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Tony Unitas
Canadian boxer and promoter (1924–1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tony Unitas (March 7, 1924 – January 29, 1991) was a Canadian boxer, boxing promoter, and founder of a Toronto-based boxing gym, where he served as a manager and trainer. He was a prominent figure in the Canadian boxing community.
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Career
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Boxing career
Tony Unitas entered boxing at 10 years old during the 1930s.[1]
He became an Army boxer in the early 1940s, who became Pacific Fleet Middleweight Champion from 1942 until 1944. He turned pro and won the Canadian Middleweight Boxing Championship title.[2] His biggest fight was against Winnipeg's Eddie Zastre, the Canadian middleweight champion, whom he knocked down several times despite losing the non-title bout. He also fought Rocky Marciano in a six-round exhibition around 1952, which was declared a draw.[1]
He retired in 1955 with a professional record of 175–23.[2] Even after retiring, he stayed involved in boxing through management and promotion.[1]
Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame
In the late 1960s, Unitas became the founder and director of the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame,[3] and hosted annual awards ceremonies. He was among the first inductees into the Canadian hall.[4]
Unitas Boxing Weekly
The Unitas Boxing Weekly, once Canada's leading boxing news magazine, was created by Tony Unitas. He was the publisher, editor, and chief contributor.[5]
Newsboys Boxing Club
Unitas founded the Newsboys Boxing Club in downtown Toronto in 1975. It hosted many Canadian, Commonwealth, and Olympic champions, including Donovan Boucher, Willie Featherstone, and Egerton Marcus.[6] In 1979, he opened the Bayview Boxing And Youth Centre in North York.[7]
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Personal life
He was a distant cousin of Johnny Unitas.[8]
Death
Tony Unitas died in Toronto, Ontario, on Thursday, January 29, 1991, at 66 years old.[9] After battling a brain hemorrhage at North York General Hospital since November 5, 1990, he died from a related infection.[10]
Legacy
Tony Unitas was an inductee of the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1965.[11]
He later appeared on one of Brown's Boxing Cards in 1985 as a manager with 45 years of experience.[12]
Unitas was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame on November 16, 1990, passing away before he could travel to Los Angeles for the honor.[1]
In 1996, the first annual Tony Unitas Memorial Amateur Boxing Tournament was hosted in Toronto.[13]
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References
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