Tony Unitas
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Tony Unitas (March 7, 1924 – January 29, 1991) was a former Canadian boxer, promoter, and founder of a Toronto boxing gym, where he served as a manager and trainer. He was a prominent figure in the Canadian boxing community.
Boxing career[edit]
Tony Unitas was an Army boxer in the early 1940s, who became Pacific Fleet Middleweight Champion in 1942 until 1944. He turned pro and won the Canadian Middleweight Boxing Championship title. He retired in 1955 with a professional record of 175–23.[1]
Ventures[edit]
In the 1960s, Unitas became the founder and director of Canada's Boxing Hall of Fame,[2] and hosted annual awards ceremonies.[3] It would eventually be located on the National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto.[4]
'The Unitas Weekly', a Canadian boxing news magazine, was created by Tony Unitas. He was the publisher, editor and chief contributor.[5]
Unitas founded the Toronto Newsboys Gym 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] He later appeared on one of Brown's Boxing Cards in 1985 as a manager with 45 years of experience.[8]
Personal life[edit]
He was a distant cousin of Johnny Unitas.[9]
Death[edit]
Tony Unitas died in Toronto on Thursday, January 29, 1991, at 66 years old.[10]
In 1996, the first annual Tony Unitas Memorial Amateur Boxing Tournament was hosted in Toronto.[11]
Awards and honors[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Tony Unitas Dies". The North Bay Nugget. North Bay, Ontario, Canada. January 30, 1991.
- ^ "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™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "McGrandle; Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame; 1982 - Newspapers.com™". newspapers.com. 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™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Tony Unitas, Steve Baldwin; North York; 1980 - Newspapers.com™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Tony Unitas Gallery | Trading Card Database". tcdb.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Unitas is fighting for his life; 1990 - Newspapers.com™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ Graham, Doug (January 30, 1991). "Former Ring King Tony Unitas Dies After Long Illness". The Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- ^ "First Annual Tony Unitas Memorial Boxing Tournament; 1996 - Newspapers.com™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Ex Boxing Champ, Tony Unitas Dies; 1991 - Newspapers.com™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
- ^ "Tony Unitas death article; Toronto Star - Newspapers.com™". newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-05-08.