Johnny Lira the self-proclaimed ‘World Class Pug”, who became the United States Lightweight boxing champion in Hawaii in 1978 then fought for the world lightweight championship title televised on ABC Wide World of Sports later in the 1970’s. He left behind a legacy in Chicago and beyond the boxing community in December 2012. His amateur career began in Chicago, Illinois boxing with the Chicago Youth Organization (CYO) gym training under Harry Wilson and Chuck Bodock. As an amateur fighter Lira competed and won his weight class in the Chicago Golden Gloves tournament in 1974 and 1975. He turned professional later and continued his boxing career out of Las Vegas, Nevada training under the renowned Johnny Tacco. In the late 1970’s. Lira was head trainer for the Union League Boys Club boxing team. In addition Lira trained with Martial Arts under Grand-Master Fred Degerberg, Lira earned his black belt. From the 1970’s through the 1980’s Johnny maintained and juggled his multiple talents in boxing while still managing his own boxing career as self-trainer and manager. He has trained and managed numerous boxers along the way also a licensed judge, license referee, corner man for both amateur and professional boxers such as of James ‘Quick’ Tillis and female boxer World lightweight champion Rita Figueroa.  In 1998 John Lira founded S.P.A.R.T.A organization, for creating solutions for athletes. He took on the role of boxing promoter on two national televised boxing events, and a few small venues around Chicago, Miami, Russia, Ecuador. After his professional boxing career, John Lira worked for the Chicago Park District’s boxing program under the renowned respected Ed Kelly. John’s involvement with Chicago politics began in the 1980’s through 2000 supporting local politicians with their campaigns. He later joined forces with fellow retired boxers, nationwide to lobby for both a pension and union for retired professional boxers nationally. He also took a crack at several acting roles, such as “Gladiators”, staring Cuba Gooding Jr., and documentaries made for the history channel “Who Shot Martin Luther King Jr. and “The Donnie Brasco Story”. For those acting projects, Johnny recruited, local boxers to appear as extras in the movie as well as the history channel documentaries. Lira has been mentioned, referenced and included in a number of books nationally having to do with sports and other topics. Former Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter turned TV show producer, movie producer and author John Schulian dedicated his recent book to Johnny Lira. John is also, the author of 2 unpublished books.  Through the course of his life with boxing, he has been credited to training athletes of football, wrestling, running and champion martial artist. All on training the athletes on how to condition the body and mind for their sport performance. To those athletes Lira was a coach, teaching them the science of good nutrition and conditioning their body to be strong and their mind sharp.  As a retired professional champion boxer, Johnny Lira never forgot his humble beginnings living in Chicago's rough neighborhoods and his run in with the law. His story was often utilized by youth programs in Illinois and abroad as a positive example to troubled youth. Lira never hid from his troubled pass as it led him to meet the honorable Judge Marvin E. Aspen. Who gave Lira the option to stay with boxing to win or face prison. Lira didn’t disappoint judge Aspen. Later in the early 2000’s John went on volunteering with the Cook County Juvenile Corrections domestic program with youth offenders. The Cook County youth judges praised Johnny’s participation and impact to the youth.  Throughout the years he has been a role model to youth everywhere, a brother to many athletes, an advocate always ready to fight for the under-dog. He was known for being the man beyond just boxing. In his words ‘I am a human of the human race’.  His final contribution to sports world-wide was that of donating his brain and eyes to the research of CTE with the largest brain bank of the study on CTE at Boston University medical school. In December 2012, Johnny Lira left behind a legacy in the boxing community, Chicago community and people everywhere of all walks of life. The organization he started in the 1990’s went on serving till 4 years after his death. Reaching the population and the goals that Lira always focused on helping Youth, Boxers & Athletes.  Please join me in calling on the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in inducting Johnny Lira ‘World Class Pug’, and ‘Character Extraordinaire’ into their Hall of Fame. By signing the petition and letting the NISHF, know that JOHN LIRA is overdue to be inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.