THE CYBER BOXING ZONE

Gil Turner

Born: October 9, 1930 Philadelphia
Professional Record: 54-20-2 (35 kayos)
1950 AAU Welterweight Champion

Gil Turner blazed out of the amateurs right into the maw of 1950s televised boxing. A year into his pro career, having built up a following with his high-energy style, Turner took on faded former Lightweight champion Beau Jack, decisioning him in 10 rounds. Turner continued his meteoric rise, kayoing former champs Jack and Ike Williams, as well as former top contenders Bernard Docusen and Charlie Fusari. By the summer of 1952, Turner's people felt he was ready for a title shot, despite that he was just 21 with only 31 pro fights.

Promoter Herman "Muggsy" Taylor lured Welterweight champion Kid Gavilan to Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium to face Turner in the biggest Welterweight title fight in history up to that point in time. Turner started fast, figuring that Gavilan would fold like the rest of his opposition had to that point in his career. Gavilan, though, fought back. Despite a good start, Turner wore down as the fight entered the championship rounds. In the eleventh, Gavilan caught up to a punched-out Turner, and battered him with a series of left hooks and bolo punches and the ref stopped the fight. At the time of the stoppage, the fight was even on points.

Turner was never really the same fighter, though he remained a fringe contender until 1954, beating Bobby Dykes, left-hook artist Joe Miceli, Pierre Langlois, and an unbeaten Johnny Saxton. A pair of kayo losses to light-hitting journeyman Bobby Jones and Al Andrews ended his days as a contender. Turner slipped into journeyman status from this point, though he did manage to beat an unbeaten Gene Fullmer, Yama Bahama, and Virgil Akins, before retiring in 1958.

1950
May 1   Jimmy Verne             Philadelphia            KO 1
May 8   George Martin           Philadelphia            KO 5
Jun 10  Eddie Holtz             Philadelphia            KO 1
Jul 3   Eddie Coleman           New Orleans             KO 5
Jul 10  George Toussant         New Orleans             KO 1
Sep 15  Joe DeJean              New Orleans             KO 1
Sep 28  Herman Laday            New Orleans             KO 1
Nov 10  Billy Whye              Philadelphia            KO 3
Nov 17  Red Pierson             Holyoke, MA             KO 1
Nov 27  Joe Brewer              Philadelphia            KO 1
Dec 1   Jerry Cannon            Montreal                KO 2
Dec 9   Al Hauser               Philadelphia            KO 2
Dec 20  Massimo Sanna           Philadelphia            KO 1

1951
Jan 20  Jimmy Sanders           Philadelphia            KO 2
Jan 30  Bobby Rosado            Philadelphia            KO 8
Feb 17  Jimmy DeCerio           Philadelphia            W 8
Mar 5   Jimmy Sanders           Philadelphia            KO 5
Apr 16  Beau Jack               Philadelphia            W 10
May 3   Jose Diaz               Philadelphia            KO 6
May 21  Beau Jack               Philadelphia            KO 8
Jun 11  Rudy Zadell             Philadelphia            KO 5
Jul 9   Charley Fusari          Philadelphia            KO 11
Aug 24  Jimmy DeCerio           Atlantic City           W 8
Sep 10  Ike Williams            Philadelphia            KO 10
Nov 12  Bernard Docusen         Philadelphia            KO 6
Dec 3   Mario Trigo             Philadelphia            W 10
Dec 28  Vic Cardell             New York                W 10

1952
Feb 4   Sammy Mastrean          Philadelphia            KO 4
Feb 25  Del Flanagan            Philadelphia            W 10
Mar 21  Don Williams            New York                KO 7
Apr 14  Chico Varona            Philadelphia            KO 7
May 26  Jesse Gethers           Philadelphia            Exh 4
Jul 7   Kid Gavilan            Philadelphia            TKO by 11
        (For World Welterweight Title)
Sep 5   Bobby Dykes             New York                L 10
Oct 20  Johnny Cunningham       Allentown, PA           KO 5
Dec 22  Joe Miceli              Philadelphia            KO 6

1953
Jan 20  Bobby Dykes             Philadelphia            W 10
Feb 10  Charlie Williams        Miami Beach             W 10
Apr 7   Joey Giardello         Philadelphia            L 10
May 11  Johnny Lombardo         Brooklyn                KO 7
Jun 15  Johnny Saxton          Philadelphia            W 10
Jul 23  Johnny Lombardo         Hershey, PA             W 8
Aug 12  Ramon Fuentes           New York                KO 5
Oct 7   Italo Scortichini       Detroit                 W 10
Oct 15  Johnny Bernardo         Philadelphia            KO 5
Dec 9   Rocky Castellani        Cleveland               L 10

1954
Jan 26  Pierre Langlois         Philadelphia            W 10
Mar 10  Bobby Jones             Philadelphia            L 10
Apr 19  Bobby Jones             Philadelphia            KO by 10
Aug 18  Al Andrews              Chicago                 W 10
Sep 29  Al Andrews              Chicago                 KO by 3
Nov 18  Charley Scott           Philadelphia            KO 8
Nov 29  Ray Drake               Brooklyn                KO 9

1955
Jan 3   Italo Scortichini       New York                W 10
Mar 7   Joe Miceli              Brooklyn                KO 8
Apr 4   Gene Fullmer           Brooklyn                W 10
May 20  Ramon Fuentes           New York                D 10
Jun 20  Gene Fullmer            Salt Lake City          L 10
Sep 7   Carmen Basilio          Syracuse, NY            L 10
Oct 21  Isaac Logart            New York                L 10
Dec 14  Jackie LaBua            Syracuse, NY            W 10

1956
Jan 20  Jackie LaBua            Syracuse, NY            W 10
Feb 17  Gene Fullmer            New York                L 10
May 16  Johnny Saxton           Chicago                 KO by 10
Jun 29  Yama Bahama             New York                L 10
Oct 19  Joey Giambra            New York                L 10

1957
Jan 8   Jimmy Morris            Miami Beach             KO 6
Mar 4   Rudy Gwin               New York                KO 4
Mar 29  Isaac Logart            New York                L 10
Jun 5   Yama Bahama             Miami Beach             W 10
Jul 25  Del Flanagan            St. Paul, MN            L 10
Sep 18  Virgil Akins            Atlantic City           W 10

1958
Jan 15  Vince Martinez          Philadelphia            L 12
Mar 28  Mickey Crawford         New York                L 10
Jun 12  Garnet "Sugar" Hart     Philadelphia            D 10
Aug 22  Stefan Redl             New York                W 10
Oct 15  Ralph Dupas          	Montreal                L 10
Nov 20  Del Flanagan            St. Paul, MN            L 10