TONY ROSS, JR.

At the age of 15, Tony Ross, Jr. made his boxing debut in the novice 112-pound class of the Detroit Times Diamond Belt Tournament. Just two years later, he won the welterweight crown in the open class of the Catholic Youth League Tournament, and was voted the amateur fighter of the year. Sporting a record of 36-4, Ross turned to the professional ranks in the summer of 1942 and won 14 of his first 16 pro bouts. But Ross was drafted into the Army in 1944, and while stationed in Germany, stepped on a land mine – his left leg was subsequently amputated. Ross returned home and continued his pursuit of a boxing career, but the commission refused to grant him a license to box professionally. That news did not dissuade Ross from following his dream and doing what he did best. He fought over 60 exhibitions around the United States while visiting numerous Veterans Administration Hospitals, encouraging other recovering veteran amputees as a peer counselor and raising funds for a variety of veterans groups.