Lou Duva, one of the feistiest, most charismatic, colorful characters in boxing history, died at 94 on Wednesday. Duva, whose unforgettable face helped make him famous, spent parts of nine decades in boxing. The patriarch of a family immersed in boxing, his work as a manager and trainer earned him induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June 1998. His son, Dino Duva, confirmed to BoxingScene.com that Duva died of natural causes at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey, his hometown.

The legendary Duva began making his mark in the sport nearby, in Totowa, New Jersey. That’s where the Duva family’s promotional company, Main Events, put on memorable club shows at the defunct Ice World in the late 1970s and early 1980s.