The Pinky Silverberg Boxing Show drew a crowd at the Ansonia Armory. /Contributed photo
ANSONIA - On Nov. 11, Mayor David S. Cassetti led the Pinky Silverberg Boxing Show to an extremely successful evening of fundraising, demonstration of skills, and matches from renowned amateur boxers from New England.
Roughly 550 people attended the show with 60 girls and boys participating in the tournament, and the event raised $6,000.
“I was thrilled with the success of this event,” Cassetti said. “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 again in November of next year.
The Pinky Silverberg Boxing Show first featured the Valley’s Young Gloves of children between ages 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 was named for Silverberg, the Ansonia native who held 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 Cassetti when he was a child, and he said he hopes to share the specialty of the sport with other children.
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, 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.
