He started in the summer of 1939 in a AAU Tournament. He was 17 at the time. He took the place of a friend who got sick, so Rocky used his name, "Joe Giuliani." He stopped his opponent in the 1st round at the Broadway Area in Brooklyn.
I think I met guy you mentioned, Joe Giuliani. I tried looking him up, but was spelling name 'Juliano/Juliani. I met him in 1970, at a wedding. He was powerful looking guy. They called him Jo Jo. I was told after he went over to anothe rtable that he was a terrific pro, but quit becuse he would not tak edive to move up to contention. The wedding was for one of Graziano's nephews. So it is probably same guy.
He signed up for the Amateur AAU Tournament, so Joe Giuliani was an Amateur, not Pro. The only Giuliani I can fine around that time was This content is protected Eddie Coco is the main reason Rocky started amateur boxing. Rocky heard from a couple of his friends about a tournament going on with a gold medal for the winner. Rocky entered the tournament under the name of "Joe Giuliani". He fought four matches and ended up winning the New York Metropolitan Amateur Athletic Union Boxing competition (1939). He sold the gold medal for $15 and decided that boxing was a good way to make cash.
