Coley Wallace

Boxing, Boxer

1927 – 2005

5

Who was Coley Wallace?

Coley Wallace was an American actor and heavyweight boxer who outpointed Rocky Marciano in a three-round amateur fight.

Although Wallace, a Jacksonville, FL native, had a respectable record as a professional, his claim to fame came in 1948 when, as an amateur, he defeated future heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano in the finals of the New York Golden Gloves Tournament.

Wallace's contact was "owned" under the table by the notorious Frank "Blinky" Palermo, a member of the Philadelphia crime family. Palermo was imprisoned in 1961 for conspiracy and extortion for the covert ownership of prizefighters.

After boxing, Wallace acted in four movies, twice portraying the boxer Joe Louis.

Wallace died on January 30, 2005, of heart failure in New York City.

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Born
Apr 5, 1927
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Lived in
  • Florida
  • Jacksonville
Died
Jan 30, 2005

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"Coley Wallace." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 6 May 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/coley_wallace>.

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