Death of a Champion, Birth of a Rule: The Tony Marino Story (2016)

On January 30, 1937, former bantamweight champion Tony Marino sustained injuries in a fight with fellow contender Carlos "Indian" Quintana that claimed his life two days later. Shortly after this tragedy, the New York State Athletic Commission created the three-knockdown rule in an attempt to curb ring fatalities. Almost eighty years after Marino's death, the three-knockdown rule is universal in the sport of boxing. This documentary examines Marino's life as a first generation American (of Italian immigrants) growing up in the Pittsburgh area, his career and tragic death, as well as the creation of the three-knockdown rule and its impact on the sport. It contains interviews with Roy McHugh, a former sports editor for The Pittsburgh Press newspaper and an authority on the Pittsburgh boxing scene; Robert G. Rodriguez, author of "The Regulation of Boxing"; and Ethyle Blair, Tony Marino's sister.