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Survival
Vinnie Curto was born in East Boston, Massachusetts on July 10, 1955. His father, Jimmy Curto, was a raving, sick, alcoholic homosexual. Vinnie’s father and his drunken friends sexually abused young Vinnie, frequently raping him and performing other deviant sexual acts on him, while his mother, Loretta, stood by and let it happen.
When Vinnie was fourteen, his father forced him to pursue a boxing career. Jimmy Curto told his son that the only way he could ever be proud of him is if he won a boxing championship. He said if Vinnie failed in that, his only other alternative would be to commit suicide. To make his point, Jimmy produced a handgun and made Vinnie hold it in his hands. It is a memory that has haunted Vinnie for years.
To escape his living hell at home, at the age of sixteen Vinnie lied about his age and joined the Navy. Although the falsification of his age was later discovered and he was discharged, while serving he joined the boxing team and made many contacts that would benefit his career in the future. Vinnie’s decision to join the Navy not only altered his life, it may very well have saved it. After his stint in the military Vinnie joined the Olympic boxing team, where he made several more valuable contacts, including the legendary trainer Angelo Dundee.
The doors to his future were being opened. However, his road to a title fight would be long and paved with danger.
When Vinnie was fourteen, his father forced him to pursue a boxing career. Jimmy Curto told his son that the only way he could ever be proud of him is if he won a boxing championship. He said if Vinnie failed in that, his only other alternative would be to commit suicide. To make his point, Jimmy produced a handgun and made Vinnie hold it in his hands. It is a memory that has haunted Vinnie for years.
To escape his living hell at home, at the age of sixteen Vinnie lied about his age and joined the Navy. Although the falsification of his age was later discovered and he was discharged, while serving he joined the boxing team and made many contacts that would benefit his career in the future. Vinnie’s decision to join the Navy not only altered his life, it may very well have saved it. After his stint in the military Vinnie joined the Olympic boxing team, where he made several more valuable contacts, including the legendary trainer Angelo Dundee.
The doors to his future were being opened. However, his road to a title fight would be long and paved with danger.
- GenresSurvivalNonfiction
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 25, 2019
This was a sincerely written biography by Vinnie Curto and another one by Dennis Griffin that I enjoyed quite well as I followed Curto from his beginnings in Boston. He had a very rough start with awful parents you wouldn’t wish on anyone. Vinnie does come out of childhood with a wonderful talent for boxing though and that’s something that he works on and nurtures. Along with that he has a work ethic that won't let him quit. He has a very interesting story and it was well worth reading it's so inspiring. This one is for boxing fans and memoir readers.
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First published on my WordPress blog viewable here:
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March 25, 2020
Won in Goodreads giveaway. I don't like to not finish a book, free or otherwise but, after roughly 50-55% I just had to quit. I kept thinking 'Is there anything this guy hasn't done or had done to him'? Most of it was just too far-fetched for me to continue.
August 19, 2020
I won this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
I'm usually not a fan of memoirs but found this one to be fairly interesting. I got a little bored with all of the name dropping and felt as though some of the details could have been left out and more added in other places.
I'm usually not a fan of memoirs but found this one to be fairly interesting. I got a little bored with all of the name dropping and felt as though some of the details could have been left out and more added in other places.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews