Robert Edward “Bobby” Czyz (born February 10, 1962) is a retired American boxer. A New Jersey native of mostly Polish and Italian descent, he is both a former world light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion. Czyz was born in Orange, New Jersey. He lived in Wanaque, New Jersey and attended Lakeland Regional High School. Nicknamed “Matinee Idol”, Czyz was a member of the United States amateur boxing team whose other members died in the LOT Polish Airlines plane crash in Poland in 1980. Because of an auto accident one week before the fatal trip, Czyz was not on the plane.
Czyz had a quick start to his professional boxing career in the early 1980’s as he was soon in line for a shot against world middleweight champion Marvin Hagler. He had to start from scratch, however, after suffering a 10-round loss at the hands of veteran Mustafa Hamsho in November 1982.
He has since been inducted into the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. Czyz is a member of Mensa, the organization for people who have scored in the highest 2% of takers in an IQ test. He even wore a shirt with “MENSA” on it while walking to the ring to fight Evander Holyfield.
