Sport: Boxing Inducted: 1989 Country: France (Algeria) Born: February 18, 1932 in Constantine,
Algeria Died: November 12, 2006
Halimi was
World Bantamweight Champion from 1957 to 1959. He took the
title April 1, 1957 in Paris, decisioning reigning
champion Mario D’Agata. Earlier, he held the French
Amateur Bantamweight title from 1953 to 1955 and won the
All-Mediterranean title in 1955.
Turning professional after 189 amateur fights, Halimi
won his first seven pro bouts by knockout, five of them
in the first round.
Fifteen months after losing his World title in July 1959,
Halimi captured the European Bantamweight crown. He
lost that title seven months later but regained it on June
26, 1962 in Tel Aviv against Piero Rollo. The bout marked
the first professional boxing match ever held in the State
of Israel.
Halimi’s professional record: 50 bouts—won
41 (21 KOs), lost 8, drew 1.
