Benny Kid Paret
| Benny Paret | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Bernardo Paret |
| Nickname(s) | the Kid |
| Weight(s) | Welterweight |
| Nationality | Cuban |
| Born |
March 14, 1937 Santa Clara, Cuba |
| Died | April 3, 1962 (aged 25) Manhattan, New York City, New York |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 50 |
| Wins | 35 |
| Wins by KO | 10 |
| Losses | 12 |
| Draws | 3 |
Benny "the Kid" Paret (March 14, 1937 – April 3, 1962), was born as Bernardo Paret in Santa Clara, Cuba. He was a Cuban welterweight boxer who won the World Welterweight Championship twice in the early 1960s. He also vied for the world middleweight championship.
Paret's death occurred 10 days after injuries sustained in a March 24, 1962 title defense against Emile Griffith, televised live and seen by millions on ABC's Fight of the Week. Paret had a lifetime record of 35 wins (10 knockouts), 12 losses and 3 draws.
Paret won the welterweight title for the first time on May 27th, 1960 by defeating Don Jordan. In his first defense of the title, Emile Griffith knocked him out in the thirteenth round on April 1, 1961. Paret recaptured the crown on September 30, 1961 in a split-decision over Griffith. Barely two months later, Paret took on middleweight champion Gene Fullmer and was knocked out in the tenth round being behind on all three judges' scorecards.
Although Paret had been battered in the two fights with Griffith and the fight with Fullmer, he decided that he would defend his title against Griffith three months after the Fullmer fight. Paret-Griffith III was booked for Madison Square Garden on Saturday, March 24, 1962, and was televised live by ABC. In round six Paret nearly knocked out Griffith with a multi punch combination but Griffith was saved by the bell. In the twelfth round of the fight Don Dunphy, who was calling the bout for ABC, remarked, "This is probably the tamest round of the entire fight." Seconds later, Griffith backed Paret into the corner and unleashed a massive flurry of punches to the champion's head. It quickly became apparent that Paret was dazed by the initial shots and could not defend himself, but referee Ruby Goldstein allowed Griffith to continue his assault. Finally, after twenty-nine consecutive punches which knocked Paret through the ropes at one point, Goldstein stepped in and called a halt to the bout. Paret collapsed in the corner from the barrage of punches (initially thought to be from exhaustion), fell into a coma, and died ten days later at Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan from massive brain hemorrhaging. Benny "Kid" Paret was buried at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the borough of the Bronx in New York City.
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Wikipedia