The Toughest Guy In Boxing

By Young Bob Sproggins

On July 19, 1990 at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington, Craig “Gator” Bodzianokski from Chicago, Illinois stepped into the ring to challenge the reigning and defending WBA Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Robert Daniels, from Miami, Florida. After 12 rounds of action it went to the judges’ scorecards where Daniels won a unanimous decision and retained his Title.

However, there was something so unique about this fight that never before or since, in the history of boxing, has this situation been repeated. Bodzianowski had only one leg! 

Surely one of the toughest physically and mentally to ever set foot in a boxing ring, “Gator” so nicknamed because of the Lacoste Alligator tattooed on his left pectoral, was a 13 – 0 pro, with 11 wins by KO, when in May 1984 he lost the lower portion of his right leg in a motorcycle accident. He not only recovered and rehabbed from this devastating injury, but with the help of a state-of-the-art prosthetic, managed to actually resume his professional boxing career. Not only resumed it, but did so at a world class level. He won the Illinois State Heavyweight Title and then the WBA Continental Americas Cruiserweight Title, which put him in line for a legitimate shot at a World Championship Title!

Bodzianowski retired in 1993 with a record of 31-4-1, with 23 wins by KO. Incredibly, his four losses were all on decisions, and on one leg, to World Champions (Alfonzo Ratliff – twice by 10 round majority decision, to Robert Daniels – by 12 round unanimous decision, and James Warring – by 10 round unanimous decision).

As an amateur he was a Chicago Park District and Chicago Golden Gloves Champion. In 1981 he represented Chicago in the heavyweight division of the New York vs. Chicago Intercity Golden Gloves Event, dropping a decision in Madison Square Garden to New York Golden Gloves Champion and future heavyweight contender, Carl “The Truth” Williams.

In a remarkable testament to his will and iron determination, as an amateur and professional boxer, “Gator” was never stopped. Even when the score didn’t go his way, he never once failed to go the distance. He passed away in 2013 due to a heart attack suffered in his sleep. He was only 52 years old.

For more on this remarkable fighter see a previously published article by Steve Corbo which appeared on dmboxing.com on August 08, 2013. https://dmboxing.com/craig-bodzianowski-r-i-p/

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