JERSEY SHORE – Joe Botti of Howell will be recognized by the New Jersey Association of USA Boxing during its annual awards ceremony March 8 at The Brownstone in Paterson.
Botti is slated to receive the Joe Grier Distinguished Award, an honor presented for dedication and service to amateur boxing. The organization cited his longstanding commitment to the sport, consistent professionalism and efforts to create opportunities for athletes.
Botti has spent more than 45 years involved in boxing and has served as head coach of the Strategic Academy team in Old Bridge since July 2023. A retired Union City police captain, he has worked in numerous roles across New Jersey’s amateur boxing community, including competitor, trainer, gym owner, promoter, official and writer.
Over the course of his career, Botti has trained more than 1,000 boxers, producing dozens of Golden Gloves and state champions. His teams have captured seven first-place team trophies in New Jersey competition. In 1995, he was named trainer of the year by the New Jersey Golden Gloves and has led several New Jersey national boxing teams as head coach.
In 1994, when USA Boxing formally introduced women’s amateur competition, Botti became the first trainer in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area to coach and promote a sanctioned female amateur bout. He later coached the first female boxer from New Jersey to earn the Outstanding Fighter of the Tournament award at the New Jersey Diamond Gloves in 2000.
Beyond the amateur ranks, Botti has guided more than a dozen fighters into professional careers as both a trainer and manager. He has participated in multiple world championship training camps, and his fighters have competed internationally and appeared on major television networks.
Botti is also the author of three boxing books: “Joe Jennette: Boxing’s Ironman,” “Thunder & Lightning: The Fighting Gatti Brothers,” and the forthcoming “That’s Boxing Pal: The Don Elbaum Biography.”
He learned of the award from New Jersey Association of USA Boxing President Jacklyn M. Atkins.
“I want to convey how honored I am to be considered for this prestigious award by President Atkins, the NJ Amateur Boxing executive board and Henry Hascup, President of the NJ Boxing Hall of Fame,” Botti said. “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 has previously been inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023, the National Boxing Hall of Fame in 2024 and the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame in 2024.
