Tony Morelli

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Tony Morelli
BornAntonio Giovanni Morelli
(1956-05-16) May 16, 1956
Lytton, British Columbia, Canada
DiedApril 19, 2015(2015-04-19) (aged 58)
Langley, British Columbia, Canada
NationalityCanadian
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
DivisionLight Heavyweight
Cruiserweight
StyleKickboxing
Years active1979–1983

Antonio Giovanni Morelli (May 16, 1956 – April 19, 2015) was a Canadian professional kickboxer, stuntman, and actor.[1]

Biography

Morelli was born in Lytton, British Columbia on May 16, 1956, and raised in Chilliwack and Abbotsford.[2]

Originally trained as a boxer, he won a gold medal in the Light Heavyweight category at the 1979 Western Canada Summer Games in Saskatoon.[2]

Kickboxing

Morelli became the World Kickboxing Association (WKA) Super Light Heavyweight Champion, after defeating Travis Everett on April 19, 1980, in Vancouver, British Columbia.[3]

On March 4, 1982, he defeated debuting Maurice Smith by decision. Fourteen months later, he lost the title to Smith in the seventh round by KO.

Morelli was a member of the WKA World Team, along with Benny Urquidez, Don Wilson, and Graciela Casillas.[4]

Morelli was the subject of a 1980 documentary, The Kickboxers, directed by Gary Bush.[5]

Film career

Morelli's stunt career began in 1983, and took part in various film and television projects, including Walls, Airwolf, Legends of the Fall, The 6th Day, Smallville, X-Men: The Last Stand, 2012, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Cabin in the Woods, Arrow and Godzilla.[6] He was a primary stunt coordinator on the television series Wiseguy and The X-Files.

He played a henchman in the Sammo Hung-starring Hong Kong action comedy Paper Marriage (1988), which was filmed in Calgary.

Death

A longtime resident of Langley, British Columbia, Morelli died suddenly on April 19, 2015, aged 58.[7]

References

  1. "Langley stuntman and former world kickboxing champ remembered". Langley Advance Times. 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  2. "Tony Morelli, 23-year old native of Chilliwack and Abbotsford and a gold medalist from the 1979 Western Canada Summer Games, up close and personal". thereach.pastperfectonline.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  3. "WKA World Kickboxing Super Light Heavyweight Title". TitleHistories.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  4. "WKA History". WKA International. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  5. https://cinemacanada.athabascau.ca/index.php/cinema/article/viewFile/877/948
  6. "Tony Morelli". ProductionBeast. 16 September 2017.
  7. "UBCP/ACTRA Member Tony Morelli died unexpectedly on Sunday April 19, 2015". UBCP/ACTRA. Archived from the original on 15 January 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2021.