Frank Cappuccino facts for kids
Frank Cappuccino (born February 7, 1929 – died June 8, 2015) was a famous boxing referee. He was known for being the referee in many of the biggest boxing matches ever. He made sure the fights were fair and safe.
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Frank's Early Life and Boxing Career
Frank Cappuccino was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a neighborhood called Kensington. Both Frank and his brother, Vito, were good boxers.
Frank fought as a lightweight boxer. This means he weighed around 130 pounds. In the early 1950s, he had over 130 amateur fights. He even reached the finals in big tournaments like the Diamond Belt and Golden Glove events.
In 1955, Frank became a professional boxer. He won all six of his professional matches. But he decided to stop fighting early. He once said he loved the sport and wanted to stay involved, but not as a fighter.
Becoming a Boxing Referee
Frank Cappuccino got his referee's license in 1958. For over 50 years, he was the "third man in the ring." This means he was the referee for more than 25,000 boxing matches. About 10,000 of these were professional fights.
He was the referee for 94 world championship fights. These big matches took place in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Why Frank Was a Great Referee
Boxing experts often praised Frank Cappuccino's work. He usually let boxers try to fight their way out of trouble. He didn't stop a fight too quickly with a technical knockout. This made fights more exciting for fans.
A great example was the 2002 fight between Mickey Ward and Arturo Gatti. Even though boxers got into tough spots, Frank never had a serious injury happen in a fight he refereed.
Boxer Mickey Ward said Frank was "great." He added that Frank "lets you fight your fight." Frank Cappuccino was honored in both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.
Frank also worked as a boxing judge for some fights. He helped decide the winner. One important fight he judged was Michael Spinks versus Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1983.
Frank's Life Outside the Ring
Outside of boxing, Frank Cappuccino had other jobs. He worked as a supervisor for the Keebler Company. He also worked as a sanitation inspector for the School District of Philadelphia. He lived in Yardley, Pennsylvania. Frank was married to his wife, Florence.
Famous Fights Frank Refereed
Frank Cappuccino was the referee for many memorable boxing matches. Here are some of the most famous ones:
Mickey Ward vs. Arturo Gatti (2002)
This fight is often called "The Fight of the Century." Frank Cappuccino played a big role in this tough battle.
In the fourth round, Gatti hit Ward with a low punch. Ward went down in pain. Frank called it a slip and took a point from Gatti for the low blow. This was important for the final score.
In the ninth round, both boxers landed many punches. Gatti was taking a lot of hits. But Frank saw that Gatti still wanted to fight. He didn't stop the fight, knowing how important it was. Gatti fought back until the bell.
After the ninth round, some thought the fight was over. But Frank Cappuccino told everyone, "The fight ain’t over!" The fight continued for the tenth and final round. Mickey Ward won by a small decision. Frank's decision to take a point from Gatti was key.
Lennox Lewis vs. Shannon Briggs (1998)
This fight was for Lewis’ WBC Heavyweight Title. In the fifth round, Shannon Briggs was hit many times by Lennox Lewis. Briggs was knocked down but got up and convinced Frank to let him continue.
After more hits, Briggs missed a punch and fell. Frank Cappuccino decided that Briggs had taken enough punishment. He stopped the fight to protect Briggs.
Bernard Hopkins vs. Carl Daniels (2002)
This fight was for Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins' Undisputed Middleweight Title. Hopkins won in the 11th round. This win broke a 25-year record for middleweight title defenses. Frank stopped the fight because Daniels' corner asked him to.
Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks (1988)
This was a huge fight between two undefeated boxers. It was for Mike Tyson's undisputed heavyweight titles. Tyson knocked out Michael Spinks in just 91 seconds.
Frank Cappuccino considered this the greatest moment of his referee career. He remembered seeing famous people like Charlie Sheen and Jack Nicholson in the crowd. He said it was "really something special."
Frank refereed six of Mike Tyson's fights. He always spoke highly of Tyson.
Movies
- Rocky V (1990) - Referee
