Former Union City Boxing Club Director Joe Botti will be honored by the New Jersey Association of USA Boxing at their annual awards ceremony at the Brownstone in Paterson on March 8th.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Botti is being awarded the Joe Grier Distinguished Award for his “unwavering commitment to the amateur boxing community, your consistent respect for all, and your exemplary conduct have set a powerful standard,” the description says.

“Your coaching excellence and your dedication to creating meaningful opportunities for athletes truly distinguish you.”

The retired Union City police captain has been involved in boxing for over 45 years, working as the head coach of the Strategic Academy Boxing team in Old Bridge since July 2023.

Botti was previously the director of the Union City Boxing Club from 1989 through 2013.

He has been involved in every aspect of New Jersey amateur boxing over the years: As an athlete, trainer, gym owner, promoter, official and writer.

Botti has trained over a thousand boxers, including dozens of Golden Glove and state champions, while his teams have won seven first place team trophies in New Jersey.

He was awarded trainer of the year by the NJ Golden Gloves in 1995 and has been selected as head coach of several NJ National boxing teams.

Additionally, Botti was the first trainer in the NY/NJ metropolitan area to coach and promote a competitive female amateur boxing match in 1994, when female boxing was first instituted by USA Boxing.

He also coached the first female fighter in New Jersey to win the “Outstanding Fighter of the Tournament” award for the NJ Diamond Gloves in 2000.

Botti has written three books on boxing; Joe Jennette: Boxing’s Ironman, Thunder & Lightning: The Fighting Gatti Brothers, and the soon to be released That’s Boxing Pal: The Don Elbaum Biography.

“I want to convey how honored I am to be considered for this prestigious award by NJAUSAB President Atkins, the NJ Amateur Boxing executive board and Henry Hascup, President of the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame,” he said in a statement.

“The highlight of my coaching career, by far, has been working with new students, teaching them the technical skills of boxing while also helping them grow into productive, well-rounded adults. For me, the greatest joy of coaching is seeing a new student walk into the gym with no self-confidence, direction or discipline and watching that athlete mature into a confident, contributing member of society.”

Botti was inducted into the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023, the National Boxing Hall of Fame, and the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame, with both of those recognitions taking place in 2024.