New York columnist Mel Heimer met Brooklyn middleweight Jerry Fiorello about a week before Fiorello died, near the end of September, 1947. Fiorello was 29 years old. They met in Ann Lano’s dance studio on Madison Avenue.

Heimer described Fiorello as being a physical impressive guy with “big shoulders” and “big hands.” He had “dark, curly hair and the flat nose of the fighter,” and was wearing a “New York pearl-gray fedora…green slacks and a tan sports jacket. No tie.”