49059749
Now that his mind is as potent as his left hand has always been, Joe Zimbello feels prepared to add his name to boxing’s annals. The 26-year-old will chase extra fame Saturday, lacing up his gloves at The Regional Novice and Junior Golden Gloves championships. His involvement comes courtesy of three victories at the Eastern District championships, triumphs that deem him the City champion.
As his first amateur wins, the performances have given the resident of 11th and Mifflin streets added conviction and have validated his intermittent pursuit of pugilistic prominence. Once nervous to test his might and his chin, Zimbello credits scoring the district crown for allowing him to think of Saturday as “just another night.”
“I had much more pressure for my first fight,” he said of his March 18 knockout conquest at North Philadelphia’s Front Street Gym, the renowned facility he again will experience this weekend.
The 165-pound fighter absorbed early hits in that bout, eventually dropping his foe and raising his resolve.
“The opening concerned me a bit, but the overall result let me know what I am made of, which is something I had sought to learn for some time,” he said.
Another knockout followed March 25, with his third success coming April 1 via a decision. For his efforts, he beat out 79 competitors for the tournament’s Best Boxer distinction.
“Winning the event wowed me,” Zimbello, who lost a first-round preliminary clash in last year’s version, said of emerging from his eight-man bracket.
Heavy punches offset the heavy feelings the March 6 death of close friend Ricky Ferrer had kindled.
“His death provided inspiration,” Zimbello said. “I swore to his family I would fight in his honor.”
Bearing trunks with “YoBoMoCuz,” one of his fallen friend’s favorite expressions on the front of his shorts and “Ferrer” on the back, he proved in his second tournament that April Fool’s Day was not an occasion to mess with one’s destiny.
“I had always felt I had the talent,” Zimbello, whose allies have often termed his dominant mitt “dynamite,” said of contending. “I just needed to take my involvement more seriously.”
His increased inclusion began last year through the tutelage of the man who instigated his odyssey 11 years ago, Mickey Rosati, owner of Rosati’s Gym, 1937 S. Chadwick St.
“My friends and I would go to see Mickey. With my competitive nature, I wanted to win, but they put in more time and gained more experience,” he said of his humble entry into the ring.
Unable at 15 to devote his days to duels, Zimbello made trips to the 37-year-old site rare events, focusing primarily on school. A product of St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, 913 Pierce St., and a member of the first graduating class from Prep Charter High School, 1928 Point Breeze Ave., he completed two years as a liberal arts major at Community College of Philadelphia. Still coveting direction upon completion, he sought admission into a trade union. Following disappointing news from the carpenters and plumbers fraternities, he earned the favor of the Electricians IBEW Local 98.
“I had a good interview and am part of a great local [union],” Zimbello, whose news meant he could fulfill a promise to his mother Maria not to fight professionally until finishing his schooling, said.
A fourth-year apprentice, he attends class Wednesdays and works the remaining days. Set to conclude in January, he finds devoting such energy to his educational identity a plus for enhancing his athletic one.
“I’ve put aside distractions and am giving myself more of a shot,” he said.
Those words enthuse Rosati, a former resident of 16th and Jackson streets and the 132-pound winner at the 1981 Golden Gloves. Now in Haddon Heights, N.J., he helps 15 fighters to lighten their apprehension and to tighten their execution.
“I didn’t mind sticking with Joe,” he said of having kept in contact with his pupil. “He has really shown commitment and is starting to see his potential.”
“Mickey is great because he pays attention to everything, especially the little details,” Zimbello said.
Their partnership will look to transform Zimbello into more of an offensive figure, although his wins show his counter-punching style is not a liability. To polish his frame and his form, he has doubled his training days, giving himself only one day of rest. Runs and bicycle rides join with massive amounts of situps to sharpen his movements and to present a commanding presence.
Regular sparring sessions at multiple locations, including the Front Street Gym, provide ample exposure to different strategies and reveal his curiosity over how high his confidence can soar.
“I can’t even think about being timid,” he said. “My recent fights answered a ton for me. I don’t need to start asking myself more stuff.”
With quantifiable proof of his prowess, Zimbello sees what will follow in two days as a fantastic opportunity to grow.
“I’ve been able to rely on my family and friends for support as I’ve pursued boxing. I know I have to do the fighting, which can be grueling, but it’s easier with their help,” Zimbello, who sees his Argentinian mother, Sicilian father Salvatore and sister Joann as his backbone, said.
His parents’ heritage has allowed Zimbello, who spent part of his childhood in Argentina, to become trilingual. For his upcoming test, he will be more than happy to hear in any tongue that he is the winner. If he triumphs, his fists will do their next pounding at the novice state finals May 7 in Pittsburgh.
Since its inception in 1923, the Golden Gloves has produced many notable champions, including Cassius Clay, the 1960 heavyweight champion who, as Muhammad Ali, dazzled the sporting world with his jabs and his quips; Evander Holyfield, the ’84 conqueror of the 178-pound division; and Oscar De La Hoya, the ’89 vanquisher in the 125-pound class. Zimbello fights for the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves franchise, one of 30 bodies under the National Golden Gloves’ jurisdiction.
Holyfield, with 11 fights, and De La Hoya, with one, have fought in a state with which Zimbello yearns to become familiar as a professional, New Jersey.
“I would love to be a headliner like [the late Arturo] Gatti,” he said of the Italian-Canadian puncher and former featherweight and welterweight champion who waged 31 of his 49 bouts in the Garden State.
With such aspirations, Zimbello makes a great case study for anyone looking to understand the fusing of talent with belief. As he prepares for Saturday and beyond, he is beginning to become even more fond of his mantra.
“Shoot for the moon before you settle for the stars,” he said. “I like that one.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
49059689
49059744
