Also known as Professor Attewaza, Gaby Calderon, Jose Calderon
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The Oriental term Ate Waza denotes techniques that use impact to accomplish their goal.
The Continental heavyweight Gaby Caldereon considered Professor Attewaza a fitting name to adopt when he entered British rings in the early 1960s. The name quickly metamorphosed into the softer sounding Professor Adiwasser.
Whatever the name the bespectacled barefoot Parisian became one of the main event favourites of the fledgling Paul Lincoln Promotions. Lincoln scoured the continent for new faces to draw the fans to the shows he was presenting in opposition to Joint Promotions. In 1960 he imported Frenchman Gaby Calderon to face his assortment of top independent heavies who included Alan Garfield, Prince Kumali, Docker Don Stedman, Dr Death and Judo Al Hayes. Known on the Continents by his name of Gaby Calderon he assumed the name Professor Adiwasser in Britain, a barefooted judo exponent.
Adiwasser was to remain a loyal worker for Lincoln, visiting a couple of times each year until Lincoln merged with Dale Martin Promotions in January 1966. Following the merger Adiwasser was not seen in Britain until January 1968 when he returned for Joint Promotions. On 24th January he made his first appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, drawing with Judo Al Hayes, and shortly afterwards was an immediate hit with television fans when he made his debut, against Johnny Czeslaw, in February 1968.
A second dan black belt judoka exponent, (known as “The king of Attewaza”) this popular technician was the scourge of heavyweight villains. When the technician had worked his magic he would often finish off his opponent with his speciality sleeper hold.
Black leotarded and now wearing a black mask, a heavier Professor Adiwasser appeared briefly in British rings during the early 1980s, making a television appearance against Johnny Wilson in June, 1981. Beneath the mask was the very same Gaby Calderon. Why on earth he returned as a masked man seemed pointless and a mystery. The masked Adiwasser defeated Wilson with a sleeper hold.
Gaby Calderon died on 19th August, 2012.
Page added: 13/08/2023
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