“Mancino” in Italian translates as left-handed or, in boxing circles, “southpaw.” However, Raymond Michael Mancino, born in Youngstown, Ohio, on March 4, 1961, was neither a southpaw nor Mancino to the boxing fraternity. The orthodox pressure fighter soon became known as Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini in the professional ranks.

Years ago, many Italian Americans doctored their names for promotional and publicity effect. Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, Joey Maxim was Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, Willie Pep was Guglielmo Papaleo, and Lou Ambers was Luigi Giuseppe d’Ambrosio. It was the same with Mancino, as “Boom Boom” explained. “My birth name is Mancino [pronounced Man-ch-ino], but my professional [boxing] name was Mancini [Man-ch-ini]. My father boxed in New York in 1939 and they put him down as Lenny Mancini, and he said, ‘No, no. My name is Mancino,’ and they [the promoters] said, ‘No, no. You’re down as Mancini. Sounds better. Flows better.’ That’s how I got the Mancini name.”