Benny Paret
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Benny "Kid" Paret, born Bernardo Paret (March 14, 1937 - April 3, 1962) was a Cuban welterweight boxer.
Paret was born in Santa Clara, Cuba. He died aged 25 in New York City of the injuries sustained 10 days earlier on March 24, 1962 in his last boxing fight with Emile Griffith for the welterweight championship in Madison Square Garden, which was nationally televised in the United States and is widely thought to be the first live depiction of injuries resulting in death on American television.
Paret was a two time world welterweight champion. 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 knocked out 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. Fullmer later said he had never hit anyone as hard as he had hit Paret. People who knew Paret said he complained of severe headaches and exhibited personality changes before the Griffith fight.
Paret had fought Griffith twice previously. On April 1, 1961 Griffith dethroned Paret by scoring a thirteen round knockout. Paret upset Griffith when he bounced back to capture a split 15 round decision over Griffith to recapture the crown.
Prior to the weigh-in for the third fight with Griffith, Paret taunted Griffith and, according to a Sports Illustrated article of April 2005 hissed at him: "Maricón (a Spanish insult meaning "faggot"), I'm going to get you and your husband." Griffith flew into a rage and tried to go after his opponent before friends restrained him.
The fight was a seesaw battle, and Paret actually knocked Griffith down in the sixth round. Griffith struggled to get to his feet, but eventually was able to regain his composure. In the twelfth round, Griffith unleashed a barrage of 18 unanswered punches that left Paret defenseless against the ropes. Paret fell into a coma and died ten days later. Referee Ruby Goldstein was blamed by many for not stopping the fight soon enough after a spent Paret fell into the ropes but became entangled, unable to fall and helpless against Griffith's fusillade.
Paret died on April 3, 1962 as a result of the injuries he suffered in the fight. As a result of the tragic outcome, boxing would not be seen on free TV for the ensuing ten years.
Paret had a lifetime record of 36 wins (11 knockouts), 12 losses and 3 draws.
The fatal bout and its effects on Emile Griffith's career and life are the subject of the documentary "Ring of Fire."
[edit] In popular culture
Paret is one of four boxers named in the lyrics of Sun Kil Moon's album Ghosts Of The Great Highway. The album builds several songs around the stories of boxers who died young deaths. The others are Duk Koo Kim, Salvador Sanchez, and Pancho Villa.
