Corky Gonzales boxer

Corky Gonzales boxer
bouts
73
won
61
lost
11
draw
1
Status
inactive
Division
featherweight
Debut
1947-06-30
Height
5′ 8″/173cm
Reach
71″/180cm
Age
76
Born
1928-06-18
Death
2005-04-12
Nationality
USA

Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales (June 18, 1928 – April 12, 2005) was a Mexican American boxer, poet, political organizer, and activist. He was one of many leaders for the Crusade for Justice in Denver, Colorado. The Crusade for Justice was an urban rights and Chicano cultural urban movement during the 1960s focusing on social, political, and economic justice for Chicanos. Gonzales convened the first-ever Chicano Youth Liberation Conference in 1968, which was poorly attended due to timing and weather conditions. He tried again in March 1969, and established what is commonly known as the First Chicano Youth Liberation Conference. This conference was attended by many future Chicano activists and artists. It also birthed the Plan Espiritual de Aztlán, a pro-indigenist manifesto advocating revolutionary Chicano nationalism and self-determination for all Chicanos. Through the Crusade for Justice, Gonzales organized the Mexican American people of Denver to fight for their cultural, political, and economic rights, leaving his mark on history. He was honored with a Google Doodle in continued celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States on 30 September 2021. Rodolfo Gonzales was born the youngest of Federico and Indalesia Gonzales's eight children in Denver, Colorado in 1928. His father had immigrated to Colorado at an early age from Chihuahua, Mexico. Even as an immigrant, Federico Gonzales taught the histories of Mexico's struggle against Spanish domination and against Porfirio Díaz. Federico Gonzales imparted his knowledge to his son, a struggle that culminated in the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920). Rodolfo’s mother, Indalesia Gonzales, died when Rodolfo was two years old; his father never remarried.Gonzales and his siblings were raised in Denver's tough "Eastside Barrio", where the Great Depression took an even heavier toll on Mexican Americans. However, according to Gonzales, "though the Depression was devastating to so many, we, as children, were so poor that it was hardly noticed". The Gonzaleses were a very poor family. Gonzales, along with his mother and siblings worked in the fields, and his father worked hard in the coal mines to provide for the family throughout Gonzales's life. Gonzales attended high schools in Colorado and New Mexico while simultaneously working in the beet fields, and graduated from Manual High School at the age of 16. Since his youth he demonstrated a fiery tendency, which caused his uncle to say that "He was always popping off like a cork. So, we called him Corky." The nickname stuck.In February 1949, at the age of 21, Gonzales married Geraldine Romero, aged 17/18. They had eight children, who eventually took on their father's legacy of the Crusade for Justice.Gonzales had a successful professional boxing career and at one time was ranked as a top three Featherweight by Ring Magazine. However, he always lost when competing at the highest level and never received a shot at the title. He retired from the ring in 1955 after compiling a record of 63 wins, 11 losses, and 1 draw. Gonzales found the sport empowering, saying, "I bleed as the vicious gloves of hunger cut my face and eyes, as I fight my way from stinking barrios to the glamour of the ring and the lights of fame or mutilated sorrow." His success in boxing lent him a prominence that he would later capitalize upon during his political career. He was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. When Gonzales turned to politics, he was ranked the 5th best boxer in the world.Gonzales's early political involvement in the Democratic party centered around campaigning for Mayor of Denver Quigg Newton in 1947, registering Latino voters for the Democratic party in 1950 and leading the Colorado "Viva Kennedy" campaign.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1955-11-28 Paul Smith WLLWWW Denver WIN
Points
1953-09-20 Federico Plummer WWDWWW Arena de Colon, Colon City LOST
Unanimous decision
1953-09-06 Pedro Tesis WWWWLW Arena de Colon, Colon City WIN
Points
1953-04-27 Lulu Perez WWWWWW Eastern Parkway Arena, Brooklyn LOST
Unanimous decision
1953-04-06 Gene Smith WWLWWW Eastern Parkway Arena, Brooklyn WIN
Split-decision
1953-03-12 Charley Riley WWWLWL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Unanimous decision
1953-02-19 Glen Flanagan WWLWWL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Unanimous decision
1953-01-12 Jackie Graves WLWLWW Auditorium, Saint Paul WIN
Technical knockout
1952-10-17 Dave Gallardo WWWWWW Pueblo LOST
Split-decision
1952-06-18 Jackie Graves WLWWLW Marcusen Park, Austin WIN
Points
1952-05-16 Glen Flanagan WWWWLW Iron Range, Eveleth DRAW
Points
1952-04-25 Charley Riley WLLLWL Denver LOST
Technical knockout
1952-02-06 Bobby Why WLDWDW Pueblo WIN
Points
1952-01-23 Gene Smith WWWWWW Uline Arena, Washington LOST
Technical knockout
1951-12-10 Carmen Iacobucci WWWDWL Arena, Milwaukee WIN
Technical knockout
1951-11-23 Jackie Blair WWWWLL Pueblo WIN
Points
1951-09-26 Teddy Davis WLLLLW Polo Grounds, New York LOST
Points
1951-09-04 Willie Pep WWWWWW Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans LOST
Unanimous decision
1951-08-21 Charley Riley LLLWWW Denver WIN
Points
1951-07-30 Eddie Burgin WWWLLD Bears Stadium, Denver WIN
Unanimous decision
1951-07-19 Tommy Baker LLLLWL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Points
1951-06-21 Bucky Gardner LLWLLW Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Unanimous decision
1951-06-12 Eddie Lacy WWWLLD Shrine Auditorium, Duluth WIN
Points
1951-03-08 Conrado Castanon DWDWWL County Coliseum, El Paso LOST
Corner retirement
1951-01-16 Jackie McCoy LWLLWL Denver WIN
Points
1951-01-09 Packy McFarland LLDLWW City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1950-12-28 Bunny Berrigan WWLLDW Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Unanimous decision
1950-12-05 Harry LaSane DDWWLW Denver WIN
Unanimous decision
1950-11-14 Leo LeBrun LWWLLL Mammoth Gardens, Denver WIN
KO
1950-08-11 Luis Galvani WWWWWW City Auditorium, Denver LOST
KO
1950-07-18 Lenny Alvarez WWWWWW Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans WIN
Unanimous decision
1950-03-23 Art Irlando WWWLLL Cheyenne WIN
Points
1950-03-09 Hector Marquez WWWWWL Albuquerque WIN
Points
1950-02-23 Bobby Carew WWLLLL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
Unanimous decision
1949-12-14 Miguel Acevedo LWLWWW Auditorium, Saint Paul LOST
Points
1949-11-22 Harold Dade WLLLWW Auditorium, Saint Paul WIN
Unanimous decision
1949-09-01 Eddie Marotta WWWWWW City Auditorium, Denver WIN
Points
1949-08-05 Art Irlando WWWWWW City Auditorium, Denver WIN
Unanimous decision
1949-08-01 Eddie Silva WLLLWW Cheyenne WIN
KO
1949-07-21 Harold Dade WWWWWW City Auditorium, Denver WIN
Unanimous decision
1949-06-17 Lee Bohles DWWDLW Auditorium Arena, Denver WIN
Points
1949-05-27 Pat Iacobucci WLWWWD Denver WIN
Points
1949-05-13 Mario Chico Morales WWWWWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Unanimous decision
1949-04-28 Proctor Heinhold LLWWWW Denver WIN
Points
1949-02-11 Proctor Heinhold LLLDLL City Auditorium, Denver WIN
Unanimous decision
1949-02-04 Ron Cannon WLLLLL Chicago Stadium, Chicago WIN
Points
1949-01-14 Bobby Bell WLWLWL Denver WIN
Points
1948-12-10 Sonny Gomez LWLLWL Denver WIN
Points
1948-10-29 Eddie Marotta WLWWWW Denver WIN
Points
1948-09-29 Eddie Marotta WWWLWW Denver LOST
Points
1948-08-27 Paulie Cook LLWWDL Denver WIN
Points
1948-08-13 Lou Langley WLWLLL Denver WIN
Points
1948-07-12 Val Valentine LWLLWW Denver WIN
Points
1948-06-17 Mickey Harris LLL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
KO
1948-06-03 Spider Webb LLLLLL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
KO
1948-05-28 Roy Grant WDWLDW City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1948-05-03 Joe Amaya WWLWWL City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1948-04-19 Jorge Ortiz L City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Technical knockout
1948-04-08 Rocco Joe Romano LWLLLL Auditorium, Minneapolis WIN
KO
1948-03-31 Russ Moore LWWLLW Wichita WIN
Unanimous decision
1948-03-15 Pat Murphy LW City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1948-02-27 Howard Jackson LWWLLL Denver WIN
Points
1948-01-07 Frankie Rivera DWWLLW Omaha WIN
Points
1947-12-29 Harold Jackson LWLLLW City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1947-12-15 Bud Love WWLWWL City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1947-11-10 Rocco Joe Romano WLWLLW City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Points
1947-10-20 Mel Hammond WWWWWW City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Split-decision
1947-10-06 Dave Peake WLLLWL City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
KO
1947-09-22 Paul Martinez WWWLWL City Auditorium, Omaha WIN
Technical knockout
1947-08-26 Johnny Martinez LWLLLW Mammoth Gardens, Denver WIN
Points
1947-07-24 Spider Webb LLLLLL Denver WIN
KO
1947-07-11 Paul Ciscinero debut Sports Park, Sioux City WIN
Points
1947-06-30 Jim Sully debut Sports Park, Sioux City WIN
Points