Alphonse Halimi, 74; bantamweight boxing champion in 1950s, ‘60s
Alphonse Halimi, 74, a former world bantamweight boxing champion from France who was nicknamed “The Little Terror,” died of pneumonia Nov. 12 in Paris. He had Alzheimer’s disease.
The Algerian-born Halimi held the world bantamweight championship title from 1957 to July 8, 1959, when he was knocked out by Jose Becerra of Mexico before a crowd of 15,110 at the first event held in the newly opened Sports Arena in Los Angeles.
In London in 1960, Halimi defeated Englishman Freddie Gilroy for the European title, which he lost to Ireland’s Johnny Caldwell a year later. Although he took the title back in 1962 by outpointing Italian Piero Rollo, he lost the title to Rollo the next year and his career ended.
The youngest of 18 children, Halimi reportedly ran away from home at age 10 and learned to fight in the streets.
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