Bobby Halpern

Biography

Bobby Halpern's life and boxing career has been compared to World Heavyweight Champion's Sonny Liston. Both men were former convicted criminals who became professional boxers, and whose birthdates were a mystery.

Depending on your source, Robert "Bobby" Halpern was born on April 25, 1933 or May 31, 1931 or March 31, 1933. Boxrec lists Halpern's birthdate as April 25, 1933. Halpern grew up in the Bronx, New York. He was half Jewish and half Irish (His mother was Irish and his father was Jewish).

During his professional boxing career, Halpern wore a Star of David on his boxing trunks. It's unknown if he followed the Jewish faith.

Halpern grew up on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. In the 1930s and 1940s this was an Italian neighborhood. Halpern joined a street gang and was involved in street fights and gang brawls. After being in and out of trouble, Halpern discovered a local gym and started to train to become an amateur boxer.

After racking up an impressive winning streak, the 15-year-old Halpern entered and won the 1948 New Jersey Diamond Gloves. Over the next five years, he compiled a record of 200 wins and 10 defeats.

Halpern's boxing career was sidetracked by his criminal activities. At 20, he was convicted of armed robbery and served a 4-year prison term at Elmira Prison.

After reading the autobiography of Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson Victory Over Myself, while in prison, Halpern decided on becoming a professional boxer.

After his release from prison, Halpern became a professional fighter in 1958, and won two fights to earn a match with undefeated heavyweight prospect "Irish" Tom McNeeley on December 19, 1958 in New York. Halpern lost the fight by decision. McNeeley would later fight Floyd Patterson for the World's Heavyweight Championship.

However, Halpern became involved with a kidnapping and an armed robbery. He was convicted and sentenced to 20 years to life. His prospect of ever becoming world heavyweight boxing champion ended. It appeared that he would spend the rest of his life in prison. Halpern however kept the dream of a professional boxing career in his head. He trained in prison, jumped rope, ran, and used the prison gym. He served in three of the most infamous New York prisons, Sing Sing, Attica, and Dannemora. He was involved in numerous prison fights, and his face and body bore the scars of 17 years behind bars.

Halpern was released from prison in 1975 at age 42. He hadn't fought in 17 years, yet he was determined to fight again.

He earned the nickname, "The Hebrew Hammer" in his first comeback fight on November 10, 1976, after he knocked out 260 pound Terry Lee Kidd with one punch. However, 14 days later, Halpern was knocked out in two rounds by future World Heavyweight Champion Trevor Berbick. Berbick would be the last fighter to defeat Muhammad Ali.

At 5 feet 10 inches and 185 pounds, Halpern was small for a heavyweight. Yet, he was surprising fast for a man in his 40s, and used a crouching style of fighting. He also had one punch knockout ability.

Halpern racked 7 seven consecutive victories, 6 by knockout. His knockouts over Freddy McKay (KO 3) and "Diego" Joe Roberson (KO 7) were featured in Sports Illustrated. His comeback caught the attention of the media and Halpern became a national sensation. He appeared on television, in magazines, and on the radio. The Ring Magazinewrote about his amazing comeback at age 43.

Outside of the ring, Halpern displayed a bad temper. He was accused of Domestict Violence by Antonia Maria Melendez, his fiance and girlfriend. She accused him knocking out 6 of her teeth and breaking her leg. The case against Halpern was dismissed on May 1, 1978, when Melendez failed to show up to court.

Madison Square Garden billed Halpern in their main-event on May 15, 1978 in New York City. The eyes of the nation were on this match, and there was talk that if Halpern won, he would fight World Heavyweight Champion Leon Spinks for the title. Halpern was favored against Guy "The Rock" Casale, but suffered a one punch knockout defeat in the third round; crushing his hopes for a heavyweight title fight.

Taking the loss in stride, Halpern fought two exhibitions and was scheduled for a 10 round fight against Dave Dittmore in June. However, while shopping for clothes at a Bronx store, two armed men approached Halpern and shot him with shotguns. A badly injured Halpern was hospitalized with a severe wound to his hand. The hand injury would end Halpern's career.

A few months later, Halpern's ex-fiance, Antonia Maria Melendez was arrested and charged with hiring two hit-men to murder Halpern.

With his ring career over, Halpern's life was a series of ups and downs. He advertised auto parts in New York and worked as a cornerman. He was arrested on a number of occasions for such charges as conspiring to murder, and weapons charges.

He was rumored to have died in 2002, but appeared in public at a Youth Boxing Program in the summer of 2003 in his old Bronx neighborhood.

Halpern's last public appearance was in May 2008. A boxing reunion at Ring 8 in New York City reunited Halpern with his former ring rival Guy "The Rock" Casale. At 75, Halpern appeared to be in good health and clear minded. A short documentary on his life "Street Animal" by Doug Harden can be viewed on YouTube. The feature screenplay, "The Third Round", written by Ben Fiore and Bobby's ring rival, Guy 'The Rock' Casale, features segments of Bobby's life and career and centers upon their big fight at Madison Square Garden in 1978. (See: www.facebook.com/thethirdround.)

Bobby Halpern out-lived his siblings and died on February 8, 2015.

Sources