Kid Chocolate
Encyclopedia
For the boxer of the same nickname see Peter Quillin
.
Eligio Sardiñas Montalvo (January 6, 1910 – August 8, 1988), better known as Kid Chocolate, was a Cuba
n boxer
who enjoyed wild success both in the boxing ring
and in society life during a span of the 1930s.
and Jack Johnson
, all world champions, before beginning an amateur boxing
career. As an amateur, he allegedly won all 100 of his fights, 86 by knockout
, but this record was apparently fabricated for publicity purposes.
His professional boxing debut, officially, occurred on December 8, 1927, when he beat Johnny Cruz in six rounds in Havana
. Although it has been claimed that he had 100 amateur fights and 21 KO wins as a pro in Cuba, this was a fabrication by his manager, Pincho Gutierrez.
Research by boxing historian Enrique Encinosa has uncovered 22 amateur bouts (listed below), verified through Cuban newspapers Diario de la Marina and La Noche, as well as various books published by biographers or the Cuban government.
His first 9 bouts, including a five round knockout win in a rematch with Cruz, were held in Cuba. In 1928, he moved to the United States
and began campaigning in New York
. He won his first nine bouts there, five by knockout, and 12 of his first 13 fights in his new hometown. The only person to escape the ring without a defeat against Chocolate during that span was Joey Scalfaro, who held him to a ten round draw.
By 1929, Montalvo was becoming a name to be reckoned with in boxing. He had 23 fights that year, and continued his undefeated run by winning each of them. He also began to box more competent opponents. Among the boxers he defeated were former world champion Fidel LaBarba (beaten by a decision in ten), future world champion Al Singer
(also by a decision in ten), and fringe contenders Bushy Graham
, Vic Burrone and Gregorio Vidal, all of whom, except for Graham, were beaten by decision. Graham was disqualified in the seventh round.
In 1930, he beat Burrone twice again, as part of his first seven bouts that year, all of which he won. In his eighth fight of 1930 he faced future world Jr. Welterweight champion Jackie Kid Berg, who ended Chocolate's undefeated record by beating him in ten rounds. After three more fights, which resulted in two first round knockout wins and a decision loss in a ten round rematch with LaBarba, Chocolate found himself in the ring with world Featherweight champion Christopher Battling Battalino
. Trying to become Cuba's first world boxing champion ever on that night, Chocolate lost a 15 round decision.
in seven rounds to take the world title. Five non-title wins followed, including a first round knockout in a rematch with Scalfaro. He finished the year by going up in weight once again, and challenging world Lightweight champion Tony Canzoneri
, losing by a decision in 15 in his first attempt to gain the Lightweight crown.
He started 1932 by winning his first eight bouts, including a world title defense in Havana against Davie Abad, beaten in 15 by decision. Then, he faced "Kid" Berg in a rematch, losing again, this time by decision in 15. He engaged in seven more bouts, including two decision wins over Johnny Farr, before fighting Lew Feldman on October 13. The fight was recognized as a world Featherweight title bout, but only by the New York state athletic commission. Chocolate won by a knockout in 12 rounds, gaining the New York world title.
He retained that world title twice, including a third fight with LaBarba, before relinquishing it while in the middle of a Europe
an boxing tour that took him to Madrid, Barcelona and Paris. He won all of his fights on that tour by decision. Upon returning to America, he lost by a knockout in two in a rematch with Canzoneri, then lost his world Lightweight title, being knocked out in seven by Frankie Klick. After that fight, it was revealed that he was suffering from syphilis
.
Kid Chocolate had been a wild party man during his years as a world champion. He was a boxer who enjoyed the city's nightlife. However, when he stepped out of boxing, he went back to Cuba and lived a quieter life.
From 1959, Chocolate's fame in Cuba was overlooked by Fidel Castro
and his revolutionary forces, and he almost became a forgotten champion. But, by the late 1970s, Chocolate's achievements were finally recognized by the Cuban government, who gave him a small pension. Chocolate died in his own home -bought for his mother when he was champion- in 1988.
His record was 135 wins, 10 losses and 6 draws, 51 wins coming by knockout and one no decision bout, also making Ring magazine's list of boxers with 50 or more career knockout wins. He became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame
alongside Bass, Berg and Canzoneri.
He was the inspiration for the character Chocolate Drop in Clifford Odets
' play Golden Boy.
Peter Quillin
For the 1930s boxer Eligio Sardiñas Montalvo, better known by the nickname "Kid Chocolate," see Kid Chocolate.Peter Quillin is an undefeated Cuban-American boxer in the Super Middleweight division. He's trained by 4-time trainer of the year Freddie Roach. Quillin is signed to Oscar de la Hoya's...
.
Eligio Sardiñas Montalvo (January 6, 1910 – August 8, 1988), better known as Kid Chocolate, was a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who enjoyed wild success both in the boxing ring
Boxing ring
A boxing ring is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring, which is set on a raised platform, is square with a post at each corner to which four parallel rows of ropes are attached with a turnbuckle...
and in society life during a span of the 1930s.
Biography
Eligio Montaldo, also nicknamed The Cuban Bon Bon, learned how to fight by watching old fight films in Cuba. He later sparred with boxers such as Benny LeonardBenny Leonard
Benny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
and Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (boxer)
John Arthur Johnson , nicknamed the “Galveston Giant,” was an American boxer. At the height of the Jim Crow era, Johnson became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion...
, all world champions, before beginning an amateur boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career. As an amateur, he allegedly won all 100 of his fights, 86 by knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
, but this record was apparently fabricated for publicity purposes.
His professional boxing debut, officially, occurred on December 8, 1927, when he beat Johnny Cruz in six rounds in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. Although it has been claimed that he had 100 amateur fights and 21 KO wins as a pro in Cuba, this was a fabrication by his manager, Pincho Gutierrez.
Research by boxing historian Enrique Encinosa has uncovered 22 amateur bouts (listed below), verified through Cuban newspapers Diario de la Marina and La Noche, as well as various books published by biographers or the Cuban government.
His first 9 bouts, including a five round knockout win in a rematch with Cruz, were held in Cuba. In 1928, he moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and began campaigning in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He won his first nine bouts there, five by knockout, and 12 of his first 13 fights in his new hometown. The only person to escape the ring without a defeat against Chocolate during that span was Joey Scalfaro, who held him to a ten round draw.
By 1929, Montalvo was becoming a name to be reckoned with in boxing. He had 23 fights that year, and continued his undefeated run by winning each of them. He also began to box more competent opponents. Among the boxers he defeated were former world champion Fidel LaBarba (beaten by a decision in ten), future world champion Al Singer
Al Singer
Al Singer was an American boxer. He was born in the Lower East Side in New York City....
(also by a decision in ten), and fringe contenders Bushy Graham
Bushy Graham
Bushy Graham was an Italian-American boxer from New York. He held the bantamweight championship in 1928.-Boxing career:...
, Vic Burrone and Gregorio Vidal, all of whom, except for Graham, were beaten by decision. Graham was disqualified in the seventh round.
In 1930, he beat Burrone twice again, as part of his first seven bouts that year, all of which he won. In his eighth fight of 1930 he faced future world Jr. Welterweight champion Jackie Kid Berg, who ended Chocolate's undefeated record by beating him in ten rounds. After three more fights, which resulted in two first round knockout wins and a decision loss in a ten round rematch with LaBarba, Chocolate found himself in the ring with world Featherweight champion Christopher Battling Battalino
Battling Battalino
Christopher Battaglia better known as Battling Battalino, was an American former world featherweight boxing champion...
. Trying to become Cuba's first world boxing champion ever on that night, Chocolate lost a 15 round decision.
World champion
After going up in weight class to the Junior Lightweight division, he started 1931 by winning four fights in a row. Then, on July 15, his dream of becoming Cuba's first world boxing champion finally came true, as he knocked out the defending world Junior Lightweight champion Benny BassBenny Bass
Benny Bass, known as "Little Fish," was an American boxer....
in seven rounds to take the world title. Five non-title wins followed, including a first round knockout in a rematch with Scalfaro. He finished the year by going up in weight once again, and challenging world Lightweight champion Tony Canzoneri
Tony Canzoneri
Tony Canzoneri was an American boxer who was born in the town of Slidell, Louisiana.Canzoneri, an Italian American, was one of the members of the exclusive group of boxing world champions who have won titles in three or more divisions.- Early life :When he was a teenager, he and his family moved...
, losing by a decision in 15 in his first attempt to gain the Lightweight crown.
He started 1932 by winning his first eight bouts, including a world title defense in Havana against Davie Abad, beaten in 15 by decision. Then, he faced "Kid" Berg in a rematch, losing again, this time by decision in 15. He engaged in seven more bouts, including two decision wins over Johnny Farr, before fighting Lew Feldman on October 13. The fight was recognized as a world Featherweight title bout, but only by the New York state athletic commission. Chocolate won by a knockout in 12 rounds, gaining the New York world title.
He retained that world title twice, including a third fight with LaBarba, before relinquishing it while in the middle of a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an boxing tour that took him to Madrid, Barcelona and Paris. He won all of his fights on that tour by decision. Upon returning to America, he lost by a knockout in two in a rematch with Canzoneri, then lost his world Lightweight title, being knocked out in seven by Frankie Klick. After that fight, it was revealed that he was suffering from syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
.
Later years
He retired shortly thereafter, but came back in 1934. He won 47 of his next 50 bouts. He never received another world title attempt and felt abandoned by boxing's elite. He retired again in 1938.Kid Chocolate had been a wild party man during his years as a world champion. He was a boxer who enjoyed the city's nightlife. However, when he stepped out of boxing, he went back to Cuba and lived a quieter life.
From 1959, Chocolate's fame in Cuba was overlooked by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
and his revolutionary forces, and he almost became a forgotten champion. But, by the late 1970s, Chocolate's achievements were finally recognized by the Cuban government, who gave him a small pension. Chocolate died in his own home -bought for his mother when he was champion- in 1988.
His record was 135 wins, 10 losses and 6 draws, 51 wins coming by knockout and one no decision bout, also making Ring magazine's list of boxers with 50 or more career knockout wins. He became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
alongside Bass, Berg and Canzoneri.
He was the inspiration for the character Chocolate Drop in Clifford Odets
Clifford Odets
Clifford Odets was an American playwright, screenwriter, socialist, and social protester.-Early life:Odets was born in Philadelphia to Romanian- and Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, Louis Odets and Esther Geisinger, and raised in Philadelphia and the Bronx, New York. He dropped out of high...
' play Golden Boy.