Steve Acunto, called the “dean of boxing,” known for his work with some of the sport’s most famous figures, has died aged 101. “I have never, in my entire life, met a more dedicated man in the field of boxing than Steve,” Rocky Marciano famously said of Acunto.

Acunto was born on Staten Island in 1916 but moved to Mount Vernon at age 14 and lived there for 86 years. A professional boxer himself in his youth, Acunto trained and sparred with some of the sport’s best during its Golden Age, including  Lou Ambers, Tony Canzoneri, Charley Goldman and Tommy Loughran. “I was 15 years old when I first walked into Stillman's Gymnasium in Manhattan,'' he told The Journal News in 1997. “I was fascinated watching fighters, and I have never lost my interest in the game.”