Remembering Leslie "Chief" Bonano

The boxing world lost a good man, and a long-time Louisiana boxing icon, with the passing of Les Bonano this past weekend.

Bonano, a long-time New Orleans police officer, first got into boxing in the early 1970s when, then an investigator in the Orleans Parish sheriff’s department, he was asked to start up an inmate boxing program in the prison.

After having success with the inmate program, which produced a few world-rated fighters, Bonano then expanded to it include some of the city’s top amateurs. Bonano was off and running in a decades-long career of managing, promoting, and training pro boxers. With the pros, Bonano worked with every level of fighter from local 4-round opponents to world-ranked contenders, and everything in between.  

As a promoter, Bonano put on hundreds of shows in Louisiana and Mississippi, all around the south. Bonano would often link up as the regional promoter for bigger television shows working with the likes of Las Vegas’ Bob Arum or New York’s Lou DiBella. Simply put, Bonano was boxing in New Orleans. 

Chief was everything great about boxing, working in a time when club-level boxing was thriving in various markets. Local promoters like Bonano could take fighters and develop them into regional and national attractions. Bonano was a funny guy who had time for everyone and was as nice a man as you could hope to meet.

Les was always quick with a laugh, a smile, and a great story. Bonano was great for the sport, providing a place for a lot of fighters to work over the years, and supporting and respecting fighters in every level of the game. A good boxing man. Les was 79. 

Rest in Peace, Chief.