Donato Paduano

Donato Paduano was born in Southern Italy to farmers Gennaro and Giovannina Casacalenda. In 1960, his father emigrated to Montréal, Canada, and Donato and his brother joined him.

In 1961, Donato enrolled in a boxing gymnasium and a meeting with boxing expert Roger Larivée changed his life. Gifted with talent, Donato swept the field among Canadian amateurs. In 1966 he participated in the Commonwealth Games at Kingston, Jamaica, and the following year won the bronze medal at the Pan American Games at Winnipeg. In 1968 he won the prestigious the New York Daily News Golden Gloves Championship and, in the same year, he competed in the welterweight division at the Mexico City Olympics. Paduano won 83 amateur fights before turning professional immediately after the Mexico Games.

After a series of six professional successes, Paduano won the Canadian title by beating Joey Durelle in 1969 and the following year he met Marcel Cerdan Jr. (son of the legendary world middleweight champion Marcel Cerdan). The French had great hopes for the young Cerdan, following 48 consecutive victories, until Paduano inflicted the first defeat upon him on 11 May 1970 at Madison Square Garden. After this victory, a world championship bout seemed possible for Paduano until two consecutive defeats by fellow Canadian Clyde Gray, and the Scot Ken Buchanan, put him out of the running.

Paduano continued to fight in the Quebec area and, despite some good results, hung up his gloves in 1975 until making a four-fight comeback before retiring for good in 1980 with a pro record of 55-10-2. He only once fought in Italy, against Roberto Benacquista in 1975. The previous year Paduano lost on points to the great Emile Griffith in Montréal. Paduano got a job as a public relations officer with Pepsi Cola but hated not being in the public eye and missed the publicity that went with the sport. After quitting the ring, Paduano made up for all the years of dedication by partying until he ran into some legal trouble and subsequently returned to live with his parents.