Antonio Castellini

Born in the Noce district of Palermo to a large family (11 siblings), Nino Castellini began to box at a young age in Franco Tomaselli’s gym. Castellini was Italian amateur champion and won a bronze medal at the 1971 Mediterranean Games but, the following year, he was unfortunate at the München Olympics where he lost his first bout to Poland’s Wiesław Rudkowski, the eventual silver medalist.

Castellini turned pro in October 1972 and won the Italian title as a super-welterweight on 28 April 1974, beating Aldo Bentini by decision. He lost the title on 5 November 1975 by disqualification against Damiano Lassandro (a 1972 Olympian), but regained the title in a re-match against Lassandro in April 1976 by a KO in round four. Castellini had a professional career record of 28 wins (14 by KO), with 4 defeats (2 by KO).

Before competing for the European title, on 26 August 1976, he was on board his new Kawasaki motorcycle together with the girlfriend Elisa, when he lost control and collided against the rock wall of a tunnel on the expressway between Palermo and Punta Raisi. Castellini died instantly and the girlfriend remained in a coma for months, but she eventually survived. Castellini is remembered in his native city, as his coach Tomaselli named the gym in his memory: Polisportiva Nino Castellini Palermo.