Former Heavyweight Champion Mourns Death of Mentor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Casselberry, Florida, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) February 2, 2012 -- Casselberry, FL – February 2, 2012 – After fighting Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe, former heavyweight boxer Pinklon Thomas takes his biggest blow; the death of his close friend and mentor, Angelo Dundee.

Angelo Dundee was an American boxing trainer who was best known for his work with Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard and Pinklon Thomas, among many others. He began training Thomas after the boxer won his first title by knocking out then champion Tim Witherspoon. The trainer mentored Thomas and was an instrumental part of his decision to get clean after years of battling substance abuse. “After I won the title, I came into the gym strung out after partying for days straight,” says Thomas, “Angelo wouldn’t even look me in the eye. He told me to get clean and said he didn’t wanna see me again until I was. That was my rock bottom.” Thomas credits the shame from his mentor for the next twenty years of sobriety.

With the inspiration Dundee gave Thomas, he aspired to mentor other youth through his charity Project P.I.N.K. (Pride In Neighborhood Kids). The goal of the project is to keep troubled youth off the streets and give them the confidence to nurture their academic and athletic strengths into something great. Thomas would never have been given the opportunity to help others without the help of the great Angelo Dundee.

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