Later Years
He retired shortly thereafter, but came back in 1934. He won 47 of his next 50 bouts. He never received another world title attempt and felt abandoned by boxing's elite. He retired again in 1938. Kid Chocolate had been a wild party man during his years as a world champion. He was a boxer who enjoyed the city's nightlife. However, when he stepped out of boxing, he went back to Cuba and lived a quieter life.
From 1959, Chocolate's fame in Cuba was overlooked by Fidel Castro and his revolutionary forces, and he almost became a forgotten champion. But, by the late 1970s, Chocolate's achievements were finally recognized by the Cuban government, who gave him a small pension. Chocolate died in his own home -bought for his mother when he was champion- in 1988.
His record was 135 wins, 10 losses and 6 draws, 51 wins coming by knockout and one no decision bout, also making Ring magazine's list of boxers with 50 or more career knockout wins. He became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame alongside Bass, Berg and Canzoneri.
He was the inspiration for the character Chocolate Drop in Clifford Odets' play Golden Boy.
Current WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin, an American of Cuban descent, carries the nickname "Little Chocolate" in honor of Sardiñas.
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