Today in Boxing History: Victor Galindez Killed in Argentina

On this day in 1980, former two-time WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Victor Galindez was killed in an auto racing accident in De Mayo, Argentina. The 31-year-old ex-fighter had been retired from boxing for only four months.

After representing Argentina in the 1968 Olympics, Galindez began his professional career. He fought all of his fights in his home country until 1974, and won both the Argentine and South American Light Heavyweight Championships in 1972.

Galindez then won the WBA Light Heavyweight Title with a 13th round stoppage of Len Hutchins in December of 1974. He went on to successfully defend the belt ten times against fighters like Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (then Eddie Gregory) and Pierre Fourie.

In September of 1978, Galindez lost the title when Mike Rossman stopped him in the 13th round in the Louisiana Superdome. He regained the title from Rossman in April of 1979, but lost it to Marvin Johnson seven months later.

Galindez fought won more time before eye problems forced him to retire in the summer of 1980. He decided to try his luck with his second passion, auto racing. In his first race, Galindez was in the pit waiting for his car to be repaired when an out of control racecar struck him, killing him instantly. In Buenos Aires, thousands of mourners came to Luna Park to pay their respects to a national hero.

In 2002, boxing writers showed Galindez one of their ultimate forms of respect and inducted him into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.