Bobby Rooney past away this week and in his honor we would like to rerun an article about him .

Bobby Rooney has been in charge of the Bayonne Police Athletic League’s Boxing Club for almost a decade. Prior to taking over the Bayonne PAL program from his father, professional boxer Bob Rooney, Sr., who ran it for more than 30 years, Bobby Rooney was a professional fighter. He went pro in 2003, winning the WBF Continental Light Heavyweight Title in 2009, and finishing with a win-loss record of 12-3; 7 of his 12 victories were knock-outs, 4 of the victories against previously-undefeated boxers.

Rooney’s work with the Bayonne PAL often has him rubbing elbows with top talent, and not been by coincidence. His father was a sparring partner with Chuck Wepner – the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky – who often offers assistance to the Bayonne PAL. Robert Terry is a recent success story of the program, competing at the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City last  month.

Tyrell Wright, currently with a professional record of 8-0, is another multiple Golden Glove title winner with ties to the Bayonne PAL.

 RVO: How did you get involved with the Bayonne Police Athletic League?

BR: I started boxing at the Bayonne PAL when I was 10 years-old under the guidance of my father, Bob Rooney Sr., who ran the boxing program for 30+ years before he retired. I took over in 2008. In 1987 I won the State Junior Olympic title at 118 lbs…I finished with an amateur record of 21-5.

RVO: What do you enjoy most about working the Bayonne PAL?

BR: Some of these kids come into the gym very shy and quiet. Watching them build confidence is rewarding to me on a personal level. Other kids get involved because they’ve been getting into fights in the street and a parent brings them in to give them something to keep them busy. Watching a kid that may have been described a troublemaker or wise-ass become more behaved and a gentleman gives me pride.

I’d lie if I said winning isn’t a huge part of it.  Taking a kid from a shy or troubled 12-year old and making him a Golden Glove champ within a few years is what it’s all about. Myself and my partner John “Broz” Snyder take a lot of pride in knowing that these kids have a place to be where they’re safe and can feel part of something. There’s no cursing, no pants-sagging and no being disrespectful to others at any time in our gym.

I can remember when my father trained us in the 1980’s, walking down the street seeing two kids fist-fighting in the street. My father would grab both kids, bring them right to the gym, throw gloves on them and put them in the ring. “Let’s see who the real tough guy is,” he’d say. Believe it or not, some of those kids stuck around and became champions. My father definitely left big shoes to fill for me as a coach.

RVO: How long have you been residing in Bayonne?

BR: I was born in Bayonne and moved to Holmdel in 1999. I work in Toms River until 5 pm every day and then drive to Bayonne where we begin training at 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday. I do this as a volunteer. I pay for all the equipment, membership fees and team travel out of my pocket.

RVO: How did you first encounter Robert Terry?

BR: Robert Terry is the classic case of a â€œshy kid turned success story”. His mother brought him to me, to keep him off the streets back in 2008, when he was 14 years old. He was the quietest kid in the gym by far. Only spoke when spoken to, and usually one-word answers. In 2009 he had his first fight, a first round knockout. Soon thereafter his second fight, another first round knockout. Since then he’s won 3 Golden Glove titles and 2 Diamond Glove titles. In 2010 John and I took Robert along with other top fighters from New Jersey to compete in Northern Ireland.

BR: But more important than the success inside the ring is what he’s become outside. He is now a confident 22-year old gentleman. Robert comes from a rough neighborhood in Jersey City where it’s very easy to find trouble if it doesn’t find you first. Robert’s mother Samara and I speak often about his progress and she is his rock. Samara and Robert’s stepfather Kevin do a great job keeping him focused on work and his life outside boxing, and I feel like I’ve always had their support.

RVO: To become a great boxer, what do you think are the most important traits in a person?

BR: The obvious ingredients to (being) a good boxer would be agility, speed, power, conditioning and the ability to take a punch, but mental traits are important. Desire, mental toughness, and fortitude are just as important. Can you fight through pain? Can you get up when you’re down? Combat sports demand more from an athlete than any other sport. Other sports can be demanding as well, but try playing football, basketball or hockey when you’re exhausted and someone is punching you in your stomach or your face. It’s a different kind of toughness.

For more information on Bobby Rooney and Bayonne PAL Boxing,

call 732-616-9162 or visit the club on Facebook.

The post LORD OF THE RING-Bayonne native Bobby Rooney reflects on 30+Years in Boxing   first appeared on River View Observer.

The Real “Rocky”

  Bayonne Boxing Champ Chuck Wepner – the real Rocky Balboa – Star of ESPN Documentary

 By Sally Deering

At 72, Chuck Wepner of Bayonne stands 6â€5”, weighs 250 lbs, has biceps like ropes of steel, and looks like he can still go a few rounds in the ring – even though itâ€s been 36 years since his match with Muhammad Ali for the World Heavyweight title.

In 1975, Wepner boxed 15 rounds with Ali and lost with a broken nose, cuts over his eyes and a bruised ego. But what the Bayonne boxer didnâ€t know was that an unknown named Sylvester Stallone was watching the fight on his TV set and three days later would write “Rocky” based on underdog Wepner. The film became a major hit in 1976 winning three Academy Awards and earning Stallone fame and fortune. Yo! Letâ€s not forget the sequels, too.

On Tues, Oct 25 at 8 p.m., “The Real Rocky” a documentary about Wepnerâ€s life as a championship boxer and the story behind his bout with Ali airs on ESPN. (It also airs Wed, Oct 26 at 11 p.m. and Sat, Nov. 26 at 7:30 a.m. on ESPN2.)  And a film based on Wepnerâ€s amazing story is in pre-production and will star Liev Schreiber as Wepner.

The one-hour documentary is directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, an award-winning director whose feature film “The Devil and Daniel Johnston” won top documentary directing honors at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.  On ESPN.go.com, Feuerzeig, who grew up in New Jersey, explained his inspiration for making the Wepner documentary.

“ I’ve been a Chuck Wepner fan ever since 1975, when I was 10 years old and my father took my brother and me to Sports Night at the Raritan High School gymnasium in Hazlet to see Chuck, aka ‘The Bayonne Bleeder,†just months before he was set to go up against Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title,” Feuerzeig told ESPN. “There were no figures who loomed larger in this 10 year-oldâ€s imagination than Evel Knievel, Andre the Giant and, especially, Muhammad Ali – “The Greatest” – and here was a 6-foot-5 behemoth (Wepner) in a full-length fur coat…and ridiculous amount of jewelry leading us in a chant of ‘Who’s gonna beat Ali? WEPNER!†And in that instant, Chuck Wepner became a real-life mythological figure — as real to me as the Jersey Devil that haunted the local Pine Barrens.”

These days, Wepner, the former New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion who was christened “The Bayonne Bleeder” for the hits  he took in the ring boxing Sonny Liston,and his (third) wife of 18 years, Linda are riding high from the renewed interest in Wepnerâ€s career.  They ride around in the family “Caddy” with the vanity license plates “Champ” and make guest appearances in Bayonne and other cities to promote the documentary and upcoming film. Just recently, Wepner was in Philadelphia where he raced up the courthouse steps against Stallone, a publicity stunt for the documentary and a chance to meet up with his good buddy Stallone.

On a recent afternoon, Wepner took time out from his busy schedule to talk with the Riverview Observer in his beautiful Bayonne home about the renewed interest in his boxing career, his match with Ali and the upcoming documentary and film about his life in and out of the ring.

RO:  Can you talk about your early family life?

CW:  My father was a cop and became a professional fighter. He was a training partner for Jack Dempsey and James Braddock. I was born in New York City and when my parents separated my mother brought me and my brother to Bayonne to live. But even though I never saw my father until I was 25, when I was growing up my mother never said a bad word about him.  When we came to Jersey, my mother had her hat in her hand. We had no real place to live and a friend offered us a coal shed, which my mother converted into a room for us to live. She was a good mother who thought everyone was good.  Kids today think they have a tough life – theyâ€re full of it.

RO:  Did you make amends with your dad?

CW: I was 25, just turned pro and fighting for the National Championship Golden Gloves against John L. Sullivan in Madison Square Garden. My father came up to me and said, “Do you know me, son?” I said “yes.” He said to me, “Iâ€m cheering for you.” I beat Sullivan that night. My father and I made friends.

 RO:  What can you tell us about your famous bout with Ali?

CW: In Jersey City, the fight was broadcast on Closed Circuit TV at the Stanley Theater in Journal Square. I was the 40-1 underdog.  I was with Ali the night before the fight at the Cleveland Coliseum, a beautiful venue for the fight. We had dinner. The next time I saw him was in the ring.

RO:  Was it a knockout?

CW:  No. They stopped the fight with only 19 seconds left in the round. Tony Perez was the ref. Each round was three minutes. It was the 15^th round and from the 14^th round on, my legs were shaking. I was exhausted. I had been in the ring with Ali for an hour. In the 15^th round, when Ali hit me, I fell, but I was getting back up. Thatâ€s when Tony saw that my eyes were glazed and he stopped the fight with only 19 seconds left. Later, he told me, ‘If I had known there was only 19 seconds left, I would have continued the fight.” I was more shocked than anybody. I only got seven stitches. I got more cuts here (in Bayonne) on a Friday night. I was undefeated in bars, menâ€s rooms. Years ago, Bayonne was a rough town. It was a great town. It still is.

RO:  Were you scared to get in the ring with Ali?

CW: I was never scared. I was nervous about not doing well. Even if I didnâ€t win this fight, I wanted to prove I belong there. I owe Ali for so much; I became famous from the ‘Rocky†series.

 RO:  Did you see Ali after the fight?

CW:  We were friends. I made appearances with him and I made friends with his daughters. Heâ€s a great guy.

RO:  What was it like the first time you saw “Rocky”?

CW:  I went to a theater in New York City for the premier. I remember thinking I hope this movie is good. As the movie started going, Iâ€m thinking this is a good movie. I never realized ‘Rocky†would be the biggest grossing movie. Stallone made 23 billion on all the ‘Rockysâ€.

 RO:  Did you train by hitting sides of beef in a meat locker?

CW:  No. Stallone added the sides of beef. It was a good idea.

RO:  How do you stay in shape? Still boxing?

CW:  I donâ€t box anymore. I donâ€t need it anymore. I earned a Black Belt in Ju Jitsu, but dropped that. I lift weights, keep myself decent looking so when people say ‘Heâ€s the former champ†they donâ€t see me looking old and decrepit.

 RO:  Can you talk about the upcoming movie about your life?

CW:  Itâ€s been in pre-production for eight years. First it was John C. Reilly who was gonna play me, then Vince Vaughn, and now Liev Schreiber. Heâ€s right for it. Heâ€s 6â€2”, weighs 220 and heâ€s a good actor.

 RO:  Youâ€re good friends with Sly Stallone?

CW:  I love Stallone. When I was getting ready for the race up the Philadelphia Courthouse steps, he sent me an email: ‘Iâ€ll be waiting on the steps for you.†He was good to me. I think heâ€s a terrific guy.

 “The Real Rocky” based on the life and boxing career of Chuck Wepner airs Tues, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. on ESPN

For more info, go to www.espn.go.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Boxing Legend Chuck Wepner “The Real Rocky” interview with Sally Deering of the River View Observer first appeared on River View Observer.