TONY VENTURA "Tough Tony"
HEAVYWEIGHT/ Lockport, New York
1966-1974

Born on February 9, 1943, Tony Ventura grew up in Lockport, N.Y. and became a stellar athlete at DeSales Catholic High School under the guidance of the late Les Dugan. Tony achieved All Catholic status in baseball and football his junior and senior years as a first baseman and fullback. He was recruited by Notre Dame during this period but decided to remain in Lockport where he married his wife Lorraine and started a family.

In the early sixties Tony was playing semi-pro football and started training at a local boxing gym in an effort to reduce his weight from 270 to 250 and had his mind set on pursuing a football career. While training, he was encouraged by Roy and Harry Gill to try boxing and this led to his participation in the 1965 Buffalo Golden Gloves Tournament and a brief amateur career. He was then offered a position in the Canadian Football League as a fullback and linebacker but decided to pursue a professional boxing career where he felt he could make more money to support his family.

Turning pro in 1966, Ventura fought his first two fights under the guidance of Roy and Harry Gill and was then offered a contract to fight out of Miami Beach under Ralph Sorrentino and Angelo Dundee. With power in both hands Tony's first five fights in Miami ended in sensational knockouts, making him a crowd favorite. He fought a total of thirteen fights in Miami against tough fighters like Willie Johnson, Levi Forte, and Moses Harrell before returning home to finish his second half of his career.

His first fight back in June 1968 was in Buffalo against hometown favorite Dick Wipperman, stopping Wipperman in six rounds. In May 1969 Tony traveled to London, England to face the European Champion Joe Bugner and his following fight in November 1970 in Montreal was against the rugged George Chuvalo who he faced again in September 1973 being stopped in both fights by TKO.

In 1972 Tony traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico to face Jose (King) Roman and traveled again in 1973 to Wimbley Arena, London to face Common Wealth Champion Danny McAlinden. In 1974 with only three fights left in Tony's career he went to Binghamton, N.Y. where he ended the career of hometown hero Tommy Kost, breaking his jaw in the first round.

After retiring from boxing in 1974 Tony continued to live in Lockport where he still resides with his wife Lorraine and is the proud father of three sons and grandfather of six grandchildren.

Tonight Ring #44 is extremely proud to induct Tony Ventura into its Boxing Hall of Fame.