Survival

A world champion boxer tells his story of struggle and triumph—from his traumatic childhood to life in the ring and Hollywood celebrity.

In 1996, at the age of 41, Vinnie Curto won the World Boxing Federation Super Cruiserweight Title. He was on top of the world, but he’d gone through hell to get there. Born in East Boston, Vinnie grew up with a violent father who subjected him to years of horrifying sexual abuse. At age 16, Vinnie escaped by lying about his age and joining the Navy. That decision changed his life—and probably saved it.

Vinnie’s success on the Navy boxing team opened the door to a storied career as a professional boxer. He joined the Olympic boxing team, trained with the legendary Angelo Dundee, and rubbed shoulders with mobsters and Hollywood celebrities. With Sylvester Stallone as his manager, Vinnie even started acting in television shows like Miami Vice and Walker, Texas Ranger.