Joe Santamaria boxed for Chuck Pinzone. Joe Santamaria has boxing in his blood. His uncle, Bill Swallow, and his grandfather, Bill Swallow, Sr., were golden gloves champions. Joe Santamaria was born June 11, 1971 in Maple Heights, Ohio. After graduating form Normandy High School in 1990, Santamaria began training as a amateur boxer under the tutelage of Chuck Pinzone at his Pinzone Boxing Club in Parma. Santamaria entered the Cleveland Golden Gloves Tournament in 1992, and after several successful bouts in the tournament, he lost in the semifinal round by a T.K.O. in the first round. The loss inspired Santamaria to train harder, and he won 10 of his next 11 fights. After Santamaria ended his boxing career, he started training boxers at Pinzone’s Boxing Club. Later, Santamaria became a boxing trainer at Brickhouse Boxing Club in Twinsburg, Ohio.

His first two boxers were Billy Spinellli and Will Johnson. Spinellli TKO’d his opponent in the first round and Johnson won his bout in their first fights. Santamaria left Brickhouse to assist legendary trainer, Gary Horvath with the opening of Old Angle Boxing Club. Santamaria is at the boxing club training fighters along with Horvath, Leo Keglovic and Denny Sweeny on a daily basis. Although Santamaria trains young boxers, his friend, Steve Spinelli, 42, wanted to fight, and Santamaria started training him. Spinelli won his first fight in Youngstown, Ohio on March 16. Santamaria is employed as an electrician following a five year apprenticeship as an electrician with Electrical Union, Local 38. He is employed with O’Donald Electricians in Aurora, Ohio. He and his wife of 19 years,Tina, have together raised Kenny, Ryan, Jenna, and Julie.