TAMI MAURIELLO - ONE TOUGH HOMBRE By George Elsasser

Chances are you drop the name Tami Mauriello amongst a gathering of today fight fans and it likely wouldn’t create much of a stir … that is, until you go to BoxRec.com and request the résumé - tough guy doesn’t come close. Tami’s  pro fite career debuted on July 25, 1939, at age 16, as a welterweight … stops one Gilberto Vasquez in opening candle - an outdoors event held at Queensboro Arena, Long Island City, New York - final office appointment came a decade later on Oct. 5, 1949 when being stopped in two stanzas by Cesar Brion. For the rest of the story ~ Mauriello had a bad right heel that made it awkward to move in reverse, thus, it was bombs away for better or worse - and in a 96 bout career the résumé would read 82 wins (60 KO’s), 13 losses with one draw. Tami called Bronx, New York home  … trained at Gleason’s Gym in the Bronx with such notables as Jake LaMotta, Phil Terranova, Roland LaStarza and others that spurned the daily downtown trip to Lou Stillman’s at 8th Ave. in midtown Manhattan. When perusing the Mauriello rap sheet one could easily visualize one tough hombre. Here’s some he shared the squared circle with as he grew from welter-middle-light heavy and heavyweight: first "name" on the résumé was at middleweight, a split decision loss to Billy Soose who would claim the title some few months later from Ken Overlin on May 9,1941. But successes would come as well, talented middleweight Steve Belloise fell in opening candle after being down some five times - and then at 175 he would entertain both light heavies and heavyweights alike. Losses to Jimmy Bivins on points, a win-loss-win with Lee Oma, a knockout over Lou Nova, and things brightened. Finally a double-dip with Light heavy champion Gus Lesnevich … on Aug. 26,1941 a 15-round title split-decision loss and then on Nov. 11, ‘41 it was unanimous decision setback. Tami moved up to heavyweight  after the Lesnevich losses, and wins over good ones such as Lee Savold, Henry Cooper and Bruce Woodcock who both were British champions led to a final title shot - a not a chance affair with the special heavyweight champion for all seasons Joe Louis. The date was Sept. 18, 1946, the site, the big park at Yankee Stadium … and then the opening bell with Tami charging ala Luis Firpo of "Wild Bull of the Pampas" fame, and surprises Louis with a big right hand - mistake - quickly ends at 2:09 mark of the candle. And so, the record speaks for itself … maybe some saw him as a cut above club fighter in style, but in substance, Tami Mauriello was more than a tough hombre - was always that proverbial "Contender." GEL Questions? Comments? Write George Elsasser 10-15-2004 Brought to you by Saratogamist copyright 2001-2004