Punching Policeman Frankie Filippone Eyes NABA USA Title
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Correspondent
New York, NY (December 15th, 2012)–Italian super middleweight boxer Frankie ‘The Freight Train’ Filippone is a Master Police Officer with the Virginia Beach Virginia Police Department. Also known as ‘The Punching Policeman’, Filippone has been featured as a headline fighter in the casinos of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and various boxing cards in Virginia. With a record of 11-2-1. Filippone pursues his opponents and mugs them in the ring, then pursues crime suspects and handcuffs them outside the ring. Either way, when Filippone is inhot pursuit, the opposition usually gets cornered, and the ‘The Punching Policeman’ has his way.
Frankie Filippone’s Italian ancestry is from Palermo, Italy, better known as the capital city of the Sicilian Mafia, where 67 of the 186 ‘cosa nostra’ families still reside. There is a strict code of silence which reigns over Sicily. This is due to over 2000 years of enemy inhabitants. This code is called ‘Omerta’. It reigns supreme within the Sicilian Mafia. Omerta, translated literally, means ‘manhood’ and refers to the idea of a Sicilian man resolving his own challenges. A champion in the ring and out, Filippone has risen to the challenge of raising a family, juggling two careers, and dealing with difficult time constraints, to find the pathway to success.
The Punching Policeman is a full-time Master Police Officer, a full-time boxer, and a full-time family man with a wife and two children. While time is precious, his goals of winning a world boxing championship in the ring one day, getting promoted to sergeant and even police chief, are all within the grasp of this extraordinary athlete, role model and community servant, a credit to his country and the mirror reflection of those individuals representing the better side of professional boxing.
Although he is listed as the #156 light heavyweight on BoxRec, Police Officer Filippone, a southpaw boxer, has fought professionally for the past two years between 160 and 169 pounds and considers himself a natural super middleweight.
Filippone turned pro on March 14, 2008, with a first round knockout of journeyman Calvin Home in Norfolk, Virginia. The Punching Policeman will next appear in the ring on January 25, 2013, on a fight card at Dover Downs Casino in Dover, Delaware. Now just a power puncher, The Punching Policeman is also a very fine technical boxer and has scored unanimous decision victories over such experienced pro boxers as Travis Toler, Larry Brothers, Taurean Edwards, Willie Williams, Frank Armstrong, Randy Campbell, Harley Kilfian and Reggie La Crete.
According to Filippone, winning the North American Boxing Association United States title, a division of the World Boxing Association, would mean “A great deal. That’s why we move up in boxing, to have the chance to fight for these belts. It will prove to the world and people in boxing circles I’m a legitimate contender.
The North American Boxing Association’s North American Super Middleweight belt (above the NABA United States belt) is also vacant. Would he pursue his dream of winning the higher level NABA North American title belt as well later?
“Yes, absolutely. I would win the NABA USA first. In boxing, like anything else, you have to prove yourself. At this point in my career, I have been noticed by the boxing community at the upper echelons. I have proved a lot in the ring to the people who once doubted me. The NABA USA belt will prove I am a contender, and I can perform as a fighter at a higher level than people thought. The belt is like a prestigious award. In life we want to be recognized for our accomplishments and prove something. That’s what belts are designed to do, for top contenders to square off for that one belt, and I plan on being one of them.
According to Frankie Filippone’s frequent Atlantic City promoter, Diane Lee Fischer, The Punching Policeman has the potential for greatness. “Frankie is a hard person to fight. He’s awkward. He’s a southpaw. Frankie’s got heart. he can take a shot. He’s got real confidence, a great trainer (Kenny Miller), and a great training camp. Frankie is physical when he puts his mind to it. A belt fight for Frankie would be great! Frankie is a hard fighter to fight. When Frankie takes the time to prepare for his fights correctly, he can beat anyone.”
In the profession of boxing, many fighters have more than one career. There are singers, lawyers, accountants, sports doctors, dentists, restaurateurs, pub owners, authors, inventors, car mechanics, actors, race car drivers, college graduates, business people, law enforcement personnel, real estate agents, truck drivers, landlords, farmers, television commentators, security personnel…..the list is endless of the other professions boxers also do both while boxing and after boxing.
According to The Punching Policeman, “To further my career, every opponent I take is a stepping stone moving me closer to my dream of winning a world championship. I make my fights, that’s the key to my success. People have not yet seen the best of ‘The Punching Policeman!’ This is boxing. One punch can change the fight. The win is more important than the knockout. I like a strong technical fight, it’s called the sweet science. I have a game plan. I put on the pressure while throwing my jab out there and keep my opponents busy. My game plan advantage as a southpaw is fighting in my awkward style, while throwing straight left hands. When I get a shot to fight for the vacant NABA USA title, I am going to step up to the plate and show people in the boxing community who I am.”
What an amazing feeling it is to be the protector and defender of your community.
In Bernallillo County, New Mexico, Deputy Sheriff Bob Foster, 74, the former prizefighting World Light Heavyweight Champion, puts the game of boxing from a law enforcement viewpoint into its proper perspective. “I tried to hurt you. I wanted to bust you up. I wanted to break your ribs, your jaw, anything I could do. As long as you’re in front of me you’re dangerous. This is boxing, man, you can’t bullshit your way through this business. If you don’t have the guts, get out!”
Gutsy Frankie ‘Freight Train’ Filippone punches them up in the ring, and handcuffs suspects and criminals outside of the ring. With or without his hand tape, The Punching Policeman has senses which are always on high alert, is armed and dangerous, fearless in his approach, and is relentless in his pursuit, cutting off all routes of escape-until there isn’t one.
The Punching Policeman, for sure, has got the guts and the savvy inside the ring and out to win a world title. The only question is when it will happen, and will ‘The Punching Policeman’ ever be given the chance. The NABA United States Super Middleweight belt is next on Filippone’s agenda. Till then, my advice to the lawbreaking wannabes in Virginia Beach Virginia is clear: Beware of ‘The Punching Policeman.’ Or it’ll be lights out. Defender of the people, defender of the ring. A winner if there ever was one, who already had a title before he stepped into the ring, and of fine character above the rest, no rating required.
COMMENTS
English
excellant article, And is so true about you, I am proud of you son, and I believe in everything you do, you can do it.
congrats to your son Frank…great story on him