Born 9/13/1891 and Died on 1/20/1968 in New Orleans.
Began teaching boxing to local New Orleans youth after World War I, at the now famous St.Mary’s Italian Boxing Gym, behind the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Whitey remained in New Orleans for the rest of his life, teaching boxing to everyone from kids off the street to World Champion fighters. His boxers were known for their outstanding technique and footwork, and Whitey was a strong believer in the importance of boxing basics/fundamentals. A boxing staple in New Orleans for 50 years his St. Mary’s Gym was located in the heart of downtown New Orleans.
Whitey developed boxers and did not just corner them or take over boxers once they were successful. Whitey developed many champions and contenders including:
Ralph Chong, Bernard and Maxie Docusen, Tony Licata, Freddie Little, Ralph Dupas, Wille Pastrano and Jerome Conforto. Conforto later trained his nephew Chuck ” I Come To Fight” Mince, who would also fight professionally and develop several more generations of the Conforto, Mince, Collinsworth fighting family.
Whitey also trained Houston boxing legend Mr. Walt Hailey in Hailey’s formative boxing years. For these reasons, Whitey was also very instrumental in the development of many champions and contenders in the Houston area as Walt Hailey trained many who later became coaches themselves, and a member of the Conforto, Mince, Collinsworth fighting family, Coach Derek Collinsworth has been developing and training boxers in our area since 2008.
Outstanding…