by Lisa Reisman

Branford high school track coach Richard Biondi never set out to write "Pugilistic Paisani," a history of Italian and Italian American boxing champions.

Then, on a visit to Cleveland's Little Italy Heritage Museum in 2000, he met a volunteer in her mid-80s. They got to talking. At some point Biondi asked her about Joey Maxim, the former world light heavyweight champion who then lived in Cleveland. He'd learned of Maxim, among other fighters, from his late grandfather when he was a kid. The volunteer set up a phone interview.

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Source: http://www.shorelinetimes.com/