AL BALDESINO
(BALDASSARA)
LIGHTWEIGHT/ Niagara Falls, New York
1943, 1946-49

A native of Niagara Falls, NY, Al Baldesino was born on Center Avenue, in the city's north end on November 21, 1925. His birth name was Albert Baldassara.

Al began serious training for amateur boxing competition in 1941 under the guidance of Hector Olivero, owner of the gym. He followed in the footsteps of his older brother Johnny Baldesino. As an amateur, Johnny held wins over formidable boxers the likes of Johnny Green, Joe Miller, Rudy Spain and Jimmy Saunders. Johnny fought briefly as a professional.

With his punching power and eagerness to learn, Al soon became a Buffalo Courier Express champion winning the 126 pound novice class in December 1941. Because of so many entries in the 126 pound class, Al defeated 5 opponents in 2 consecutive nights to win his championship. Al went undefeated as an amateur winning about 25 bouts.

He started his pro-career in 1943 as a lightweight with his brother Joe as his manager and Dewey Michaels of Buffalo, NY as his promoter. It wasn't long after turning pro he began training at the Fairview gym in Buffalo with Charlie Pinto as a trainer. Al's first pro fight in February 1943 was a 4-round decision over Charles Hall in Buffalo. He did not fight again that year and spent all of 1944 and 1945 in the army.

His first bout after returning from the service in 1946 was a loss to Johnny Rowe in Rochester. In a return bout 4 months later, again in Rochester, Al avenged the defeat winning a 6 round decision.

His 6 round slugfest against Jimmy "Sonny" Hampton, which Al won, was voted fight of the year in Buffalo for 1946. Al's 8 round loss to Tommy Stenhouse was a close fight. The bout took place in Rochester and at the time Tommy was undefeated in 8 matches.

In 1947, Al had 9 bouts winning 8 while losing 1 to Ray Lewis, a very tall lightweight from Hawaii whose record was 14 wins with 4 losses. Among Al's wins were 2 against Frank "Smoke" Robinson of Erie, PA, Dom Amoroso, a seasoned veteran, Jimmy Joyce of Gary, IN, whom he beat twice. Also in 1947, Al was credited with the quickest stoppage recorded in Buffalo when he knocked out Joey Krikis of New York at 15 seconds into the first round.

Al had 7 bouts in 1948 winning 5, losing 1 and having 1 draw. The 10 round draw was against Chester Rico of New York, veteran of 100 bouts, for the New York State NBA title. The bout was action filled with most of the crowd thinking Baldesino had won. The bout took place in Rochester, where, the same year, he beat Patsy Brandin fighting out of Providence, RI twice. Al also beat tough Sammy Mastrean from Pittsburgh.

In 1949, he took an ill-advised fight with high ranking Fritzie Pruden, a welter-weight fighting out of New Jersey. Pruden's record was 35 wins with 5 losses. Al was in Florida on his honeymoon at the time and took the fight on very short notice mainly because of a good payday. The bout took place in Buffalo and Al was stopped in the 8th round, mostly from fatigue from not being in proper condition.

His last fight in May of 1949 was in Rochester against home-town favorite Harry "Snuffy" Smith whose record was 24 wins with only 3 losses. Al floored Smith at the end of the first round causing Smith to be literally carried to his corner. In the second round, as hurt as he was, he threw a desperation right hand which broke Al's nose causing it to bleed profusely. The bout had to be halted with Smith getting the win. This was to be Baldesino's last fight.

In December 1947, Al was offered a fight in Madison Square Garden with Paddy DeMarco, a future lightweight champion. Along with his manager, his brother Joe, they met with Chickie Bogad, matchmaker and promoter for the Garden in New York City. Bogad would get Al the fight with the condition he leave his brother Joe, who had managed Al since he turned pro and sign with Bogad and his associates. Al remained loyal to his brother and liked being surrounded by family and friends. This meant more to him than the politics associated with fighting regularly at Madison Square Garden.

Al left boxing with a record of 20 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw with 10 of his wins by knockout. All of his bouts, except 1, were either in Buffalo or in Rochester where he was a crowd favorite and boxed many main events at a time when Buffalo heavyweights Joe and Phil Muscato were attracting very large crowds.

After his retirement, he trained his nephew Lew Ciavaglia, who won the 126 pound open class title in the 1952 Golden Gloves and also had a brief pro career. Among Lew's notable wins in the amateurs was a decision over Vinny Cala. He fought Stan Fitzgerald with the winner going to the National Championships in 1954. The bout in the 126 pound class had to be stopped in the last round because of a cut on Lew's eye. Stan went on to the US Championships and won the 126 pound title. He also trained his nephew's brothers Rory, John and Kevin Baldassara, who were good amateurs in the mid 1970's.

Al worked at The Carborundum Company in Niagara Falls from where he retired. After his retirement, he went to live in Fountain Hills, AZ as his only son Albert Jr. already lived there. About February 2005, he suffered a stroke and has been confined to a health care facility in the vicinity of Phoenix, AZ.

Al, on behalf of your family, friends and members of Ring 44, our thoughts and prayers are with you and we know that God is watching over you.

Because of the courage AI Baldesino displayed throughout his ring career and his fearless approach against some of the toughest fighters of his era and the thrills he provided for all who saw him fight, it is truly a pleasure to honor Al Baldesino by inducting him into Ring 44's Buffalo Veteran's Boxing Association.