20 Facts About Joe Mesi

Joe Mesi attended Sweet Home High School in Amherst, New York.

Joe Mesi did not start his boxing career until he was about 19 years of age.

Joe Mesi was a New York State Golden Gloves champion, and as an amateur boxer he defeated future two-time Heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.

Joe Mesi made it all the way to the finals in the 1996 Olympic Trials, but lost to eventual US heavyweight representative Lawrence Clay-Bey.

In Buffalo, for a brief period, Joe Mesi was once considered by some to be the city's "third professional franchise", with the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills being the other two.

Joe Mesi is still often seen at Bills and Sabres games and supports many local charities.

In 2002, Joe Mesi started a non-profit to raise awareness about organ donation and transplantation upon finding out his cousin was in need of a kidney transplant, and to help others in the Upstate New York area who needed such surgeries.

In January 2004, Joe Mesi donated $7,500 to the Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester, New York as a way of giving back to the Rochester community and to promote an upcoming fight at the Blue Cross Arena, with kidney transplant recipient Dillon Gonzalez and his family in attendance.

Joe Mesi's promising boxing career was set back greatly when an MRI indicated he had suffered at least one, perhaps two subdural hematomas.

In round 9, Joe Mesi was knocked down from a right hook and in the tenth round he was knocked down two more times.

Joe Mesi launched several ineffective lawsuits against parties they claimed had leaked news of his health, while appealing to Nevada representatives that he should be allowed to box.

In 2006, Joe Mesi was again licensed by boxing commissions in Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Arkansas and Michigan, with a handful of other states to follow suit in 2007.

Over that time, Joe Mesi won all of his handful of fights, though effectively retired from boxing in 2007.

Joe Mesi had one of the longest active undefeated professional boxing records in the world for a heavyweight.

In 2018, Joe Mesi was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame and the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

On February 14,2008, Joe Mesi publicly expressed his interest to run for the New York State Senate.

Joe Mesi attempted to fill the 61st District seat vacated by Mary Lou Rath.

Joe Mesi won the Democratic primary for the seat on September 9,2008.

Joe Mesi's name was circulated as a potential Democratic candidate to replace the retiring Jim Hayes in the New York State Assembly.

Professionally, Joe Mesi is a medical supply salesman with Abbott Medical.