Vito Antuofermo
Encyclopedia
Vito Antuofermo is an Italian-American actor
who is also a former world Middleweight boxing
champion.
, in the town of Palo del Colle
, which is located about 15 km inland from the city of Bari. but his family moved to the United States
when he was 17 years old. Antuofermo learned how to fight in the tough areas of New York City
, and by his teens he had made up his mind that he wanted to be a professional boxer.
In 1979, Antuofermo became world's Middleweight champion by beating defending champ Hugo Corro
by a decision in 15 rounds at Monte Carlo
. According to an article on Ring Magazine, Howard Cosell
, who was working on that fight's live broadcast to the USA, was telling viewers that Corro was, in his opinion, way ahead on the judges' cards. When someone on the American
television crew found out it was Antuofermo who was actually leading on the cards, Cosell then began to say he had Antuofermo ahead.
On the morning after winning the title, Antuofermo and his crew were driving to a small vacation in Italy, when he saw a car fly off a bridge under which they were passing. The car landed right in front of his, but luckily the accident did not injure any occupants in Antuofermo's car. He was so shocked that he kept driving, and never found out what happened to the occupants of that car. He came back to his senses about 20 minutes later.
Antuofermo defended his title against Marvelous Marvin Hagler
in Las Vegas, Nevada
, the fight resulting in a controversial 15-round draw. In his next defense, against Alan Minter
, also in Las Vegas, he lost the title by a 15-round split decision. They had a rematch, in London
, and Minter retained the crown by a TKO (on cuts) in eight.
Antuofermo kept fighting and winning, and, after Hagler won the title from Minter in 1980, Antuofermo was given another chance to regain the world Middleweight crown. In front of an HBO Boxing
audience and a full house at Hagler's native Boston
's Boston Garden
, Antuofermo this time lost by a TKO on cuts in the fourth round.
After several attempts at becoming a top Middleweight again, Antuofermo in 1984 retired from boxing.
Apart from Corro, other boxers he beat included world champions Eckhard Dagge
, Denny Moyer
, and Emile Griffith
.
. He has landed several small speaking roles in movies and television
shows since, included the critically acclaimed television show The Sopranos
as a mobster. He has also done many theater plays.
Antuofermo's record reads 50 wins, 7 losses and 2 draws, with 21 wins by knockout. Vito Antuofermo's second oldest son Pasquale Antuofermo is currently fighting as an amateur. He now owns a successful landscaping company that operates in Long Island, New York.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who is also a former world Middleweight boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champion.
Background
Antuofermo was born in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in the town of Palo del Colle
Palo del Colle
Palo del Colle is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Puglia, Italy.-History:The town of Palo del Colle is located about 15 km inland from the city of Bari. It is situated on a hill [hence the name "Pole on the Hill"] 177meters above sea level and covers 100 km2 in area. The...
, which is located about 15 km inland from the city of Bari. but his family moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he was 17 years old. Antuofermo learned how to fight in the tough areas of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and by his teens he had made up his mind that he wanted to be a professional boxer.
Amateur career
Antuofermo won the 1970 147 lb New York Golden Gloves Championship, defeating Thomas Chestnut in the finals. In 1971 Antuofermo was defeated by future Light Heavyweight Champion Eddie Gregory in the finals of the 147 lb Open division. Antuofermo trained at the Police Athletic Leagues Sweeney Center in Brooklyn, New York.Professional career
One of the things for which Antuofermo was known was his propensity to bleed easily, especially around the eyebrows. In between rounds in his fights, as much attention (if not more) was given to Vito patching up cuts on his face as it was giving him advice and instructions.In 1979, Antuofermo became world's Middleweight champion by beating defending champ Hugo Corro
Hugo Corro
Hugo Pastor Corro , better known plainly as Hugo Corro, was a former boxer from Argentina who was world Middleweight champion....
by a decision in 15 rounds at Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
. According to an article on Ring Magazine, Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
, who was working on that fight's live broadcast to the USA, was telling viewers that Corro was, in his opinion, way ahead on the judges' cards. When someone on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television crew found out it was Antuofermo who was actually leading on the cards, Cosell then began to say he had Antuofermo ahead.
On the morning after winning the title, Antuofermo and his crew were driving to a small vacation in Italy, when he saw a car fly off a bridge under which they were passing. The car landed right in front of his, but luckily the accident did not injure any occupants in Antuofermo's car. He was so shocked that he kept driving, and never found out what happened to the occupants of that car. He came back to his senses about 20 minutes later.
Antuofermo defended his title against Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Marvin Hagler
Marvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, the fight resulting in a controversial 15-round draw. In his next defense, against Alan Minter
Alan Minter
Alan Minter is a former middleweight world champion boxer.-Amateur career:Minter was the 1971 ABA Middleweight Champion. He won the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games...
, also in Las Vegas, he lost the title by a 15-round split decision. They had a rematch, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Minter retained the crown by a TKO (on cuts) in eight.
Antuofermo kept fighting and winning, and, after Hagler won the title from Minter in 1980, Antuofermo was given another chance to regain the world Middleweight crown. In front of an HBO Boxing
HBO Boxing
HBO World Championship Boxing is a sports television series, premiering in January 1973 that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades....
audience and a full house at Hagler's native Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
, Antuofermo this time lost by a TKO on cuts in the fourth round.
After several attempts at becoming a top Middleweight again, Antuofermo in 1984 retired from boxing.
Apart from Corro, other boxers he beat included world champions Eckhard Dagge
Eckhard Dagge
Eckhard Dagge , was a professional boxer in the super welterweight division....
, Denny Moyer
Denny Moyer
Denny Moyer was an American boxer who held the world light middleweight title between 1962 and 1963. He finished his career with a 97–38–4 record.-Early life:...
, and Emile Griffith
Emile Griffith
Emile Alphonse Griffith is a former boxer who was the first fighter from the U.S. Virgin Islands ever to become a world champion. He is perhaps best known for his controversial third fight with Benny Paret in 1962 for the welterweight world championship...
.
Life After Boxing
After retirement Antuofermo began to pursue an acting career, and in 1990 he landed a small speaking role in The Godfather Part IIIThe Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American gangster film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire...
. He has landed several small speaking roles in movies and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
shows since, included the critically acclaimed television show The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
as a mobster. He has also done many theater plays.
Antuofermo's record reads 50 wins, 7 losses and 2 draws, with 21 wins by knockout. Vito Antuofermo's second oldest son Pasquale Antuofermo is currently fighting as an amateur. He now owns a successful landscaping company that operates in Long Island, New York.