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"I swore I'd never take another drink and I haven't."
The stories read, "Perennial contender Bobby Cassidy reached the end of an 11-year career last
night, as Jorge Ahumada's left hook put his lights out in the third round."
Fighting in the semi-final to Ali-Frazier II on January 28, 1974, it had been a day Cassidy could
never forget. Earlier that day, the divorce ending his 10-year marriage became final. But that wasn't
all that was wrong. Bobby should have never climbed through the ropes against Jorge Ahumada. He
should have known what would happen. He was so upset that night, he even forgot his robe.
"If 18 million people watched the fight," said Cassidy, "that's how many times it seems I ehard about
it. I made a fool out of myself. My ego was hurt, and I just wanted to bow out."
He began to hit the bottle-hard. Alcohol, which had killed his mother two years earlier, was starting
to kill him. Never did he dream the little bar he bought as an investment in 1969 would prove to be
his undoing.
He would have parties after all of his fights. Everyone would want to buy a drink. "Come on, have a
little one on me," they would say. He started to drink more than a "social" amount.
Bobby had been through a lot since turning pro in 19863. He had come close to a title shot on
several occasions, but some other fighter always got the chance. It was that way on his climb
through the welterweight, junior middleweight, and light heavyweight division.
After the loss to Ahumada, bobby sat in bars and drank. And drank and drank. He cried himself as
he thought back on his career. When you look at the record, you see "WON" or "LOST." That's it.
There was no asterisk or explanation next to the losses that need explaining.
It hurt inside when Cassidy though of 1971, an extremely painful year for him. tHere was the fight
against his one-time idol, former welterweight champion Luis Rodriguez. A straight left put Luis on
the floor in the first round, stunning the pro-Rodriguez crowd.
"The fight quickly turned into a war," Cassidy said. "Midway through the fight, all the fans started to
root for me. He had one good round, the sixth, but I came right back the next round. After the final
bell, I was certain I had won. Everybody was certain I had won! Then came the announcement. The
first guy voted for me. The next two guys gave it to Rodriguez. Fans started to throw things into the
ring. It was a much worse decision than many people thought the Ali-Young decision to be."
Later in 1971, Bobby was stopped on cuts against Rodrigo Valdes. But there was more to it than a
cut eye.
"I turned yellow three days after the fight," said Cassidy. "It was found out I had hepatitis. I actually
fought with hepatitis! Valdes even came down with a mild case of hepatitis after the fight. I feel I
would have knocked him out had I been healthy. I had him going once, but just didn't have the
strength to put him away."
Back in those days, the more Bobby thought about his career, the more he drank. The more he
drank, the worse things got.
He thought about his first year as a pro, udner the guidance of John O'Rourke. When the two split
up, Bobby took on Freddie Menna, Rocky Graziano, and Fred Corrado to manage him. They were
with him when bobby traveled to Philadelphia in 1967 to fight undefeated Gypsy Joe Harris. bobby
hoped by beating harris, the middleweight division would notice him.
In what was a close fight ofr the first eight rounds, Bobby floored Gypsy in the ninth, and easily won
the 10th. Still, Harris was awarded the fight.
"That was really depressing," said Bobby. "I know I won that bout. All the writers had me winning. so
did the Associated Press and UPI."
Two fights later Bobby fought Sandro Mazzinghi in Italy. While he laughs about that fight now, it was
anything but funny then.
"It was the between fthe first and second rounds over in Rome," said bobby. "I got off my stool just
before the bell starting the second round. All of a sudden, as I looked up, there was Mazzinghi
standing over me. He hit me a good shot and I went down. The referee started counting in Italian
and I didn't understand him. I got right up but he stopped the fight anyway. I started laughing,
thinking he was joking around. I couldn't believe it. many American sportswriters were there. When
they asked the referee why he stopped the fight, he just said,'No speaka English.'"
Cassidy got disgusted and packed it in temporarily. When he came back 13 months later, he had to
watch in disgust as a hometown hero, Al Benoit, was awarded the decision in a fight bobby thought
he'd easily won.
Still, Bobby didn't give up hope. He was back in action the following month with Al Braverman as his
manager. After two knockout victories, he foudn himself facing the middleweight king of Brazil,
Santiago Fernandez.
"He was a good puncher," said Cassidy, "and the Garden watned to build him up. They figured he'd
walk right through me." They figured wrong. Bobby handled him with little trouble before stopping
him in the 10th round.
That was in late 1969. By that time drinking had already become a big part of him. In 1970, he
dropped a decision to Luis Vinales. Bobby climbed through the ropes with a hangover. It's a wonder
Vinales didn't knock him out early.
Three months later, after losing to Luis Rodriguez. bobby split with Braverman. One year later, he
took on Paddy Flood as his manager. The two are still together.
"I only regret I didn't have Paddy with me from the day I started boxing," said Bobby, "he's been
great. The best there is!"
But even Paddy couldn't stop Cassidy's assorted bad habits. A few months before the Ahumada
fight, Bobby was arrested for taking bets in his bar. The papers made a big thing of it. He wasn't
allowed to have anything to do with the bar. He went bankrupt with it.
The New York State Athletic Commission played an off again, on again game with his license
because of the arrest. First it took it away, then gave it back. His head wasn't on straight the night
he faced Ahumada. He didn't belong in the saem ring. He didn't belong in any ring, for that matter.
Bobby spent nearly every night after that bout in bars. The turning point in his life came on April 26,
1974. Stone drunk in a Long Island bar, Cassidy punched out the 6-6, 360 pound bouncer, then did
the saem to the bouncer's buddy.
"I had to get out of there," said Cassidy. "I felt like Papillion as I ran through backayrds and over
fences, ripping my clothes and getting all cut up. when I awoke, it was daylight, and I was seven
miles from home. It was then I swore on my two sons, Robby and Chris, I'd never take another
drink...and I haven't."
Since then, Bobby has won nine fights in a row. He trains like a Spartan soldier, involves himself as
much as he can with his sons and his girlfriend Valerie, and takes acting lessons.
"I'm working with two top professions, Burt Young and Warren Robertson," he says proudly. "Burt
has been in Cinderelly LIberty, Chinatown, Killer's Elite, and many other pictures. Warren has
trained such actresses as Madeline Kahn and Dian Keaton. I've learned that sensitivity is importan
in acting. With my background, I've got enough sensitivity to win an Academy Award!"
Bobby Cassidy looks back on his life and his boxing career with no regrets and with no bitterness.
He enjoys life now more than most people.
"I'm getting my chance at the title, and I'm going in with a clear mind. Outside of Foster, I'm probably
the hardest puncher in the division. One good shot I can beat either Galindez or Conteh. It doesn't
who I fight."
It doesn't even matter if Bobby can or cannot win the title. Winning a championship fight will only
come in a distant second to the battle he won in April 1974.
Webmaster's note:
Cassidy would never get a title shot. He would be stopped in his next fight by Ramon Ronquello but
would avenge the defeat six months later.
He would go on undefeated for the next three years but unable to secure a title shot, he would retire
in 1980.
The stories read, "Perennial contender Bobby Cassidy reached the end of an 11-year career last
night, as Jorge Ahumada's left hook put his lights out in the third round."
Fighting in the semi-final to Ali-Frazier II on January 28, 1974, it had been a day Cassidy could
never forget. Earlier that day, the divorce ending his 10-year marriage became final. But that wasn't
all that was wrong. Bobby should have never climbed through the ropes against Jorge Ahumada. He
should have known what would happen. He was so upset that night, he even forgot his robe.
"If 18 million people watched the fight," said Cassidy, "that's how many times it seems I ehard about
it. I made a fool out of myself. My ego was hurt, and I just wanted to bow out."
He began to hit the bottle-hard. Alcohol, which had killed his mother two years earlier, was starting
to kill him. Never did he dream the little bar he bought as an investment in 1969 would prove to be
his undoing.
He would have parties after all of his fights. Everyone would want to buy a drink. "Come on, have a
little one on me," they would say. He started to drink more than a "social" amount.
Bobby had been through a lot since turning pro in 19863. He had come close to a title shot on
several occasions, but some other fighter always got the chance. It was that way on his climb
through the welterweight, junior middleweight, and light heavyweight division.
After the loss to Ahumada, bobby sat in bars and drank. And drank and drank. He cried himself as
he thought back on his career. When you look at the record, you see "WON" or "LOST." That's it.
There was no asterisk or explanation next to the losses that need explaining.
It hurt inside when Cassidy though of 1971, an extremely painful year for him. tHere was the fight
against his one-time idol, former welterweight champion Luis Rodriguez. A straight left put Luis on
the floor in the first round, stunning the pro-Rodriguez crowd.
"The fight quickly turned into a war," Cassidy said. "Midway through the fight, all the fans started to
root for me. He had one good round, the sixth, but I came right back the next round. After the final
bell, I was certain I had won. Everybody was certain I had won! Then came the announcement. The
first guy voted for me. The next two guys gave it to Rodriguez. Fans started to throw things into the
ring. It was a much worse decision than many people thought the Ali-Young decision to be."
Later in 1971, Bobby was stopped on cuts against Rodrigo Valdes. But there was more to it than a
cut eye.
"I turned yellow three days after the fight," said Cassidy. "It was found out I had hepatitis. I actually
fought with hepatitis! Valdes even came down with a mild case of hepatitis after the fight. I feel I
would have knocked him out had I been healthy. I had him going once, but just didn't have the
strength to put him away."
Back in those days, the more Bobby thought about his career, the more he drank. The more he
drank, the worse things got.
He thought about his first year as a pro, udner the guidance of John O'Rourke. When the two split
up, Bobby took on Freddie Menna, Rocky Graziano, and Fred Corrado to manage him. They were
with him when bobby traveled to Philadelphia in 1967 to fight undefeated Gypsy Joe Harris. bobby
hoped by beating harris, the middleweight division would notice him.
In what was a close fight ofr the first eight rounds, Bobby floored Gypsy in the ninth, and easily won
the 10th. Still, Harris was awarded the fight.
"That was really depressing," said Bobby. "I know I won that bout. All the writers had me winning. so
did the Associated Press and UPI."
Two fights later Bobby fought Sandro Mazzinghi in Italy. While he laughs about that fight now, it was
anything but funny then.
"It was the between fthe first and second rounds over in Rome," said bobby. "I got off my stool just
before the bell starting the second round. All of a sudden, as I looked up, there was Mazzinghi
standing over me. He hit me a good shot and I went down. The referee started counting in Italian
and I didn't understand him. I got right up but he stopped the fight anyway. I started laughing,
thinking he was joking around. I couldn't believe it. many American sportswriters were there. When
they asked the referee why he stopped the fight, he just said,'No speaka English.'"
Cassidy got disgusted and packed it in temporarily. When he came back 13 months later, he had to
watch in disgust as a hometown hero, Al Benoit, was awarded the decision in a fight bobby thought
he'd easily won.
Still, Bobby didn't give up hope. He was back in action the following month with Al Braverman as his
manager. After two knockout victories, he foudn himself facing the middleweight king of Brazil,
Santiago Fernandez.
"He was a good puncher," said Cassidy, "and the Garden watned to build him up. They figured he'd
walk right through me." They figured wrong. Bobby handled him with little trouble before stopping
him in the 10th round.
That was in late 1969. By that time drinking had already become a big part of him. In 1970, he
dropped a decision to Luis Vinales. Bobby climbed through the ropes with a hangover. It's a wonder
Vinales didn't knock him out early.
Three months later, after losing to Luis Rodriguez. bobby split with Braverman. One year later, he
took on Paddy Flood as his manager. The two are still together.
"I only regret I didn't have Paddy with me from the day I started boxing," said Bobby, "he's been
great. The best there is!"
But even Paddy couldn't stop Cassidy's assorted bad habits. A few months before the Ahumada
fight, Bobby was arrested for taking bets in his bar. The papers made a big thing of it. He wasn't
allowed to have anything to do with the bar. He went bankrupt with it.
The New York State Athletic Commission played an off again, on again game with his license
because of the arrest. First it took it away, then gave it back. His head wasn't on straight the night
he faced Ahumada. He didn't belong in the saem ring. He didn't belong in any ring, for that matter.
Bobby spent nearly every night after that bout in bars. The turning point in his life came on April 26,
1974. Stone drunk in a Long Island bar, Cassidy punched out the 6-6, 360 pound bouncer, then did
the saem to the bouncer's buddy.
"I had to get out of there," said Cassidy. "I felt like Papillion as I ran through backayrds and over
fences, ripping my clothes and getting all cut up. when I awoke, it was daylight, and I was seven
miles from home. It was then I swore on my two sons, Robby and Chris, I'd never take another
drink...and I haven't."
Since then, Bobby has won nine fights in a row. He trains like a Spartan soldier, involves himself as
much as he can with his sons and his girlfriend Valerie, and takes acting lessons.
"I'm working with two top professions, Burt Young and Warren Robertson," he says proudly. "Burt
has been in Cinderelly LIberty, Chinatown, Killer's Elite, and many other pictures. Warren has
trained such actresses as Madeline Kahn and Dian Keaton. I've learned that sensitivity is importan
in acting. With my background, I've got enough sensitivity to win an Academy Award!"
Bobby Cassidy looks back on his life and his boxing career with no regrets and with no bitterness.
He enjoys life now more than most people.
"I'm getting my chance at the title, and I'm going in with a clear mind. Outside of Foster, I'm probably
the hardest puncher in the division. One good shot I can beat either Galindez or Conteh. It doesn't
who I fight."
It doesn't even matter if Bobby can or cannot win the title. Winning a championship fight will only
come in a distant second to the battle he won in April 1974.
Webmaster's note:
Cassidy would never get a title shot. He would be stopped in his next fight by Ramon Ronquello but
would avenge the defeat six months later.
He would go on undefeated for the next three years but unable to secure a title shot, he would retire
in 1980.
Bobby Cassidy (right) outpoints Macka Foley.
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