ROCKY MARCIANO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS FINALS SET FOR NEXT FRIDAY

Posted on | October 18, 2009 | No Comments

Rocky Marciano Tournament of Champions Finals Set For Roseland Ballroom in Taunton, MA on Friday, October 23, 2009

Amateur Tournament In Honor of “The Brockton Blockbuster” Draws Over 300 Fighters From New England; More Than 25 Boxers Fight For Belts Friday.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rich Cappiello @ 508-509-3236
www.cappielloboxing.com

BROCKTON, MA—More than 300 boxers participated in the 8th Annual Rocky Marciano Tournament of Champions this year, which is fast becoming the largest amateur boxing tournament in the region. The finalists will fight this Friday at Taunton’s Roseland Ballroom with a reserved slot on the USA Boxing Traveling Team on the line. There will even be real championship belts to win for the winners in each class.

The tournament’s founders Mike and Rich Cappiello come from an esteemed family heritage with their father being a first cousin to Rocky Marciano himself. The brothers have done Rocky proud with regular and sustained contributions to the local and regional boxing scene. The family gym is dedicated to Rocky, and when the tournament began there was no better name to give it than Rocky’s. Fighters from all six New England states (CT, NH, RI, ME, MA, VT) now participate, and this year’s crop is the largest in the tournament’s 8-year history.

This Friday the Roseland Ballroom in Taunton will be a battleground for the best amateurs in the region to prove themselves. More than 50 of the best prospects in boxing will slug it out in the ring after spending the last few months fighting just for the opportunity to be in the finals.

“You’ll see the best of the best in every weight division,” Rich Cappiello promises. While Mike does the hands on fighter training as a retired professional boxer himself (33-6, 13 KOs), Rich Cappiello is the promoter in the family, recently teaming up with Jimmy Burchfield of Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. to combine two of the largest promotional forces in the local area.

Rich Capiello envisions a bright future for the tournament and is excited about the involvement of USA Boxing. “USA Boxing wants to take it regionally,” he said. “Looking at the big picture, this could certainly become the biggest amateur tournament in the country. We really want to go that way.”

The tournament’s lucky winners will receive custom made belts and a chance to represent New England on USA Boxing’s Travel Team. For many young contenders the addition to the travel team will give them a chance to visit all corners of the country and fight some of the best fellow prospects from coast to coast.

In addition to the intense live boxing action, a Rocky Marciano tribute will take place at 5 PM before the bouts start. Clips from Rocky’s stellar undefeated pro career and some of Rocky’s entire fights will be shown. Memorabilia from Rocky’s incredible undefeated championship fighting days will also be featured.

Proceeds for the VIP Reception will benefit The Rocky Marciano Foundation (www.rockymarcianofoundation.org), which will also offer Rocky Marciano merchandise at the event. For more information about the foundation and sponsoring the dinner, contact Denis Marrese, Vice President of Marketing for the Rocky Marciano Foundation. The foundation helps at-risk youth and provides scholarships and gym membership fees to children and young adults in the community.

The Roseland Ballroom is located at 174 Broadway, Taunton, Massachusetts. For Directions, visit http://roselandfunction.com/id2.html and type in your starting address.

Rocky Marciano (49-0, 43 Knockouts) is the only heavyweight champion in the history of boxing to retire undefeated. Marciano won the crown by knocking out Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round of their September 23, 1952 title bout.

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