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ATLANTIC CITY - Wildwood light-heavyweight Chuck Mussachio always told himself that he would give up boxing as soon as he suffered his first loss.

When it happened last August in Morgantown, W.Va., where the referee raised Tommy Karpency's arm in victory after their 10-round bout, Mussachio was prepared to quit.

His retirement lasted about five minutes.

"I really did think about quitting," Mussachio said with a laugh during an interview at the Ducktown Tavern. "But I couldn't do it. Boxing has been a part of my life for more than half my life. I'm just not ready to give it up yet."

Mussachio (13-1-2, 5 KOs) resumes his career tonight. He faces Bayonne resident Bobby Rooney (11-2-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-round bout at Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort.

Al Mussachio, Chuck's father and trainer, will be in the corner. Chuck's mother, Annette, will be home in Wildwood Crest, wondering why her husband lets her son continue to compete in such a brutal sport.

"She's never seen him fight," Al Mussachio said. "When I told her the other night that Chuck was fighting (tonight), she got mad at me. She's always asking me, 'When are you going to make him stop?' And I always tell her, 'I've asked him a hundred times, but it's his decision.'

"If it ever got to the point where he was taking a beating, I'd be the first one to jump in the ring. But Chuck has never even been close to that. He's still a very good fighter, and as long as he wants to do it, I'll be there for him."

Chuck Mussachio seemingly would be better off without boxing. The 30-year-old owns a master's degree in education. He is in his first year as a guidance counselor at Middle Township High School. He just bought his first house and is engaged to be married next spring.

But hanging up his gloves would mean the end of the special bond that has developed between father and son. Al and Chuck have traveled all over the country together, sharing laughs and even a few tears.

Al Mussachio, a 66-year-old former Philadelphia police officer, has helped Chuck get ready for every one of his 16 pro fights. Most of their time is spent at the Wildwood Boxing Club, but there are sparring sessions at the Atlantic City Police Athletic League and various gyms in Philadelphia.

If Chuck is in a ring, Al is in the corner. He is always there for his son, ready to offer advice, encouragement and even some salty criticisms when warranted.

"Boxing really is a luxury for me at this point," Chuck Mussachio said. "Having a full-time job puts me in the driver's seat. It's fun and a hobby for me now as opposed to a career. I can walk away at any time and not have to worry about my future.

"The main reason I'm still doing it is because it allows me to spend time with my dad. He's always been there for me, and we've gotten extremely close because of boxing. Whenever I do wind up retiring, that's the thing I will miss the most."

Punchlines: Tonight's main event pits Camden light-heavyweight Prince Badi Ajamu (27-3-1, 15 KOs) in a 12-rounder against New York native Daniel Judah (23-4-3, 10 KOs).

Mussachio is one of five local boxers scheduled to be in action. Atlantic City middleweight Joel De La Paz (3-0, 2 KOs), Pleasantville super-middleweight Gabby Pham (1-0, 1 KO), Atlantic City super-middleweight Patrick Perez (25-7, 14 KOs) and Atlantic City super-middleweight Eugene Soto (1-0) are also on the undercard.

Atlantic City bantamweight Qa'id Muhammad (5-0, 5 KOs) is not fighting tonight. Organizers are trying to find an opponent for Atlantic City light-heavyweight Lavarn Harvell (4-0, 1 KO).

The card is the first at Taj Mahal since June 24, 2005, when heavyweight Oleg Maskaev earned a third-round TKO over Livian Castillo.

Tickets range from $40 to $90 with corporate tickets available for $125. They are available at the Taj Mahal box office or through Ticketmaster. The first bout is slated for 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m.

Contact David Weinberg:

609-272-7186

DWeinberg@pressofac.com

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