Hollywood Filane: Latest News

Dom Filane on the Joe Tilley Great Canadian Sports show Podcast - Boxing

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 13:03:38 +0000

It was a great honour to be a guest on the Joe Tilley's Great Canadian Sports show podcast.
I grew up watching Joe Tilley as a sports anchor, and then had the priviledge of him commentating a few of my fights. Joe was a staple around the boxing gym in Toronto and through time got to become friends with him. Below is the video of the podcast.

Olympic Ceremonies suit from the 1992 Olympic Games in Atlanta

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:35:49 +0000

We always got some pretty special attire on our olympic trips. This was the 1992 Olympic Games in Atlanta attire, and it still fits. Complete with Fanny Pack

First ever Hollywood Filane Boxing Alumni Olympic virtual reunion

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:28:21 +0000

During the quarantine Covid-19 lockdown of 2020, members of the Boxing Alumni held a virtual zoom reunion to reunite and reminisce about the glory days of their boxing careers. April 25th 2020

What a Night!! A spontaneous Zoom meeting with friends turned into a full Night with Boxing Alumni OLYMPIC Legends reminiscing about the Glory Days of Amateur Boxing in Canada.

Egerton Marcus - (1988 Olympic Silver medallist)
Mike Strange - (Olympics 1992 Barcelona / 1996 Atlanta / 2000 Sydney)
Chris Johnson ( 1992 Olympic Bronze medallist)
Domenic Filane ( 1992 Barcelona /1996 Atlanta)
Scotty Olson (1988 Seoul)
Troy Ross ( 1996 Atlanta / 2000 Sydney)
Claude Lambert ( 1996 Atlanta )
Billy Irwin ( 1992 Barcelona )
Scott MacIntosh ( 2000 Sydney Olympics )
Mark Simmons ( 2000 Sydney Olympics)

We will be posting more videos on our youtube channel soon YOUTUBE channel

#boxingroyalty #boxingAlumni #hollywoodfilane

Marvin "the Weasel" Elkind - Hoffa's driver

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 14:26:54 +0000

Through our involvement in Boxing you meet alot of characters. Marvin "the Weasel" Elkind was one of a kind.

Marvin used to be a regular on the gym scenes, as he would come in with his buddy George Chuvalo. Marvin always had a story to tell. Some were believable and some were ones that made you go Hmmmmm. He would tell us about driving Muhamad Ali around when he was in town (Toronto) for this and for that. That was believable, mostly in part to the fact that Marvin always wore a t-shirt with a picture of himself and Ali printed onto the front of it. "You see this bracelet? Ali gave this to me as a birthday present.

I used to drive for Jimmy Hoffa, Marvin would say. That would usually be were I would return to hitting the heavy bags or just get back to my workout, thinking to myself Oh my!!!! But.. Boy was i wrong!!!

It wasn't until the novel "The Weasel: A Double Life in the Mob" by Adrian Humphreys came out that I was proved wrong and that Marvin was telling true stories.

The book launch for the release of Adrian's book was held at Atlas Boxing Gym (my home away from home). I was not able to attend due to the fact I was now back home in Schreiber ( 1000 miles away from all the action of Toronto) My Coach Adrian Teodorescu made sure that he got me a copy of the novel and autographed as well by Adrian Huimphreys and Marvin.

George Chuvalo and Marvin are still good buddies to this day, and it is always great to see them out at some of the boxing events. Marvin was always quick to call me over and say Hey, Kid!! How you been!

Pat Kelly Olympic Boxing Coach - Shamrock Boxing Club Niagara Falls

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 17:48:08 +0000

For years, Pat Kelly turned young fighters into warriors. Into champions. Into gold medal winners. His gym was where lightweight boxers came to take the next step. In the case of Mike Strange, it was the Olympics. In the case of Billy Irwin, it was the Canadian lightweight title. But as fierce as his workouts and training sessions were, Kelly was an easygoing fatherly figure to everyone he met. And he met lots. (from Niagara Falls Review) "This is what a Real gym looks Like" - "How's my lifelong friend?" - "He's in good shape for the shape he's in" (some of Pat's famous one liners) Our Boxing community lost a legend in our sport Pat Kelly. Pat was a national team coach, but is more famous for his gym the Shamrock Boxing Club that produced many Champions but most noteably Olympians Mike Strange and Billy Irwin . On our trips he was a very calming voice for us in and out of the ring. As it turns out, he is not in many of the pictures, because he was usually taking them for us. Thankfully he shared some of it with me. He will always be remembered for his one liners and trademark "fist pump" wave. Pat will always be my "LIFELONG Friend".

Pat passed from COVID-19 April 5, 2020

Steve Buffery from the Toronto Sun's article

David Defiagbon

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:58:16 +0000

Another Olympic Boxing teammate gone too soon. David Defiagbon won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic games in the heavyweight division for Canada. I First met David at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand where he was competing for his home country of Nigeria. He won a Gold medal at those games where he fought our Canadian teammate Greg Johnson in the finals as a welterweight. It was there that he told me his dream was to move to Canada somehow - someday. It was not an easy journey for David but with the Help of Taylor and Wayne Gordon he made his way to Canada, gaining citizenship and a berth on the Olympic ‘96 team. His gentle voice and infectious smile will be missed. Thoughts and prayers go out to David’s family and boxing friends. RIP Champ!

A tribute video we made in memory of David Defiagbon

Excerpt from Steve Buffery Toronto Sum article Nov 28, 2018

Former national team fighter Domenic Filane remembers Defiagbon approaching him at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand.

“He came over and sat down beside me and started talking away as if we had been friends for years. He told me how one day he would defect from Nigeria where his life is tough and move to Canada and compete for us and be my teammate. He was very sincere,” Filane said. “Fast forward to the (1992) Barcelona Olympics, I was standing in line for weigh-ins when all of a sudden some big guy lifts me up off my feet which seemed like six feet in the air and yells ‘Domenic my Canadian friend!’ I turn and get a look at who it is and it’s the crazy Nigerian David. He tells me he is still one day going to be my teammate.

“Fast forward to 1996 Atlanta Olympics and I’m sitting in line for the weigh-ins with David by my side. He says to me with a soft tone and infectious smile. ‘See Domenic, I told you I would be your teammate.’

“I will never forget that guy.”

Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun's Full Story

Domenic Filane and Justin Juuko - Commonwealth Games 1990 Memories - Ugandan Destroyer and Hollywood Filane

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:20:55 +0000

Domenic Filane (Canada) and Justin Juuko (Uganda) were both competing in their first international tournament the 1990 Commonwealth Games held in Auckland, New Zealand , where the two met in the semi finals. Justin captured the gold medal and Filane settled for the bronze.

Both the fighters fought Floyd Mayweather. Check out the Floyd Mayweather story blog

27 years later, the two met up on FACEBOOK through a mutual friend, 1999 Pan American Games Champion Gerald Tucker from the USA. Domenic posted a picture of the two on facebook of Him and Gerald with the gold medal, and Justin Juuko recognized Filane's name, and the stories began flying of the glory days as members of the Boxing Alumni. (See message thread at bottom of page)

Both fighters went on to some pretty exciting careers in Boxing after this matchup.
Domenic Filane Figliomeni went on to be an 11 time Canadian Champion, two time Olympian in Barcelona 92 and Atlanta in 1996. As well as going to 3 commonwealth Games and representing Canada in countless international tournaments through out the World. Domenic went on to start his own business www.hollywoodfilane.com .
Justin "The Destroyer" Juuko moved to Las Vegas and won a number of world titles and fighting some of the legends in boxing such as Floyd Mayweather, Diego Corrales, and Miguel Cotto just to name a few. He was a regular on HBO.
Justin is now a trainer at Freddie Roach's famous Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California.

Video below is rare fight footage and medal ceremony at the Commonwealth Games1990

Video below is Domenic Filane vs Floyd Mayweather

Video below is Justin Jukko vs Floyd Mayweather

More details and pics

CBC's show Still Standing with host Jonny Harris comes to Schreiber and visits Domenic at Hollywood Filane

Sat, 21 Sep 2019 23:23:47 +0000

It was a great experience when the CBC television's show Still Standing starring Jonny Harris came to town to do an epsisode of our hometown of Schreiber, Ontario. The crew of the show were awesome people that made the experience one to remember.

"Still Standing" is a mix of a comedy series and a reality series and features actor and comedian Jonny Harris. Harris travels across Canada to discover the hidden gems in small towns. He takes a heart-warming journey to find humor in the unlikeliest of places. He immerses himself into the town's culture as well as into the lives of its residents. He unearths tall tales during his stay before hosting a stand-up comedy routine to help draw attention to these small towns. (from CBC site)

They spent some time at our Hollywood Filane store location, and we talked to Jonny about some of my boxing Career and travels around the world, as well as showed him how we make some embroidered logo'd hats. My family also spent some time hanging with Jonny and the crew.

Some BEHIND the scenes footage in the video below

The show's crew also spent some time with my brother Mario driving around in the Filane's Canadian Spring Water truck through town on his deliveries. I'm sure the Filane's Falcons hockey team was brought up.

The show also joined my Father Cosimo Filane for our traditional family Sunday breakfast and he even sang a song for Jonny and the Still Standing Crew. - #forgetaboutit

The show will on season 5 Episode 2 - Tuesday September 24th, 2019 on CBC or stream it CBC Gem link to show

Schreiber, Ont.
TUES, SEPT 24 | Jonny has breakfast with former singer Cosimo Filane and his family and gets into some embroidery with boxing star Domenic "Hollywood" Filane.

Comedian Jonny Harris explores small towns on the ropes, performs stand-up for the locals who’ve stuck it out, and proves that Canadians know how to laugh.

Find out all there is to know about Still Standing Season 5 Here

Some of the products seen on the TV show - It was a PISSCUTTER time!

VIEW THE SHOW

Clip talking about the Filane's Falcons Hockey Club

This episode is pisscutter. We’re having a pisscutter time tweeting with all of you! #stillstanding
— Still Standing (@StillStandingTV) September 24, 2019

Watch @hollywoodfilane in that 13 cent video here

Filane Reflecting on Muhammad Ali's Life - Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal Story

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:49:13 +0000

Filane reflects on Ali's life, chance meeting

By Gary Moskalyk, Special to the CJ
Jun 5, 2016

Even when Domenic Filane was a nine-year-old watching Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks duke it out for the heavyweight boxing championship, he found himself in awe.

The spectacle. The action. Most importantly, there was Ali.

The Champ.

“That’s when I really got the bug for boxing,” Filane recalled. “When he lost that fight, I was thinking, ‘That can’t be happening.’”

Like many Ali fans across the world, the last two days have been spent cheering for his improved health to mourning his death late Friday to now reflecting on the life and times of one of most famous people on the planet.

“It’s a sad day in boxing, for sure. The world has lost an iconic ambassador,” Filane said from his home in Schreiber on Saturday. “Seeing the amazing support and genuine affection by everybody touched by him has really been something.”

Filane’s initial love for boxing fueled an impressive amateur career. He went on to become a two-time Canadian Olympic boxer (1992 and 1996) and two-time Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner. His ties to the boxing community still run strong, and he currently trains fighters out of Schreiber. He spent Saturday talking with friends about Ali’s impact.

“It didn’t matter, win lose or draw. He was the champ,” Filane, 47, said of the man formerly known as Cassius Clay. “He revolutionized the sport of boxing. Guys are trying to emulate him now but it’s not happening.”

If you’re connected to Filane via social media or have visited his house or Hollywood Filane’s gym in Schreiber, you have seen shots or pieces of his memorabilia collection. Many of them revolve around Muhammad Ali.

“It’s all over. Even in my house. My wife doesn’t like it too much,” Filane said with a laugh. “There’s Ali pictures, Ali statues, mini figurines that talk to you when you walk by. Whatever there is, I try to collect it.”

But the item Filane calls his “one true treasure,” is a photo he and Ali posed for during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta — a photo snapped by Ali’s longtime trainer and friend Angelo Dundee.

“For my fight in Atlanta, (Ali) sat with my father (Cosimo). They had the same seating area. Later, when Ali was coming through the (Olympic) village cafeteria, we were just in awe that Ali was in the same building as us,” Filane said.

“(Dundee) went over to me and said, “Hey Dom, how’s it going?’ He remembered my name — I was sort of startled. ‘You know the champ? You want to get a picture with him?’ And now all I’m thinking is, ‘Oh my god, this can’t be happening.’ And it actually turned out. I had spent two weeks in Atlanta saying, ‘I’m hoping that (photo) turned out.”

The meeting itself was over in seconds, but it’s still vivid in Filane’s mind. “At that time, he still didn’t really talk too much,” he said. “Just his gestures with his hands and with his eyes. It was like you were having a conversation with him. It wasn’t anything awkward.

“It was amazing to see that,” Filane added. “It’s the one and only time I met him and it’s etched in my mind.”

Earlier in those Games, Filane attended the opening ceremonies when Ali lit the Olympic torch.

“I’m lined up to get the best possible shot. The final torchbearers are coming through,” Filane recalled. “Evander Holyfield was carrying it and I got a great picture. He was an ambassador of our sport. Us boxers were pretty excited for our sport. But then the final (leg of the torch) was to Muhammad and I don’t think there was a dry eye in that stadium.”

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/sports/local_sport...

Sunshine Boy - Many of the Boxing Alumni showed up on the sunshine boy page over the years.

Fri, 29 Mar 2019 18:25:08 +0000

It didn't matter how many Championship belts, trophies or tournaments you won, you knew you made it when you made the @TorontoSun paper in the Sunshine Boys Section.

It was in the early 1990's and I was very new to Toronto and the Atlas Boxing Gym when a girl was in the gym taking pictures of the different Champs that were in our gym. My Coach Adrian introduced me to the girl Silvia who asked if she could take a few pictures of me. I was definately up to it, and said for sure. Being new to Toronto, little did I know that this Silvia was Silvia Pecota from the Toronto Sun. Many of her pictures were taken for the Sunshine Boy section of that newspaper.

A few weeks later, I walked into one of my classes at Seneca College when I noticed I was getting some weird looks from my fellow classmates. Finally one of them pipes up and says Filane, you are a famous super model now!! and shows me my picture in the Sunshine Boy section of the Toronto Sun.

It is actually one of my favorite pictures from the glory days. Thanks Silvia.

Many of the Boxing Alumni have shown up in the Sunshine Boy Section.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was also aSunshine boy - read the Toronto Sun Story

Dwayne "the Rock" JOhnson