By Fred Mitchell, Chicago Tribune reporter, July 30, 2013
Craig "Gator" Bodzianowski, a professional boxer who overcame the loss of part of his right leg in a motorcycle accident to continue pursuit of his ambitious dream in the ring, died Friday.
"As a competitor, I don't think there was a more driven, fiercer guy out there than him," said Chicago boxing promoter Bobby Hitz, who lost a heavyweight fight against Bodzianowski in 1986. "He was a very good athlete. He was a throw-back fighter; he was one of those guys who just had an old-school attitude, which was really refreshing."
Bodzianowski won two major fights after becoming an amputee on May 31,1984 — an Illinois heavyweight title against Hitz and a WBA Continental Americas Cruiserweight Championship against Anthony Witherspoon.
At 6 foot 2, 188 pounds, Bodzianowski had a career record of 31-4-1, including 23 knockouts. He competed in 103 amateur and professional bouts and finished every fight.
"There was a pretty big rivalry between us," Hitz said. "Over the years we formed a bit of a friendship. I actually just saw him two weeks ago at Lenny LaPaglia's funeral — another great Chicago fighter. Gator and I saw each other at the wake and we talked for a long time. I invited him out to be a guest at my next show (at Horseshoe Casino) on Sept. 15.
"To come back from that adversity (of losing his leg six inches below the right knee) shows you the true intestinal fortitude," Hitz said. "He gave 120 percent every time he stepped in the ring."
When Hitz was notified Bodzianowski had died of a heart attack in his sleep Friday in the south suburbs at 52, his immediate reaction was: "You have to be kidding me."
In the motorcycle accident, Bodzianowski's ankle had been sheared in half by a car's bumper, his shoe ending up caught in the knife-like metal. At Olympia Fields Medical Center, they couldn't do much.
"I remember the docs telling me I might never have use of the foot if they tried to save it, that I might be able to do more with a prosthesis," he told the Tribune in 1985. "I thought about it a while, and I just said, 'Adios, cut it off.'"
The foot was amputated three inches above the ankle.
"I look at it as a challenge," Bodzianowski said of boxing on his artificial foot. "It's like a competition. I'm always looking forward to doing something more with it. Look, I could have been hurt a lot worse. I could have lost an arm, both legs. I consider myself very, very lucky."
He was known also for the green Lacoste alligator he had tattooed above his left breast. He often cut small holes in some Lacoste Ban-Lon shirts so the tattoo could show through.
"It was cheaper (as a promotion than buying the shirts)," Bodzianowski told the Tribune in 1988. "And it was cool."
"He's one of those characters of boxing who is going to be missed," Hitz said. "You just ask yourself why? Here's a guy I just saw two weeks ago and looked to be in good health and good spirits."
Bodzianowski retired from boxing in 1993, then began training boxers and working in construction. He graduated from Chicago's Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in 2012.
Bodzianowski grew up in Tinley Park and attended Sandburg High School in Orland Park.
Bodzianowski is survived by his mother, Gloria; his children, Kenneth and Paige; his sister, Denise Worley, and his brothers, Howard and Kenneth.
There will be a memorial visitation for Bodzianowski from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Brady Gill Funeral Home, 16600 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/site/ct-spt-0731-bodzianowski-obit-20130731,0,7634403.story
Copyright © 2013 Chicago Tribune Company, LLC
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RIP Gator.... Jim
"As a competitor, I don't think there was a more driven, fiercer guy out there than him," said Chicago boxing promoter Bobby Hitz, who lost a heavyweight fight against Bodzianowski in 1986. "He was a very good athlete. He was a throw-back fighter; he was one of those guys who just had an old-school attitude, which was really refreshing."
Bodzianowski won two major fights after becoming an amputee on May 31,1984 — an Illinois heavyweight title against Hitz and a WBA Continental Americas Cruiserweight Championship against Anthony Witherspoon.
At 6 foot 2, 188 pounds, Bodzianowski had a career record of 31-4-1, including 23 knockouts. He competed in 103 amateur and professional bouts and finished every fight.
"There was a pretty big rivalry between us," Hitz said. "Over the years we formed a bit of a friendship. I actually just saw him two weeks ago at Lenny LaPaglia's funeral — another great Chicago fighter. Gator and I saw each other at the wake and we talked for a long time. I invited him out to be a guest at my next show (at Horseshoe Casino) on Sept. 15.
"To come back from that adversity (of losing his leg six inches below the right knee) shows you the true intestinal fortitude," Hitz said. "He gave 120 percent every time he stepped in the ring."
When Hitz was notified Bodzianowski had died of a heart attack in his sleep Friday in the south suburbs at 52, his immediate reaction was: "You have to be kidding me."
In the motorcycle accident, Bodzianowski's ankle had been sheared in half by a car's bumper, his shoe ending up caught in the knife-like metal. At Olympia Fields Medical Center, they couldn't do much.
"I remember the docs telling me I might never have use of the foot if they tried to save it, that I might be able to do more with a prosthesis," he told the Tribune in 1985. "I thought about it a while, and I just said, 'Adios, cut it off.'"
The foot was amputated three inches above the ankle.
"I look at it as a challenge," Bodzianowski said of boxing on his artificial foot. "It's like a competition. I'm always looking forward to doing something more with it. Look, I could have been hurt a lot worse. I could have lost an arm, both legs. I consider myself very, very lucky."
He was known also for the green Lacoste alligator he had tattooed above his left breast. He often cut small holes in some Lacoste Ban-Lon shirts so the tattoo could show through.
"It was cheaper (as a promotion than buying the shirts)," Bodzianowski told the Tribune in 1988. "And it was cool."
"He's one of those characters of boxing who is going to be missed," Hitz said. "You just ask yourself why? Here's a guy I just saw two weeks ago and looked to be in good health and good spirits."
Bodzianowski retired from boxing in 1993, then began training boxers and working in construction. He graduated from Chicago's Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in 2012.
Bodzianowski grew up in Tinley Park and attended Sandburg High School in Orland Park.
Bodzianowski is survived by his mother, Gloria; his children, Kenneth and Paige; his sister, Denise Worley, and his brothers, Howard and Kenneth.
There will be a memorial visitation for Bodzianowski from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Brady Gill Funeral Home, 16600 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/site/ct-spt-0731-bodzianowski-obit-20130731,0,7634403.story
Copyright © 2013 Chicago Tribune Company, LLC
###
RIP Gator.... Jim
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