Jersey Boy

Book excerpt: FINALLY, THE TRUE STORY of the Mafia’s execution of Jersey City legend Frankie DePaula can be told: -Was his world title bout with Bob Foster fixed by the Mob? -Did the Mob kill Pat Amato, his first manager, in order to pave the way for him to sign with their front man Gary Garafola? -How did he come to be involved in a notorious heist of $80,000 worth of electrolytic copper? -Was his dalliance with the step-daughter of a high-ranking mobster the reason for his shooting? -Or did the Mob kill him for giving up information on their involvement in the copper theft? Although Frankie appeared to some to be a true life exemplar of a character from Dead End; a wild and unreconstructed deviant headed for disaster, his life is set against the backdrop of the oftentimes dysfunctional environs of Jersey City, for long the seat of power of an administration dominated for decades by Mayoral potentate Frank Hague and maligned by the corruption of local politicians and the increasing influence of organized crime. PRAISE FOR JERSEY BOY “The author tells it like it was...Anyone who was around boxing in those days or has any knowledge of what the sport was like in the 1960s and early 1970s should read this book. It’s worth every penny.” ---J. Russell Peltz, IBHOF inductee and noted Boxing Historian & Archivist "A brilliant biography...Makinde brings it all to life through meticulous research, painstaking chapter notes and a smooth, lyrical writing style." ---Murray Greig, The Edmonton Sun "It's a cracking read" ---Steve Bunce, BBC Radio London Boxing Hour Show "Makinde writes in elegant yet precise prose" ---eastsideboxing.com "A book worthy of a Hollywood encore" ---maxboxing.com