13 Facts About Harry Haft

Harry Haft known as Herschel Haft, was a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp where he boxed fellow inmates to survive, the losers being executed.

In 1939, when he was 14, Haft witnessed the invasion and German occupation of Poland.

Harry Haft managed to escape from one such march in April 1945.

In 1945, Harry Haft found refuge in a Displaced Person's Camp operated by the US Army in occupied Germany.

Harry Haft won his first twelve fights, but lost against a more experienced boxer, Irish-born Pat O'Connor in Westchester County Center on 5 January 1949.

Harry Haft had a convincing win on 14 January 1949 in Binghamton, New York, 1:14 into the first of six rounds, when he scored a knockout, with a right cross that broke the jaw of his opponent Billy Kilby.

Harry Haft lost to New Yorker Roland LaStarza on 27 June 1949 in a 4th-round TKO at Brooklyn's Coney Island.

Harry Haft's final fight was against future champion Rocky Marciano, on 18 July 1949 in Rhode Island Auditorium, in what was Marciano's 18th professional fight.

Harry Haft made a good showing in the first round, landing a blow to Marciano's stomach that was the bout's first punch, and went blow for blow in the first minute of the second, but was knocked out by Marciano in the first half of the third round after receiving a flurry of punches.

Harry Haft was shocked and hurt by the discrimination leveled at him, and he realized that America was not the safe haven from prejudice and discrimination that he once thought it was.

Harry Haft married Miriam Wofsoniker in November 1949 and opened a fruit and vegetable store in Brooklyn.

Harry Haft's eldest son, Alan Scott, was born in 1950, followed by a daughter and another son.

Harry Haft told his life's story to his son Alan Scott in 2003, who edited and published it in 2006, with contributions from historians John Radzilowski and Mike Silver.