Brothers Izod
On the Ropes - the Movie
On The Ropes - The Movie
By now, most people have seen at least one of the Rocky movies, the fairytale story of a club fighter who gets a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. Gator's story bears some resemblance, but his challenges are far greater. Rocky's biggest challenge is in overcoming his bad attitude; while Gator overcomes what everyone considers a 'career-ending' injury.
In the late 70s and early 80s, as an amateur boxer, Gator compiles an enviable record of 62 wins and 5 losses. His only losses are to champions and soon-to-be champions. Gator then takes the professional boxing world by storm. By early 1984, he is undefeated with 13 wins; 11 by knockout. He is determined to become the cruiserweight champion of the world. He trains hard, always keeping his championship dream in sight. Unfortunately, as his winning record grows, so does his ego. His training sessions become fewer and further apart, while he develops a reckless lifestyle.
Gator earned his nickname because of the alligator tattoo on his left pectoral
LOSING A LEG
On a fateful night in May 1984, a tragic motorcycle accident mangles Bodzianowski's lower right leg. Doctors attempt to save his foot during a 9.5 hour surgery. One week later, Gator is faced with the most important decision of his life. Doctors advise that multiple painful surgeries over the next year may save his leg; however, he will be dependent on a cane to walk, and will never be able to run. Alternatively, if his leg is amputated below the knee and he is fitted with a prosthetic leg, he may, in time, be able to jog again. Regardless, his doctors are adamant that his boxing days are over.
Recalling the words of his father, 'never quit,' and remembering his passion to train hard in order to compete in the world championship, Gator has faith that if he can jog, he can run; and if he can run, he will box again. He opts for amputation. He's 23 years old.
BRAWLER BEGINNINGS
Raised in the south Chicago suburb of Tinley Park with 5 siblings, Gator's 'salt of the earth' parents, Pat and Gloria, instilled life's most important rules: always do the right thing, and "don't take no crap from no one." His father Pat, 6'3", 300 lbs and adorned with multiple tattoos, supported the family as a tattoo artist and taxidermist. A former boxer himself, Pat taught his sons to hunt wildlife, defend their honor, and meet all challenges head-on as they grew to manhood.
Long before high school, Gator was known in his neighborhood as a formidable opponent in any fight. In high school, he never quite fit in with the fashionable rich kids, nor did he care to. Gator made his own fashion statement by asking his father to tattoo an Izod alligator tattoo on his left pectoral, in approximately the same place as the symbol appeared on the popular shirts. His mother, Gloria, then strategically cut holes in his shirts to expose his new tattoo; thus, he earned his nickname "Gator." Becoming a boxer was a logical step for the kid with the reputation as a "brawler."
Prior to his accident, Gator's 'never say die' attitude was forged by two important occurrences. Days before his most important fight to date, a Championship bout, his dearest brother Billy, is accidentally shot and dies. Devastated, Gator considers canceling the fight. His coach and mentor, Bill O'Connor, encourages Gator to enter the ring in remembrance of his brother. Bodzianowski fights and wins his first Championship. Four years later, just one week before Gator's 13th professional fight, O'Connor commits suicide. This time, Gator doesn't hesitate. Fighting in O'Connor's memory, he wins a 10-round decision match.
UNSTOPPABLE
After Gator's accident, his doctors soon learn why his opponents consider him "unstoppable." Fitting Gator with a prosthetic leg, prosthetist Mike Quigley instructs him to practice walking with a cane for 30 minutes. Bodzianowski immediately walks across the room and quickly discovers he doesn't need the cane. After walking successfully for a few minutes, he goes home and engages in a 45 minute racquetball game! Excited to once again be able to play sports, Gator ignores the pain, until he later discovers he is bleeding profusely. Checking back with Quigley the next day, he learns he has pushed the bone through his callused stump. Gator's doctors later recalled never before witnessing any patient with Gator's high tolerance for pain, and willingness to endure.
Regaining passion and focus, Gator trains ardently. He is a changed man; his reckless ways a thing of the past.
Getting back into the ring unearths yet another challenge for Gator. No local boxer is willing to spar with an amputee; let alone fight him professionally. Resorting to desperate measures, Gator's manager, Jerry Lenza, arranges a match with an out-of-state heavyweight contender, outweighing Gator by at least 15 lbs. His opponent is not aware that Gator is wearing a prosthetic leg. The first round is rough and Gator is knocked around the ring. With each round, he regains confidence, and by the 4th round, Gator is clearly leading the fight. Suddenly, a loud snapping sound is heard, and Gator falls. His coach, Nate Bolden, rushes into the ring. His opponent is both astounded and terrified when Gator's foot comes off in Nate's hand. Nate is relieved to discover a broken bolt on the prosthetic leg and that Gator is not injured. His opponent's coach, however, is infuriated at being duped into fighting an amputee.
Over the next year, Bodzianowski continues to improve and more sparring partners emerge willing to fight him. He seeks to regain his boxing license to fight professionally, but the Boxing Commission refuses, even when threatened with litigation. Jerry garners sympathy for Gator from the media, and under duress, the Boxing Commission finally relents issuing a provisional license. At last, Gator can fight professionally again.
Just eighteen months after Bodzianowski's accident, as he prepares for his first major fight, it becomes an international news story that an amputee is making a professional boxing comeback. Gator knocks his opponent out in the 2nd round. Rumors that the fight was staged follow and bring Gator's comeback into question. As Gator knocks out more opponents, controversy ensues and his critics increase in number, refusing to believe a "cripple" could knock out able-bodied fighters.
In 1986, Gator wins the Illinois Heavyweight Championship, allowing him to take on high ranked challengers. Gator loses only 3 out of 27 fights on points scored; but he is never knocked out. In 1989, he wins the WBA Intercontinental America's Cruiserweight Championship, finally silencing and putting to shame his critics once and for all.
By 1990, Gator's record is a respectable 24 wins, 3 loss, and 1 draw. He has been ranked in the top 10 in his class for more than a year. Finally, his dream of fighting for a world championship is realized when he gets a shot at the WBA World Cruiserweight belt. Odds are overwhelmingly stacked in favor of the title holder, Robert Daniels.
During the first round of the fight, Gator pounds the champion. In the 2nd round, a right side uppercut from the champion breaks Gator's rib, curtailing his right punch. Less than a month before the fight, Gator had broken the same rib and it had not fully healed. This re-injury allows Daniels to score multiple points. In Gator's corner, his coaches, Pat and Primo LaCassa, encourage him to throw in the towel. Gator refuses and informs them they will have to carry him out because he will never quit. Back in the ring, Daniels closes Gator's right eye with one punch, and gains more points. Going the distance, Gator persists, giving Daniels a memorable fight. Against all odds, Gator appears to strengthen as the fight progresses. In the final rounds, some say Gator is beginning to overpower Daniels. The unstoppable Gator finishes the fight with one leg, one arm, and one eye functioning properly. Despite grueling pain, he never allows Daniels to knock him down, not even once. Unfortunately, when the points are tallied, Daniels wins the championship.
Craig 'Gator' Bodzianowski meets Pope John Paul II in Rome at a special audience (1986)
CONCLUSION
In all of Gator's amateur and professional fights, he was never stopped. He lost only a few fights, and those losses were on points scored, never a knockout. Gator's professional record is 31 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw, and he won two championship belts. While he lost his battle for the world championship fight, he won his fight to prove to the world that being physically challenged doesn't make you handicapped. Gator's attitude and accomplishments opened the door for physically challenged athletes to compete in professional sports, and continue to serve as an inspiration to all, even today.
To learn more about the film, check out the production company's website, www.WindyCityImages.com. The website includes a documentary short about Gator, "Still Standing" which can be viewed HERE. To learn more about Gator, check out www.BoxingGator.com.
About the Author
Steve Wilburn heads up Windy City Images, a film production company in Chicago. He has produced documentaries and films and written several screenplays, including "On The Ropes".
Siobhan G. Tobin is a web developer with EvolvedSites.com and has designed and developed more than 800 websites over the last decade.
US $25.00
