William Joseph (Joey) Giambra, born July 30,1931 was a poverty spawned kid from the city's teeming West Side. Giambra didn't have a pro career in mind when he started boxing. "I just wanted to learn how to defend myself so the other kids in my neighborhood would stop taking my shoeshine money from me" Joey confesses. "I was tired of trying to out run guys I couldn't handle once the fight began over my shoeshine money".

Giambra was nearing his 16th birthday at the time, when a buddy Tony BiFulco, who was an amateur boxer introduced Joey to Mike Scanlon, BiFulco's manager. Scanlon was not very impressed with Giambra's looks, but patient handling, to Scanlon's credit, had been the keynote to Giambra's success.

Giambra's amateur career was limited to 15 fights of which he lost three. He won the 1947 Buffalo Courier Express Golden Gloves novice featherweight championship and the lightweight open division crown the following year. When it came time to go to NewYork City to participate in the Eastern Golden Gloves championships, Joey was ill with a throat infection.

The slashing fists and movie-star good looks made Joey Giambra a leading figure in the boxing world for over a decade in the 1950's and 60's. At age 18, he started his professional career and reeled off eighteen straight wins before losing a close decision to crafty Johnny Cesario. (Cesario also beat Carm Basilio and Charley Fusari the same year).

He met and beat most of the contenders of the era and also defeated a future champion, Joey Giardello, on two of three occasions. Included in this skein was his New York City and television debut, a sparkling fourth round knockout victory over local favorite Jimmy Herring. New York loved him and writers dubbed him the "Buffalo Adonis".

Giambra beat Rocky Castellani twice but Rocky got the elimination bout for the title against Robinson, and also twice decisively defeated Ralph "Tiger" Jones, the same fighter who had beaten Sugar Ray Robinson, and still no title shot for Joey. Olsen, Robinson, Fullmer and Basilio dominated the title scene for several years while Giambra continued to ply his trade and rack up victories. By 1953, Giambra advanced to become sixth ranked middlewight in the world. Joey jolted the fans into realization that he was ready to enter the middleweight throne room.

Bobo Olsen finally agreed to a fight on Aug 26,1955, but insisted it be non-title. A national TV audience saw why Giambra was so highly rated. He continually beat the champ to the punch and rocked him many times. Everyone was amazed when Olsen was awarded a split decision (some at ringside gave Giambra seven rounds out of ten). Giambra came away a big hero, as they began calling Joey the uncrowned middleweight champion, thus rendering null and void the plans for Bobo's rosey future. Even Sid Flaherty, Bobo's manager was quick to admit, "Giambra's the best middleweight in the world next to my guy".

After a stint in the U.S. Army, Giambra resumed his career in 1956. He knocked out Chico Vejar, Jimmy Welch, Al Andrews and beat contenders Gil Turner, Rory Calhoun, Johnny Sullivan,Tuzo Portugese and many others.

Joey Giambra possessed an iron chin, in 77 fights, he had only 8 losses and two draws, and has never been kayoed. He appeared on national TV thirty-three times.

Giambra later became a referee and was the third man in the 1977 Jerry Quarry-Lorenzo Zanon heavyweight championship bout.

Now living in Las Vegas, Joey Giambra wrote his life story, aptly titled "The Uncrowned Champion". He ranks with another honoree, Henry Brimm, as the greatest of Buffalo middleweights.