Rocky Fratto
| Rocky Fratto | |
|---|---|
Fratto wearing NABF belt in 1981
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | Ralph Vincent Fratto |
| Nickname(s) | The Pride of Geneva |
| Rated at | Light middleweight |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | October 29, 1958 Geneva, New York |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 32 |
| Wins | 28 |
| Wins by KO | 9 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 0 |
Ralph "Rocky" Fratto (born October 29, 1958), "The Pride of Geneva", is a former Italian-American professional boxer from Geneva, New York. Fratto was rated as the No. 1 Junior Middleweight in the United States by the USBA, and the second best Junior Middleweight in the world by the WBA. On April 25, 1981 Fratto became the North American Champion when he won the NABF Super Welterweight title, by defeating Rocky Mosley Jr. in Rochester, New York.Ring magazine crowned Fratto as the U.S. Junior Middleweight Champion in 1981 and 1982.
Fratto was the first of three children born to Ralph and Concetta Fratto in Geneva, New York. His father Ralph Fratto Sr. was born in Taverna, Calabria, Italy, in 1936, emigrating to the United States in 1948. Ralph Sr. was a local boxing coach and would bring his son along to watch the fights. On June 11, 1971 the Geneva Boxing Team had lost every fight and the young Fratto begged his father to let him in the ring. His father said his son would have to learn a lesson the "hard way." Rocky Fratto would win his first fight that night, and receive a trophy for the "fighter of the night." This was the start of his boxing career at the age of 12.
Rocky Fratto had an amateur record of 73 wins, 3 losses and 28 knockouts. Fratto won the New York State Golden Gloves Championship in 1973 at age 14 and the New York State AAU Championship in 1974 and 1975.
At the age of 17, in November of 1975, Fratto enlisted in the United States Army. In 1976 Fratto won the US All-Army Championship in the Middleweight division. When Rocky won the All-Army crown, the Army Times called it the "biggest upset of the tourney and the best fought final." He went on to defeat the US Air Force champion and Olympic Team alternate Henry Bunch, to become the US Armed Forces Interservice Champion. This title qualified Fratto for the 1976 US Olympic Boxing Trials. Army Boxing Coach Sergeant Brown said of Fratto "He came right in here and handled these guys. It's unusual for someone to just walk in and beat the fighters we have in the service. In fact, I don't think it has ever been done before. We usually recruit our boxers." Fratto was honorably discharged from the Army in 1976.
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