Angelo Dundee
Encyclopedia
Angelo Dundee is an American boxing cornerman. He is best known for his work with Muhammad Ali
(1960–1981), and has worked with 15 world boxing champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard
, José Nápoles
, George Foreman
, Jimmy Ellis
, Carmen Basilio
, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano
.
Born in Philadelphia, Dundee went to New York and later to Miami
where he learned many of the strategies of a boxer's cornerman while acting as a "bucket man" to the great trainers of Stillman's Gym. There his mentors included Charlie Goldman, Ray Arcel, and Chickie Ferrera. Later, his brother Chris Dundee opened the Fifth Street Gym in Miami.
Carmen Basilio was the first world champion for whom Dundee acted as a cornerman when Basilio defeated Tony DeMarco
for the world welterweight crown and later Sugar Ray Robinson
for the world middleweight crown.
(who had trained Clay before his partnering with Dundee) and Sonny Liston
, where Clay won the Heavyweight title. Dundee continued to train Ali in all of his fights until his exile from boxing, and upon Ali's return to the sport Dundee trained him in almost all of his fights, including Ali's famed bouts with fighters such as Jerry Quarry
, Oscar Bonavena
, Joe Frazier
, Floyd Patterson
, George Foreman
, Ken Norton
and, later, Leon Spinks
. One exception was in Ali's '71 fight with Jimmy Ellis
where Dundee was in Ellis' corner. Ali knocked Ellis out in the 12th round. Dundee was accused by Foreman of loosening the ring ropes before his 1974 The Rumble in the Jungle
fight with Ali to help Ali win the fight by using the Rope-a-dope
technique. Dundee has consistently denied tampering with the ropes. In 1997, after decades Dundee reunited with Muhammad Ali
and appeared alongside him in a sentimental Super Bowl commercial.
, whom he has called "a smaller version of Ali". Dundee acted as cornerman for Leonard in many of his biggest fights, including those with Wilfred Benítez
, Roberto Durán
, Thomas Hearns
and Marvin Hagler
. In Leonard's first bout with Hearns
, Dundee, thinking that his protege was behind on the scorecards, quipped the now famous words, "You're blowing it, son! You're blowing it!" before the start of round 13. Leonard went on to score a fourteenth round win when the referee stopped the fight.
and his 1994 Heavyweight title win against then-undefeated Michael Moorer
.
In addition, Dundee also trained such world champions as Luis Rodriguez
, Willie Pastrano
, Ralph Dupas
, José Nápoles
, Pinklon Thomas
, Trevor Berbick
, Jimmy Ellis
, Wilfredo Gómez
, Michael Nunn
and Sugar Ramos
, as well as other boxers such as Bill Bossio, David Estrada
, Douglas Vaillant, Jimmy Lange
, Tom Zbikowski
and Pat O'Connor.
Dundee was hired to train Russell Crowe
for Crowe's characterization of James J. Braddock
in Cinderella Man
. To that end, Dundee traveled to Australia to work with the Oscar winning actor and appeared in the film as "Angelo" the corner man.
In November 2008, he was hired as a special consultant for Oscar De La Hoya
's fight with Manny Pacquiao
.
.
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
(1960–1981), and has worked with 15 world boxing champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
, José Nápoles
José Napoles
José Ángel Nápoles, nicknamed Mantequilla , is a Cuban-Mexican boxer and former world welterweight champion, who is frequently ranked as one of the greatest fighters of all time in that division...
, George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
, Jimmy Ellis
Jimmy Ellis
James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...
, Carmen Basilio
Carmen Basilio
Carmine Basilio better known in the boxing world as Carmen Basilio, is an American former professional boxer who was a two weight world boxing champion...
, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano
Willie Pastrano
Wilfred Raleigh Pastrano was a light heavyweight boxer who held the world crown from 1963 until 1965.-Early life:...
.
Professional career
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
where he learned many of the strategies of a boxer's cornerman while acting as a "bucket man" to the great trainers of Stillman's Gym. There his mentors included Charlie Goldman, Ray Arcel, and Chickie Ferrera. Later, his brother Chris Dundee opened the Fifth Street Gym in Miami.
Carmen Basilio was the first world champion for whom Dundee acted as a cornerman when Basilio defeated Tony DeMarco
Tony DeMarco
Tony DeMarco is a boxer and world welterweight champion. He was born in Boston and grew up in that city's North End community. Tony DeMarco's actual birth name is Leonardo Liotta. Tony’s father Vincent and mother Giacomina came from Sicily.To box in the league, the minimum age was 18...
for the world welterweight crown and later Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...
for the world middleweight crown.
Career with Muhammad Ali
Dundee traveled around the world with Ali, and he was the cornerman in all but two of Ali's fights (Tunney Hunsaker in 1960 and Jimmy Ellis in 1971). Dundee trained the young Cassius Clay, as Ali was then known, in most of his early bouts, including those with Archie MooreArchie Moore
Archie Moore, born Archibald Lee Wright , was light heavyweight world boxing champion who had one of the longest professional careers in the history of that sport....
(who had trained Clay before his partnering with Dundee) and Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
, where Clay won the Heavyweight title. Dundee continued to train Ali in all of his fights until his exile from boxing, and upon Ali's return to the sport Dundee trained him in almost all of his fights, including Ali's famed bouts with fighters such as Jerry Quarry
Jerry Quarry
Jerry Quarry , nicknamed "Irish" or “The Bellflower Bomber,” was an Irish-American heavyweight boxer. Quarry was rated by Ring Magazine as the most popular fighter in the sport, 1968–1971, and was one of the biggest stars of arguably the greatest era in the history of the heavyweight division.-...
, Oscar Bonavena
Oscar Bonavena
Oscar Natalio "Ringo" Bonavena was a heavyweight professional boxer with a career record of 58 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw. A rugged, wild-swinging puncher, he was nicknamed "Ringo" because of his Beatles haircut, and enjoyed professional success in both Argentina and the United States...
, Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
, Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
, George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
, Ken Norton
Ken Norton
Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. is a former heavyweight boxer. He is best known for his 12-round victory over a peak Muhammad Ali where he famously broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, becoming only the second man to defeat Ali as a professional .He and Ali...
and, later, Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks
Leon Spinks is a former American boxer. He had an overall record of 26 wins, 17 losses and 3 draws as a professional, with 14 knockout wins, and was the former World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion of the world...
. One exception was in Ali's '71 fight with Jimmy Ellis
Jimmy Ellis
James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...
where Dundee was in Ellis' corner. Ali knocked Ellis out in the 12th round. Dundee was accused by Foreman of loosening the ring ropes before his 1974 The Rumble in the Jungle
The Rumble in the Jungle
The Rumble in the Jungle was a historic boxing event that took place on October 30, 1974, in the Mai 20 Stadium in Kinshasa, Zaire . It pitted then world Heavyweight champion George Foreman against former world champion and challenger Muhammad Ali...
fight with Ali to help Ali win the fight by using the Rope-a-dope
Rope-a-dope
The Rope-a-dope is a boxing fighting style commonly associated with Muhammad Ali in his 1974 Rumble in the Jungle match against George Foreman.-Technique:...
technique. Dundee has consistently denied tampering with the ropes. In 1997, after decades Dundee reunited with Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and appeared alongside him in a sentimental Super Bowl commercial.
Career with Sugar Ray Leonard
Dundee saw a future, emerging star in Sugar Ray LeonardSugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
, whom he has called "a smaller version of Ali". Dundee acted as cornerman for Leonard in many of his biggest fights, including those with Wilfred Benítez
Wilfred Benitez
Wilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
, Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
, Thomas Hearns
Thomas Hearns
Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
and Marvin Hagler
Marvin Hagler
Marvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
. In Leonard's first bout with Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns
Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns are considered to be two of the best boxers of all-time. They fought twice, once in 1981 and once in 1989. Both fights are considered to be classics.-Leonard-Hearns I "The Showdown":...
, Dundee, thinking that his protege was behind on the scorecards, quipped the now famous words, "You're blowing it, son! You're blowing it!" before the start of round 13. Leonard went on to score a fourteenth round win when the referee stopped the fight.
Other work
Dundee later teamed up with George Foreman, including his 1991 Heavyweight title fight against Evander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
and his 1994 Heavyweight title win against then-undefeated Michael Moorer
Michael Moorer
Michael Lee Moorer is a retired American boxer who is a former light heavyweight and heavyweight World Champion.-Biography:Moorer is a native of Monessen, Pennsylvania, which is in Southwestern Pennsylvania.-Professional career:...
.
In addition, Dundee also trained such world champions as Luis Rodriguez
Luis Rodriguez
Luis Rodriguez may refer to:*Luis Rodríguez , baseball player from Venezuela*Luis Rodríguez , Puerto Rican volleyball player*Luis J. Rodriguez , U.S...
, Willie Pastrano
Willie Pastrano
Wilfred Raleigh Pastrano was a light heavyweight boxer who held the world crown from 1963 until 1965.-Early life:...
, Ralph Dupas
Ralph Dupas
Ralph Dupas was a boxer from New Orleans who won the world light middleweight championship.-Early boxing career:...
, José Nápoles
José Napoles
José Ángel Nápoles, nicknamed Mantequilla , is a Cuban-Mexican boxer and former world welterweight champion, who is frequently ranked as one of the greatest fighters of all time in that division...
, Pinklon Thomas
Pinklon Thomas
Pinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics....
, Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1976 until 2000. Berbick briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 , before losing it to 20-year old Mike Tyson, via 2nd-round TKO...
, Jimmy Ellis
Jimmy Ellis
James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...
, Wilfredo Gómez
Wilfredo Gómez
Wilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
, Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn is a former American boxer. Nicknamed "Second to Nunn," he was a 6' 2" southpaw with great speed. Nunn was the IBF middleweight champion and the WBA super middleweight champion...
and Sugar Ramos
Sugar Ramos
Ultiminio Ramos is a Cuban-Mexican boxer who is better known as Sugar Ramos. Ramos fought out of Mexico where he was adopted as a national hero...
, as well as other boxers such as Bill Bossio, David Estrada
David Estrada
David Estrada is a Guatemalan-American boxer who is from Chicago.-Amateur career:Estrada started his amateur career in Chicago. He won several titles, including the Chicago Park District Championship in 1993, the PAL National Championship in 1997, and the Texas State Golden Gloves Championship in...
, Douglas Vaillant, Jimmy Lange
Jimmy Lange
Jimmy Lange is a professional boxer from Virginia.-Early life:He began boxing at the age of five in Arlington, Virginia when his father who became his manager first brought him to Olympia Boxing Gym in Falls Church...
, Tom Zbikowski
Tom Zbikowski
Thomas Michael Zbikowski is an American football safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League, and an occasional professional boxer. He was drafted by the Ravens in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
and Pat O'Connor.
Dundee was hired to train Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
for Crowe's characterization of James J. Braddock
James J. Braddock
James Walter "The Cinderella Man" Braddock was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937....
in Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man
Cinderella Man is a 2005 American drama film by Ron Howard, titled after the nickname of heavyweight boxing champion James J. Braddock and inspired by his life story. The film was produced by Howard, Penny Marshall, and Brian Grazer.-Plot:James J...
. To that end, Dundee traveled to Australia to work with the Oscar winning actor and appeared in the film as "Angelo" the corner man.
In November 2008, he was hired as a special consultant for Oscar De La Hoya
Oscar de la Hoya
Oscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
's fight with Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, PLH is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion; having won six world titles, as well as the first to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the...
.
Popular Culture
Dundee was depicted as himself in the movie "Ali" (2001) and played by the late actor Ron SilverRon Silver
Ronald Arthur "Ron" Silver was an American actor, director, producer, radio host and political activist.-Early life:...
.