June 21, 2015
07:00 pm

Italian – American Boxing Awards-“A Tale Of Emigrants, Culture, Hope and Boxing”

Gleason's Gym
77 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
11201 Brooklyn, NY
United States

The main tale starts faraway in distant New York City that was struggling through the Great Depression. Millions of people from around the World left their Country to follow the American dream, full of good purposes for better life conditions. Meanwhile, the U.S.A. was getting ready to intervene in the Second World War. In 1937, Peter Robert Gagliardi, an Italian, changed his name to Bobby Gleason in order to appeal to the predominantly Irish New York and opened the door of a boxing gym that would become the most famous boxing gym in the world.

During the years, the original Bronx gym moved to Manhattan and finally to Brooklyn. The gym has produced 134 World Champions and 2 Olympic Gold Medal winners. The Fame and myth of the gym has become worldwide. The mission of this event is to describe the strong relationship between boxing, Italians and Italian-americans. It will show the significance of the cultural and social aspects that Boxing had on the Italians and Italian-americans. How its influence has lasted through the decades. A chronological description starting from the early 1900's to today will be illustrated by the many participants and champions who became models and a source of pride for millions of emigrants.

Program: 7:00 pm Welcoming speech. 7:30 pm Discussion: Rise of the Italian American boxer, exploring the social and historical conditions that all Italian American confronted and overcame. Conference beginning with the chairing by Prof. Joseph Perricone from Fordham University. 8:00 pm Refreshment with Italian products. 8:30 pm Boxing Show Exhibition between the two italian Champions Floriano Pagliara and Francesco Tamburriello. 9:00 pm Award Ceremony, Conclusion and Regards.