Punchers from the Past: Nino Valdes

Nino Valdes

Name: Geraldo Ramos Ponciano Valdés

Born Havana, Cuba: December 5 1924

Died New York June 3 2001 aged 76

Record 70 fights 48 wins (36 KO/TKO),18 losses, 3 draws. 1ND

Height: 6’3” Reach 78”

Turned Pro: December 17, 1941 just after his seventeenth birthday

Won Cuban Heavyweight title in December 1945

First fight in the USA October 19 1948 drew 6 Jimmy Freeman (Valdes record was 13-3-1).

After a brief return to Cuba Valdes returned to USA and from 1952 onwards he met almost every heavyweight of note in the world scoring wins in United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium. He was the scourge of British boxers beating Don Cockell, Dick Richardson, Joe Erskine and Brian London.

1952 L PTS Harold Johnson,

1953.LPTS Bob Baker L PTS Archie Moore, W PTS Ezzard Charles, W KO 4 Heinz Neuhaus in Germany,

1954 W PTS James J Parker W TKO 4 Kartel Sys in Belgium, W TKO 2 Tommy Jackson,

1955 L PTS Archie Moore, L PTS Bob Satterfield, W RTD 3 Don Cockell, L PTS Bob Baker,

1956 L PTS Eddie Machen, L KO 8 Eddie Machen, L PTS 10 Zora Folley, W RTD 8 Dick Richardson, W TKO 6 Hans Friedrich in Germany,

1957 W KO 1 Joe Erskine, W PTS 10 John Holman,

1958  W PTS 10 Wayne Bethea, W PTS 10 Mike DeJohn, L PTS 10 Alex Miteff, W KO 5 Johnny Summerlin, W TKO 9 Harold Carter, W PTS 10 Mike DeJohn, W TKO 1 Pat McMurtry,

1959 L TKO 8 Charlie Powell, L PTS 10 Alonzo Johnson, L KO 3 Sonny Liston, W RTD 8 Brian London

-First Cuban fighter to figure in the Ring Magazine heavyweight ratings

-Was rated No 1 heavyweight by Ring Magazine in 1953 and 1954 and No 2 in 1958

-Lost on points to Archie Moore in May 1955 in a fight recognised by the Nevada State Commission as a world title fight. The referee and sole judge was former heavyweight champion James J. Braddock, and he scored it 8-5 for Moore.

-Lost on points to Bob Baker in December 1955 with the loss ending his chance of a challenge to Rocky Marciano

– The Erskine fight in February 1957 in the sold out Earls Court Arena in London drew a crowd of over 18, 000 Valdes floored unbeaten Erskine (29-0-1) twice and the fight was over in 2:03 of the first round.

Valdes was forced to retire after the win over Brian London in December 1959 due to eye problems. After retirement he worked as a security guard and as a bouncer and died destitute and alone in New York in June 2001.