Person Biography:
Two-Ton Tony Galento was a heavyweight boxer born Dominic Anthony Galento on March 12, 1910, in Orange, New Jersey. He earned his nickname after driving his ice truck to an arena, arriving just before the start of one of his fights. Galento was known for his street-fighting style, which often led to fouls, and his ability to drink beer and eat hamburgers and spaghetti before fights. He was a dirty fighter who would deliberately head-butt, gouge, low-blow, and elbow his opponents.
Galento's career was marked by controversy and charisma. He was a member of "The Brown Bomber" Joe Louis' "Bum of the Month Club" and was known for his colorful personality and antics outside the ring. He was a bar-owner and would often pose for photographers drinking beer at his bar, or wrestling with a rubber car tire suspended from a tree that had been a child's swing before Tony picked it as a sparring partner.
Galento's most famous fight was against Joe Louis, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He sent Louis to the canvas in the second round, but ultimately lost the fight. Galento's career went downhill after the fight, and he went on to lose to several other notable boxers, including the Baer brothers, Max and Buddy.
After retiring from boxing, Galento tried his hand at wrestling, refereeing, and even ran for president on the Prohibition Party ticket. He appeared in the classic movie "On the Waterfront" and tried stand-up comedy. He remained friends with Joe Louis and was a beloved figure to locals and fans who remembered the pre-war days of heavyweight boxing.
Galento died on July 22, 1979, from complications of diabetes. Despite his crude and often questionable behavior in the ring, Galento's charisma and happy-go-lucky demeanor outside the ring made him a beloved figure in the world of boxing.
