Bobby Halpern, wasted potential.
Posted: 14 Mar 2016, 07:16
Back when I was a kid I remember picking up an issue of Sports Illustrated and seeing a story titled "Comeback at 44". It was about Bobby Halpern, a New York Heavyweight who had did 17 years of a 20-Life sentence for Armed Robbery, Assault and Kidnapping and was now trying to rekindle his career.
He had three fights before going away, one of them a loss to Tom Mcneely who would later fight Floyd Patterson for the title ( and fathered Peter McNeely the 1990s Heavyweight).
His Career ended at the age of 45, about 19 months after his Comeback started . He had 8-3 and scored 7 knockouts. He was an Opponent for Trevor Berbick's 2nd pro fight (KO loss in 3), and his last fight was highly touted prospect Guy "The Rock" Casale who Kayoed him in 3.
His retirement had nothing to do with his age or ability. Bobby simply could not stop being a thug. He decided to beat on his (ex) Fiance who than had two men shoot him in a Bronx store, not killing him but causing enough damage to end his career.
This was the story of Halpern's life. He was a career criminal who knew just what stories to tell the Cops, his Parole Officers and the Press. He would admit to being a tough guy and liking to fight but never took accountability for the crimes he did commit.
If he would have had a moral compass he might have been a contender in his youth. He was strong as a Bull, tough and hit like a sledge hammer. He trained like a beast. His flaws as a fighter was he got hit too much and was a bleeder. He probably would have tangle with a lot of to heavies in the early 60s, with mixed results.
Too bad he couldnt stray out of jail
He had three fights before going away, one of them a loss to Tom Mcneely who would later fight Floyd Patterson for the title ( and fathered Peter McNeely the 1990s Heavyweight).
His Career ended at the age of 45, about 19 months after his Comeback started . He had 8-3 and scored 7 knockouts. He was an Opponent for Trevor Berbick's 2nd pro fight (KO loss in 3), and his last fight was highly touted prospect Guy "The Rock" Casale who Kayoed him in 3.
His retirement had nothing to do with his age or ability. Bobby simply could not stop being a thug. He decided to beat on his (ex) Fiance who than had two men shoot him in a Bronx store, not killing him but causing enough damage to end his career.
This was the story of Halpern's life. He was a career criminal who knew just what stories to tell the Cops, his Parole Officers and the Press. He would admit to being a tough guy and liking to fight but never took accountability for the crimes he did commit.
If he would have had a moral compass he might have been a contender in his youth. He was strong as a Bull, tough and hit like a sledge hammer. He trained like a beast. His flaws as a fighter was he got hit too much and was a bleeder. He probably would have tangle with a lot of to heavies in the early 60s, with mixed results.
Too bad he couldnt stray out of jail