Billy Gibson
Born: 1876
Died: July 21, 1947
Induction: 2009
Born William J. Gibson in 1876. Venerable manager of Hall of Fame champions Benny Leonard (lightweight) and
Gene Tunney (heavyweight).
The son of a butcher, Gibson was a popular restaurateur prior to his career in boxing. His first foray in the “sweet science” came as a promoter, running shows at the Fairmont Athletic Club in the Bronx, where such boxing luminaries as Leonard, Abe Attell, Packey McFarland, Owen Moran, Mike Gibbons and Johnny Dundee boxed exhibitions prior to the Walker Law legalizing boxing in New York. After Leonard left his managers in 1914, he teamed with Gibson, who maneuvered him to the lightweight championship in 1917.
Following a fallout with his manager “Doc” Bagley, Tunney acquired Gibson's managerial services in 1923 and, in 1926, “The Fighting Marine” captured the heavyweight crown. Gibson retired from the sport after Tunney hung up his gloves in 1928.
During his career, Gibson also served as matchmaker and manager at Madison Square Garden for two years and promoted bouts in Havana, Cuba. Gibson, who also managed heavyweight Paulino Uzcudun and featherweight king Louis (Kid) Kaplan, died of natural causes on July 21, 1947 in New York.