ANSONIA- On Friday,
November 11, Mayor Cassetti led the Pinky Silverberg Boxing Show to an
extremely successful evening of fundraising, demonstration of skills, and
matches from renowned amateur boxers from the New England Area.
Roughly 550 people
attended the event with 60 girls and boys participating in the tournament, and
the event raised $6,000.
“I was thrilled with
the success of this event,” said Mayor Cassetti. “It was wonderful to see the Armory packed to
capacity with residents of all ages.”
Cassetti plans for
another boxing tournament featuring the Young Gloves to be held once again in
November of next year.
The Pinky Silverberg
Boxing Show first featured the Valley’s Young Gloves of children between 6 and
13 competing and showcasing their talents. Later in the night, the USA Boxing
Amateur Fighters took the spotlight, as well as an official Connecticut Amateur
Boxing Card.
The program’s title was
to the Ansonia native Silverberg, who held both a flyweight boxing title in
1927 and is a member of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. Cassetti, a
Middleweight Champion himself, ran the program with other directors to help
children gain self-confidence, while having fun with the sport simultaneously.
Boxing had a positive
and profound effect on Mayor Cassetti when he was a child, so he hopes to share
the specialty of the sport with other children as well. The Young Gloves’
program strives to teach technique, discipline, and self-confidence in the
boxers, and to engage more in physical activities and a healthier lifestyle.
There were 22 bouts, or fights, during the event, which were split up into two
1 minute rounds.
This event would not
have been possible without the generosity of the following sponsors: Ortiz
Boxing Gym in Bridgeport, CT, Ronald and Susan Silverberg, Edo Construction,
Country Disposal Services LLC, Webster Bank, McDonald’s, Teamsters Local 677,
and Prime AE.
(This is a press release from the City of Ansonia)
