Tony Unitas
Tony Unitas | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tony Conrad Unitas March 7, 1924 |
| Died | January 29, 1991 (aged 66) |
| Nationality |  Canadian |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | |
| Boxing record | |
| Wins | 175 |
| Losses | 23 |
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.
Career
[edit]Boxing career
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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]
Personal life
[edit]He was a distant cousin of Johnny Unitas.[8]
Death
[edit]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
[edit]Tony Unitas was an inductee of the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame in 1968.[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]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Sam Laskaris (October 11, 1990). "Tony boxed his way to fame". Toronto Star. p. 13.
- ^ a b "Tony Unitas Dies". The North Bay Nugget. North Bay, Ontario, Canada. January 30, 1991. p. 13.
- ^ "Greig: Canadian boxers deserve their own hall of fame". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Tony Unitas; Canada's Boxing Hall of Fame, 1979 - Newspapers.com™". The Toronto Star. 17 June 1979. p. 81. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ Filion, John (June 17, 1979). "Don't Ever Forget Whatisname: The Keeper of Canada's Boxing Hall of Fame Answers The Bell". The Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- ^ "Boxers to honor Unitas and gym; 1991 - Newspapers.com™". The Toronto Star. 4 June 1991. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Tony Unitas, Steve Baldwin; North York; 1980 - Newspapers.com™". The Toronto Star. 8 August 1980. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Unitas is fighting for his life; 1990 - Newspapers.com™". The Toronto Star. 16 November 1990. p. 26. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ Graham, Doug (January 30, 1991). "Former Ring King Tony Unitas Dies After Long Illness". The Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- ^ "Tony Unitas death article; Toronto Star - Newspapers.com™". The Toronto Star. 30 January 1991. p. 37. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Ex Boxing Champ, Tony Unitas Dies; 1991 - Newspapers.com™". The Sun Times. 30 January 1991. p. 15. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Tony Unitas Gallery | Trading Card Database". tcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "First Annual Tony Unitas Memorial Boxing Tournament; 1996 - Newspapers.com™". The Toronto Star. 12 April 1996. p. 43. Retrieved 2024-05-08.