This lightweight fight features the # 1 rated contender Gato Gonzalez from Mexico verses # 4 rated Andy Ganigan from Hawaii…and like nearly all lightweight fights that I have seen….it is an action fight from start to finish.
Rodolfo González was a Mexican boxer and former WBC Lightweight Champion….also known as El Gato….who started his career very young at the age of 14….and won his first 53 bouts. In 1972 he took on Chango Carmona for the WBC lightweight title….winning via a Corner retirement in the 13th round. González defended the title four times before losing the belt to Guts Ishimatsu in 1974 via KO. Later in the year he had a rematch with Ishimatsu….but lost via TKO and retired from boxing. González was a devastating puncher and was named to Ring Magazine’s list of 100 greatest punchers….and had a career record of 81-7-1 with 71 KO’s. González actually missed making it into the World Boxing Hall of Fame by one vote in 2003 of the 140 voting members. A private vote was then taken by the 10-member Executive Committee, and González was accepted by an 8-2 vote. Two members resigned in protest, and later that year many more Executive Committee members had dropped out.
Andrew (Andy) “Hawaiian Punch” Ganigan was an American former lightweight boxer of Filipino descent.…who was notable for his punching ability….being named #97 in The Ring‘s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Ganigan fought from 1972 to 1983….ending his career with an overall record of 34 wins (30 by KO) and 5 losses. Ganigan captured the NABF lightweight title by scoring a TKO in 8 rounds over Vicente Saldivar on March 28, 1978. He lost that title to Johnny Lira on a 6 round KO on August 1, 1978….but recaptured the crown from Saldivar on March 27, 1979 by winning a unanimous 12 round decision. Ganigan also won the World Athletic Association (WAA) lightweight crown by scoring a KO in 2 rounds over Sean O’Grady on October 31, 1981. Ganigan then challenged legendary boxer Alexis Argüello on May 22, 1982 for the WBC lightweight crown. Ganigan knocked Arguello down in the first round….but was KOed in round 5. Ganigan’s last fight was an unsuccessful attempt to take the USBA lightweight crown from Jimmy Paul on June 6, 1983. Paul stopped Ganigan on a 6 round TKO.
