It was just a few days before Christmas. I didn’t wanna have a bout during the holidays but the press and da fans was insistent. My trademark was da purple trunks wid da yellow trim. The bell rang and I exploded into the center of da ring. Two left hooks and a right cross and the guy was out. KO. It was absolute bedlam in da arena dat night. A young(I do mean young) Italian kid (I do mean kid) from Staten Island had won the title! I was dizzy from the hundreds of flashes from da cameras and dey carried me out hoisted high above the crowd! It was glorious.

I was Champ for only five minutes though, because it was supper time and I had to go to the bathroom. It was 1952. That’s Dad on the right. He was a middleweight champ US Army 1943. And THAT really is a title, buddy.