Evelio Celestino Mustelier

Also known in the boxing world as Kid Tunero, he was a Cuban professional boxer from the first half of the 20th century, who stood out in Europe and in Cuba.

He was born in Las Tunas, located in the eastern region of Cuba, and began working as a mail bag loader and express packages carrier for the Central Railroad, later working as a sugar sack cart driver at the San Germán sugar mill. He started his professional career in that old town, now Urbano Noris, located in the province of Holguín, facing an experienced rival, whom he defeated.

In San Germán he achieved two more victories before heading to Havana to establish himself as a professional boxer. He had Lew Burston as his manager, and during his professional career he maintained a friendship with American writer Ernest Hemingway.

He began his sporting life in the town of San Germán, now Urbano Noris, belonging to the province of Holguín, boxing against Puerto Rican Nero Chink, whom he defeated in ten rounds. In that same venue he triumphed against the Panther of Cupey before heading to Havana in search of new horizons.

In the Cuban capital he competed on eight occasions, achieving six victories in fights held at the Miramar Garden arena.

On May 14, 1931 he defeated Battlin Llanos in a fight held at the Polar Arena, it was the victorious farewell for his trip to Europe, the continent where he developed the majority of his sporting career.

That year in 1931 he arrived in Barcelona, Spain, and on August 26 he began a streak of 14 victories and one draw, among the defeated stood out Italians Clemente Moroni and Giuseppe Reguzzoni, 75 kg champion of the State of Michigan in the United States, the draw was against Spanish Ignacio Ara, who would become the 75 kg champion of Europe.

From Spain he went to Paris, France, debuting with a ten-round draw against hard-hitting John Anderson, weeks later, on January 16, 1933 he achieved the greatest success of his sporting career by defeating Marcel Thill at the Palace of Sports in Paris, 75 kg champion of France and Europe who had won the world title of the National Boxing Association World, but was not defending that title in the fight against the Cuban.

In Algiers and Oran, Algeria, Kid Tunero defeated the Greek Anton Christoforidis on two occasions and drew once with him, who would become the light heavyweight world champion, he also defeated American Ken Overlín who would be crowned middleweight world champion.

In the United States he defeated Ezzard Charles, undefeated in 26 fights and who later became the heavyweight world champion.

On June 13, 1938 in the French city of Nancy he ended his European journey, due to exhaustion of the competitive market and faced with the threat of World War II, he went to South America, Argentina specifically.

After finishing his Latin American tour he returned to Cuba, reunited with his French family, wife Yolett Yol and children, his boxing career was reborn, in Havana he achieved victories over Dominican Carlos Pérez in 12 rounds, winning the Central American title in the 75 kg division.

In the Cuban capital he continued with victories over Mario Ochoa, Holmam Williams, in a second fight with Mario Ochoa, he won the Cuban Belt in 75 kg, added victories over Panamanian Hanking Barrows and Omelio Agramante, among others.

In 1946 he returned to Europe, fighting in Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, Valencia - in Spain - and Paris, France.

In 1947 he returned to Cuba and retired from professional boxing, by medical prescription, a year later, at 38 years old in a draw fight against Hanking Barrows.

After ending his boxing practice, Kid Tunero remained in Cuba, setting his residence very close to the Crystal Arena, located on the Infanta causeway between Pedroso and the University of Havana.

The extensive knowledge that the years in the ring had given him he put in the hands of new athletes who would make their way in the sport of boxing, among whom Tony Ortiz and Alfredo Evangelista are mentioned.

After 1959 he worked as a coach in several gymnasiums in the capital, as well as trainer with the professional stable of Yamil Chade, which included among others a declining Kid Gavilán, Robinson García and Sarvelio Fuentes.

Years later, already living in Barcelona, Spain, he managed the career of Cuban-Spanish José Legrá, who won the Iberian featherweight title, the European title on two occasions and also the World Boxing Council world title on two occasions.

He died on October 9, 1992 in Barcelona, Spain.