[Rocco Del Sesto]

Semi (Sam Haley) Halalilo Rating 2 Tonga
HW 1965-73
21 wins / 9 losses / 0 draws / 16 KO

Alias: Sam Haley Smiling Tongan

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Halalilo after loosing a 6 round decision to LHW Joe Jackson(14-6-2,6KO) in June 1973, as retired from the ring until coming back in May 1982 for a 1 fight comeback, loosing by 4th round KO to a George Stankovich. For the basis of this rating of Halalilo, this 1 fight in 1982 is not figured in.

Halalilo fought mainly as a LHW except for about 1 year in 1967 when he move up in weight to take on the heavyweights. From 1965 thru 66 the only heavyweight of note he took on was George Mahoni, loosing to him by 10 round decision some time around mid 1965. Then about one year late they squared off again with Halalilo coming away with the win. He also fought a middleweight, Pauli Mahoni twice in this time with a win and a loss. These were the only two opponents Semi faced during this time who had any kind of record. The rest were all one time fight opponents.

Then came 1967 and Halalilo won fights against heavyweights Young Stanko, Manassa Clay, and Bobby Stininato along with victories against LHW's Mike Leui(3-1-0,2) and Emuel Cowan(4-6-0,4). In November 1967 he lost a 10 round decision to Leweni Waqa. They fought a rematch about a year later with Halalilo winning by another 10 round decision. After that, Halalilo moved up and down between LHW and HW opponents. He lost a 10 rounder to Bob Dunlop in Dec 1968. In August 1969 Semi and Mani Vaka fought a 15 round battle for the Tongan LHW Title with Vaka taking the decision. Vaka beat him again in April 1970 by 4th round KO. Five months after that he lost a 12 round decision to Foster Bibron. In October 1970 knocked out HW Giuseppe Bertucci(8-8-0,4KO). We then don't see him in the ring again until March 1972 when he TKO's HW Gerry Cambridge(9-4-1,3). That's followed by the loss to Joe Jackson in June 1973.