Coley Wallace
Coley Wallace (April 5, 1927 – January 30, 2005) was an American actor and heavyweight boxer who once outpointed Rocky Marciano in a very close split decision three-round amateur fight.
Although Wallace, a Jacksonville, FL native, had a respectable record as a professional (20-7-0), his claim to fame came in 1948 when, as an amateur, he once defeated in a very close split decision future heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano in the finals of the New York Golden Gloves Tournament. The decision was not welcomed by crowd and many considered it a draw. Wallace fought Ezzard Charles in his professional career, among others.
Wallace's contract was "owned" under the table by the notorious Frank "Blinky" Palermo, a member of the Philadelphia crime family. Palermo was imprisoned in 1961 for conspiracy and extortion for the covert ownership of prizefighters.[1]
After boxing career, Wallace acted in four movies, twice portraying the boxer Joe Louis.
Wallace died on January 30, 2005, of heart failure in New York City.
Filmography
[edit]- The Joe Louis Story (1953) - Joe Louis
- Carib Gold (1957) - Ryan
- Marciano (1979 TV movie) - Joe Louis
- Raging Bull (1980) - Joe Louis - Cerdan Fight
- Rooftops (1989) - Lester (final film role)
References
[edit]- ↑ "Blinky Palermo, Mobster who ran boxing dies!". Ring Talk. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
External links
[edit]- Coley Wallace at BoxRec (registration required)
- Coley Wallace at IMDb
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