Herbert Lewis Hardwick Arroyo[nb 1] (May 2, 1914 – December 27, 1966), also known as "Cocoa Kid", was a Puerto Rican boxer of African descent who fought primarily as a welterweight but also in the middleweight division.

[3] Hardwick began to box in Atlanta when he was fourteen years old under the tutorship and management of Edward Allen Robinson (Antonia's husband).

He fought for the first time as a professional at the age of fifteen, on May 27, 1929, at the Elks' Restaurant, in Atlanta, against a boxer who went under the name of "Kid Moon" and was victorious in that encounter.

[6] During his career in the late 1930s and early 1940s, Hardwick fought the top African-American fighters of the era in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions.

This group included, but was not limited to Charley Burley, Holman Williams, Jack Chase, Lloyd Marshall, Bert Lytell, Aaron Wade, and Eddie Booker.

On June 11, 1937, at the Coliseum Arena in New Orleans, Hardwick fought his old nemesis Holman Williams, prevailing in a close fight, winning a decision in the 12-rounder.

Hardwick successfully defended his title against Black Canadian boxer Sonny Jones at the Valley Arena in Holyoke, Massachusetts on November 15, 1937, in a bout refereed by then former world heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey.

To fill the vacant title, Hardwick and Holman Williams met in a rematch on January 11, 1940, at the Coliseum in Baltimore, Maryland.

Hardwick faced Holman Williams for his World Colored Middleweight Championship on January 15, 1943, at the Victory Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.

When the fighters met on November 24, in the Civic Auditorium of San Francisco, California, the betting odds favored the Cocoa Kid over Smith by 2 to 1.

[3] When Hardwick was knocked down four times, referee Frankie Brown became suspicious and stopped the fight, declaring it a "no-contest.

"[6] During an investigation carried out by the California Boxing Commission, Hardwick claimed his poor performance was due to personal anxiety about his "sick mother" (meaning his aunt Antonia).

[2] That same year of 1949, Hardwick was Robinson's sparring partner at the welterweight king's training camp in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey.

[5] Among the Champions which he faced during his career were: Louis Kaplan, Johnny Jadick, Lou Ambers, Christopher "Battling" Battalino, Chalky Wright and Archie Moore.

According to the Naval Record Management Center in St. Louis, Missouri, Hardwick had served in the United States Navy during World War II.

In 1955, he wrote to the Navy asking for a copy of his discharge papers which he claimed were stolen with his Social Security card[3] and was later admitted to the Veterans Administration Hospital in North Chicago.

He died there on December 27, 1966, and is buried in Wood National Cemetery, section 36a, row 11, site 3, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.