively ease off. Ironically, Griffith was also fighting on the bill the following year when the featherweight champion Davey Moore died after losing his title to Cuban exile Sugar Ramos.

A decade later, Griffith talked about Paret's death to American writer Peter Heller. 'It's been 10 long years, but still I’m sensitive about that time. I have gone on to be quite a heck of a fighter since then. People tell me it wasn't my fault, but I felt that I fought the man and I felt responsible about what happened to him.

`The only thing I remember in that whole fight is what Gil said to me: "If you hurt the man, keep punching." I try to see it in my mind. but after 10 years I still can't seem to put it together. Maybe it's best that way.'

RISK TAKERS

Paret was just one of 10 professional fighters around the world to die following bouts in 1962. But as the editor of Ring, Nat Fleischer, wrote: 'Boxing is a hazardous occupation, but no more so than many others. The stakes are high and boxers take their chances. 'In 1960, 27 football players were killed in the United States. In 1961, 39 died. No one wants to see an athlete, no matter what the sport, maimed or killed. But a tragedy in boxing should not be treated any different than that of an aviator, a sand-hog, an astronaut, test pilot or auto racer.'

Abolitionists fought fiercely for boxing to he harmed in the USA following the death of Benny 'Kid' Paret, hut they ultimately failed.

The sport, however, took a long time to come out of its depression and, like anyone else who witnessed what happened that day, it was never the same again.

An article about Paret’s last fight by Norman Mailer

To be merged: Benny “Kid” Paret (b. Bernardo Paret on March 13, 1937, d. April 3, 1962) was a Cuban welterweight boxer. Paret was a two time world welterweight champion whose final boxing record included 36 wins (11KOs), 12 losses and 3 draws. He unsuccessfully challenged Gene Fullmer for the world middleweight title on December 9, 1961. Paret absorbed a brutal beating from the bigger and stronger Fullmer and was Koed in round 10. Many believe he never fully recovered from the Fullmer fight, and should not have fought another match so soon after the bout.

On March 24, 1962 Paret defended his world welterweight championship against Emile Griffith in Madison Square Garden. The bout was televised on network television as part of a then popular weekly fight program.

Griffith had fought Paret twice previously. On April 1, 1961 Griffith dethroned Paret by scoring a thirteen round KO. Paret upset Griffith when he bounced back to capture a split 15 round decision over Griffith to recapture the crown. The two were not fond of each other, and Paret taunted Griffith at the weigh in for their third encounter and questioned his manhood.

The third Paret-Griffith match was an exciting fight. Although Griffith seemed in control, Paret would often fight back, knocked Griffith down and came close to knocking Griffith out. The fight ended in the thirteenth round when Griffith trapped Paret in a corner and rained a multitude of unanswered punches on the defenseless Paret. It appeared as if Paret had become hung up in a corner of the ring, with one of his arms draped over a ring rope. Either Paret’s indomitable will, or the rope supporting his body, kept him up and in front of Griffith’s barrage. The referee, Ruby Goldstein, finally jumped in to stop the match. Paret then slowly slumped to the canvas and never regained consciousness. He died on April 3, 1962 as a result of the injuries he suffered in the fight.