JO Sports, Inc.
HISTORY: Angelo Merena (born 1923), better known in the boxing world as Angelo Dundee, is a boxing cornerman who has worked with 15 world boxing champions, among them, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jose Napoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio and Luis Rodriguez. Dundee learned many of the strategies used to act as a cornerman for boxers as a pupil of Lou Stillman. A native of Philadelphia, he went to New York and later to Miami, where his brother Chris Dundee opened the Fifth Street Gym. Basilio was the first world champion Dundee acted as a cornerman for, when Basilio defeated Tony De Marco for the world welterweight crown. Dundee travelled around the world with Ali, and he was the cornerman in all of Ali's fights, which also included Ali's bouts with Archie Moore, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Norton, and later, Leon Spinks. 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. After Ali's retirement, Dundee saw a future, emerging star in Sugar Ray Leonard, whom he has called "a smaller version of Ali". Dundee once again acted as cornerman for Leonard in many of his biggest fights, including those with Wilfred Benitez, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns. 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, causing longtime boxing blow by blow commentator Don Dunphy to exclaim, "They're stopping the fight. I don't believe it. Hearns is ahead on points." Angelo later teamed up with George Foreman, including his 1991 Heavyweight title fight against Evander Holyfield and his 1994 Heavyweight title win against then undefeated Michael Moorer. Dundee was enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994. Presented here is the original passport signed by and used by Angelo between 1961 and 1965. Includes his JUne, 1963 trip to London for the first Clay-Cooper fight and his trip to Japan following the first Clay-Liston fight. Authenticated by JSA and includes an LOA from Angelo Dundee's son, Jim Dundee.
FULL DESCRIPTION: This is the original passport of Angelo Dundee. It is signed twice by Dundee including on his passport photo. 24 pages complete including covers. Clean inside and out. Tight binding. Includes all original stamps. Not creased or torn, but does have a compression on cover from handling. 3 3/4" x 6." Exceedingly rare and includes his trips with Cassius Clay before he won the world heavyweight title. Includes a JSA Auction letter on the Dundee autographs and a letter from Angelo Dundee's son, Jim Dundee, on the passport itself.
