Recognition has come Sonny Pascuzzi’s way the past couple of years.
The 89-year-old Niagara Falls native was inducted into the Niagara Falls Sports Wall of Fame in January 2024 and on March 21 he will be inducted into the Niagara Boxing Legends at the 17th Annual Niagara Boxing Legends Show at the Merritton Community Centre.
“It makes me feel good and it shows that I have done something. I am happy to see that they recognized that.”
Pascuzzi, Ray McGibbon and John Degazio founded the Niagara Falls Boxing Club in the late 1970s. Pascuzzi taught the fundamentals of the sport and helped the Niagara Falls club win the outstanding team at the 1983 Roddy McDonald Provincial Championships. His coaching career lasted until the mid-1980s and he coached three provincial junior champions and senior provincial champion Rob Fortuna. Fortuna would go on to place second at the 1984 Olympic Trials. Pascuzzi also served as a referee and judge and filled those roles at provincial championships. A highlight of his officiating career was judging one of Lennox Lewis’ fights.
His coaching career aided his role as an official.
“It helped a lot,” he said.
The retired General Motors worker got his start in boxing thanks to his son, Marty.
“He wanted to start boxing a little bit and I talked with Ray McGibbon and John Degazio at the Niagara Falls Boxing Club and got involved with that. I enjoyed it and Ray and Johnny were good trainers and they taught me everything they knew.”
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