(7). He also fought for Jamaica at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. As he sat ringside, he was optimistic that Ali still had enough in reserve to wring out another victory. Trevor Berbick vs. Mike Tyson - Wikipedia Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. For a man who had mastered the 15-round distance, 10 rounds now seemed an eternity. Instead, they got an old Ali. Market data provided by Factset. The connection was deep, heartfelt and beyond debate. Trevor Berbick Biography - Jamaican boxer | Pantheon You need a Find a Grave account to continue. It was awkward because this guy just won the fight and he might as well have been a kid filling the soda machine. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In fact, his loss to Tyson seemed to mark a grim turning point. Chapel Of Flowers Obituaries & Services In San Jose, Ca That fight was like watching a mugging. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. He went to Canada, where he lived for a time following the 1976 Olympics. (1). A woman is arrested over Berbick murder | Daily Mail Online Berbick was convicted in 1991 of misdemeanour assault for attacking his former business manager, who testified in court that the fighter held a gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him. Anyone can read what you share. His future as a backwater professional seemed assured until Top Rank Promotions miscast him as a stepping stone for Big John Tate on the undercard of the Roberto Duran-Sugar Ray Leonard I extravaganza in Montreal. Five months later, Berbick was convicted of sexual battery in the case involving his babysitter. Berbick eventually returned to Florida, where he was finally deported to Jamaica in 2002. His problems with the law continued and he was again deported in 2002. Round four was a wipeout for Berbick as he landed 38 of 68 punches to Alis 9 of 51 as well as 33 of 59 power shots to Alis 5 of 21. Recognizing his depleted state, Ali set a modest goal for himself. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. The first was the only instance in which Ali out-landed Berbick, and the effort required to keep the rugged Jamaican at bay had already cut into his gas tank more than it should have. But while a dishevelled Berbick aired his grievances to a gathering crowd, Holmes charged out of the hotel, face contorted in anger, and raced across the parking lot. Trying to intimidate Tyson, 20 years old and permanently in search of bad intentions the same way a Buddhist pursues nirvana, was bound to backfire. Not only did Berbicks legs stand up to Holmes bombs for 15 rounds, he stood up to Holmes himself by spewing taunts throughout the early rounds before The Easton Assassin pulled away in the championship rounds. While Ali historically had done well against aggressors, Berbicks persistent smashmouth style was not what Ali needed at this stage of his life. Learn more about merges. In a stroke of dubious luck, a warped Muhammad Ali chose Berbick for his comeback opponent. It was here that Ali, who arrived 30 minutes late, finally admitted the obvious his boxing career had come to an end. Berbickwas also convicted of second-degree grand theft in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signatureto get a mortgage on a home. Berbick continued to fight, with his final bout being a 2000 win over Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe. Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Why Michael Spinks Didnt Want to Leave His Dressing Room to Fight Mike Tyson. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. His stories A Darkness Made to Order and A Ghost Orbiting Forever both won first place awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America. From now on, it would be one calamity after another, a seemingly endless series of tribulations. Berbick won the WBC world heavyweight title by upsetting Pinklon Thomas in March, 1986. They had been around the world with Ali, and I kind of felt like I didnt deserve what I was getting, which was, of course, would turn out to be a memory of a lifetime. Carlos Acevedo is the editor of Hannibal Boxing and was the founder of The Cruelest Sport. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. In that round Berbick out-threw Ali 89-28 overall (including 72-9 power) and out-landed him 41-8 overall and 39-1 power. Trevor Berbick Ordered From Canada | AP News For Berbick, the loss was humiliating. Because of me, Ali said, the whole world watches boxing now. (11), Years into his retirement, Ali gets ready to participate as a guest referee in the inaugural Wrestlemania at Madison Square Garden in 1985. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Drag images here or select from your computer for Trevor Berbick memorial. The crowd that had sat through Alis mid-rounds crisis suddenly perked up as their hero tried to turn back the clock. During the final years of Alis career, it had been feared that once he lost the title and faded from the scene that he would take the sport of boxing with him. The Jamaica Observer later reported that Berbick had been bludgeoned to death with a four-foot-long metallic pipe and a crowbar. In June 1980, however, Tate was on the comeback trail, looking to put the Weaver loss behind him. James Cornelius, described in press releases as a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur, was the man charged with finding those mountains that were willing to be moved. Maybe Ali was right about blaming the weight loss and the prescription drugs concealing his true ability in the Holmes fight. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Norma "Jean" Sooter. Add to your scrapbook. Berbick, 52, won the WBC crown in 1986 by beating Pinklon Thomas before losing it to Mike Tyson eight months later. However, the post-Ali era was especially blessed because the sport would be fueled not just by one fighter, but several. There was a problem getting your location. FORMER world heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick became another name on the long list of boxing's tragic figures when he was hacked to death in a Jamaican churchyard. A decision over undefeated Greg Page seven months later seemed to solidify Berbick as a legitimate contender, but consecutive losses to Renaldo Snipes and cruiserweight ST Gordon reversed his momentum and branded him a journeyman. "Legally, I'm a spirit," he once said. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. The fight was competitive enough where I was hoping he was going to do it, he said in a July 2017 phone interview. A 2-inch-thick metal pipe found at the scene is believed to be the murder weapon, police said. That realization hit hard and the emotions enveloping the room were raw and real. He won the WBC heavyweight title in 1986 by defeating Pinklon Thomas, then lost it in his first defense in the same year to Mike Tyson. Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! Lambert had known Trevor Berbick from the day he was born. You have the wake and then the funeral, but this fight was like the headstone dedication, he said. Those interested in ordering a copy of the book can do so by clicking here and purchasing from Amazon. When it was over, a police escort lead Berbick back to his home in Miami, and Holmes went on to perform with his R&B band, Marmalade, that night. Eight months later,he took on challenger Mike Tyson in Las Vegas. Quite literally. Sure, Ali could never dethrone Holmes, but he might have a chance against Weaver, who was out-boxed by Tate for nearly the entire fight before a miraculous hook flattened Tate with 45 seconds left in the final round, they might have said to themselves. The Berbick fight was Alis first loss in 16 appearances outside the United States. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Ali, on the other hand, required more time than the sport of boxing could grant him. They were convicted in December, 2007, and sentenced to life in prison. Berbick had said before the fight that if Ali was hurt, he would let up on him. Berbicks body blasts and hurtful hooks broke the spell that had ensnared so many others. This is a carousel with slides. Long before George Foreman made his miraculous return in the late 1980s, Trevor Berbick had been billed as The Fighting Preacher. He had even become an ordained minister at the Moments of Miracles Tabernacle in Nevada. Former Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica, according to police. It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. How dare he try to play with Alis mind? This browser does not support getting your location. But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. Ali went through hell in his final professional round as Berbick, showing no mercy, threw 100 punches in round ten (86 of which were power punches), the most by an Ali opponent among fights counted. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. In retrospect, all of it was wishful thinking. Wide-eyed, groggy, and surprised, Berbick took the mandatory-eight from Referee Mills Lane, and when the fight resumed, he braced himself for the worst. He was born in Norwich, Port Antonio, Jamaica on August 1, 1954. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. He had watched him grow up, leave the island, become a world-famous boxer and return, only to die in a pool of blood, a $100 bill lying . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. In a closely contested fight, Berbick was able to narrowly earn the victory by unanimous decision to capture his first major heavyweight title. One measure of a fighters worth is whether he left the sport in better shape than it was when he first arrived. Trevor Berbick, a former opponent of Holmes, showed up at the post-fight press conference looking to stir the pot. All rights reserved. Editor's Pick: The life and death of Trevor Berbick (9). When Cassius Marcellus Clay broke into the professional boxing scene following his triumph in the 1960 Rome Olympics, the sport was hurtling toward the abyss. But I learned a little martial arts from the Special Forces and handled him pretty well. With seven WBC title defenses since 1978, Holmes was an established champion coming off the first marquee win of his title reign: a pitiful butchering of the feeble Muhammad Ali. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The bout was Ali's last in a career that spanned three decades. Make sure that the file is a photo. Berbick fought from 1976 to 2000, finishing with a 50-11-1 record, including 33 knockouts. Rounds five, six and seven delivered a sobering and punishing message to Ali while allowing Berbick to separate himself on the scorecards and the statistics. When we left there that day, you knew it would never be the same because of what he brought to a fight from a writers perspective was unique and was never going to be matched. February 17, 1999. While he couldnt duplicate his success in round one, Ali still fought with conviction but it was evident to all that conviction alone wasnt going to be enough. Police have arrested a man and. In his very first title defense exactly eight months later, he was viciously knocked out in the second round by 20-year-old Mike Tyson, who became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Ali's final pro bout was a 10-round non-title affair against Canadian contender Trevor Berbick. His first instinct was to scramble to his feet, but his equilibrium was haywire, and he staggered across the ring, tumbling into the ropes, where an errant forearm knocked a ringside photographer out of position. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images. In February 1992, Mike Tyson was convicted on rape charges and spent three years in prison. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. (8) Ali and his retinue knew full well that the string that Ali had played the past few years was frayed and nearing disintegration. As Berbick pounded away, Ali dug into that bag of tricks by widening his eyes and opening his mouth in mock duress. Although Mercado had been stopped in his only fights against recognisable opposition, his clubbing right hand was a legitimate weapon. Following a first-round exit from the Olympics, Berbick eventually settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where boxing was an also-ran against not only hockey but curling as well. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? In 1991, Berbick was convicted of misdemeanor assault for attacking his former business manager, who testified the boxer put a gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him. Berbick's body was discovered about 6:30 a.m. in his hometown parish of Portland, constable Beverly Howell said. Berbick's reign was short, however, as a 20-year-old Tyson knocked Berbick out in the second round on Nov. 22, 1986, to become the youngest heavyweight champion. If fighting three minutes against an opponent that largely ceded the round taxed his energy supply, what would happen once the younger bull revved up his attack? Berbick vaulted to world prominence with a stunning ninth-round KO of former WBA titlist John Tate on the Roberto Duran-Sugar Ray Leonard I Brawl in Montreal card in June 1980, and since then he had gone 4-1 with four early-round knockouts, the most recent of which was a two-rounder against Conroy Nelson in July. There is a problem with your email/password. A somber Ali, scaling a pudgy 236 1/4, trudged toward the ring and once there, he and his corner awaited Berbicks arrival. This was during the Vietnam War and a lot of guys there were going wacko; some guys were waiting to be shipped off to war, others were coming back all busted up, legs gone, nerves shot. Berbick drove Ali toward the ropes with a series of heavy body shots, then maintained the pressure as Ali desperately tried to fend him off with clinches and the Rope-a-Dope. The crowd tried to spark Ali with Ali, bomaye chants but even the ghosts of Kinshasa couldnt regenerate the Ali of old. A system error has occurred. With Mills Lane tolling the count, Berbick again tried to rise, and again his legs mutinied beneath him, sending him dive-bombing to the canvas with a thud. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. They didnt anticipate the expenses. Sonny Liston is another former world heavyweight champion to meet an untimely end. Norma "Jean" Sooter passed away on December 20, 2022, at 90 years of age after a short illness. In 1997, after he had resumed his boxing career, Berbick was found guilty of violating his parole and deported from the U.S. to Canada. Berbick did his best to bull Ali and while he got in some heavy blows Ali shook them off and got back on the bicycle. Lambert had known Trevor Berbick from the day he was born. Const. The promoters just didnt understand the details. Trevor Berbick - BoxRec Try again later. Six months later, on April 7, 1991, Berbick took part in a fracas with Larry Holmes that epitomised his now-disordered life. There are claims he fell foul of the Mafia. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images First, there was the opponent. Try again later. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. Learn more about managing a memorial . I know its the end. However cocksure Berbick was outside of the ring, there was nothing he could do once the opening bell rang, although he tried shoving Tyson several times to assert his ruggedness. Berbick fought from 1976 to . Berbick's death a homicide: police. INSIDE THE NUMBERS: In his Last Hurrah, Ali, approaching his 40th birthday, landed an average of 8.4 jabs per round, 3.1 more per round than the heavyweight average. The fight was shown on closed circuit television and was available to about three million homes in the United States . On November 22, in his first title defense, the fight was stopped in the second round after he was knocked down three times by 20-year-old Mike Tyson. Florida, U.S., Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001, Canada, Obituary Collection, 1898-Current, Canada, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, UK and Ireland, Obituary Index, 2004-2019, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? However, Berbick fled to Montreal before his impending removal. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Constable Sheldon Francis said. Even at 39 Ali owns a far better chin than Tate does and hes still a bit quicker on his feet than the cement-footed Weaver. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Obituaries Funeral Homes Newspapers Send Flowers News & Advice Memorials. But Ali was such a charismatic and financial force that some were still willing to move mountains for him. As Ali sat on his stool between rounds, his inner being was hard at work. One time 50 ships were in the harbour and a lot of the guys were all there for liberty. Alis reflexes are gone, Dunphy declared as round two began its final minute. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Trevor Berbick (1955-2006) - Find a Grave Memorial He won thrice in London (KO 5, KO 6 versus Henry Cooper, KO 3 Brian London), four times elsewhere in Europe (KO 12 Karl Mildenberger, KO 7 Juergen Blin, KO 11 Al Blue Lewis, KO 5 Richard Dunn), four times in Asia (W 15 Mac Foster, W 12 Rudi Lubbers, W 15 Joe Bugner II, KO 14 Joe Frazier III), three times elsewhere in North America (W 15, W 12 George Chuvalo II, KO 5 Jean-Pierre Coopman) and once in Africa (KO 8 George Foreman) before losing to Berbick in the Bahamas. Tyson bombarded Berbick throughout the round, and with only a handful of seconds left, he landed a right hand that sent Berbick lurching. 387 Trevor Berbick Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Berbick, a 27-year-old Jamaican fighting out of Canada, was rated fourth by the WBA and sported a 19-2-1 record that included 17 knockouts. Even though just nearly 15 years after the Trevor Berbick fight, he would go on to declare bankruptcy, this 2-round bout in 1986 generated one of the first biggest paydays of Mike Tyson's pro-boxing career. Everybody was really quiet. After beating Ali in 1981 in a unanimous decision in the Bahamas, Berbick went on to win the WBC heavyweight title four years later in a decision over Pinklon Thomas. Berbick served a combined 15 months for both convictions and was ordered deported back to Jamaica. KINGSTON, Jamaica - Former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead in a church courtyard Saturday with chop wounds to his head in a suspected homicide. In no time, Larry Holmes returned to the lobby and pummelled Berbick through the doors of the Diplomat and into the parking lot, where, for the moment, at least, the commotion was over. This was about Ali. Ali hadnt been a constant presence in the last couple of years, and it had been a while since the Holmes fight, Farhood observed. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. He was missing the fastball and he was not getting there in time. Only two pairs of gloves were available for the five-fight undercard, forcing each corner to unlace the gloves after each bout so that the next pair of fighters could use them. Obituary Photos Honoring Trevor Berbick - Tributes.com The youngest heavyweight champion earned $1.5 million against Berbick; on the other hand, his opponent, who got dropped in round 2 . For the next year, Berbick drifted across Canada, building his record up to 14-1-1 against an assortment of palookas. But another legal mishap occurred and Trevor Berbick was once again deported from the U.S. in 2002 and returned to Jamaica. Thanks for your help! Boxing Record Featured Opponents Hasim Rahman Larry Holmes Year should not be greater than current year. No excuses this time, but at least I didnt go down. He later had legal problems, including convictions for sexual assault, grand theft and burglary, that led to his being deported from the United States to his native Jamaica. Nephew Is Convicted in the Death of Trevor Berbick The REAL " Trevor Berbick" Story- His Life,Career,Conviction and Murder! It saved him in all four bouts and he had every reason to believe it would help him again. He is a member of the BWAA and the International Boxing Research Organization. His midnight-blue suit, gaudy tie, white pocket square kerchief, and sunglasses out of place among the pastel shirts, Zubaz, and tracksuits. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. His future, like that of so many of his contemporaries, would include drugs, prison, privation, early death. Trevor Berbick - Professional Boxing Record Professional Boxing Record Read more about this topic: Trevor Berbick Famous quotes containing the words professional, boxing and/or record: " In European thought in general, as contrasted with American, vigor, life and originality have a kind of easy, professional utterance. I dont know if that was the feeling after the Holmes fight probably it was, he took such a beating in that fight everybody figured there wouldnt be any more but this time everybody knew there would be no more. (4), The main event almost didnt happen because Berbick had received only $100,000 of his $350,000 guarantee and said he wouldnt fight until he was paid the full amount. In those rounds Berbick out-landed Ali 95-36 overall and 82-10 power, with the seventh especially the final minute being the worst by far. Just as he had against Weaver a few months earlier, Tate opened a wide lead before imploding late. Instead, he battled delusions of grandeur. Win, lose or draw, I hope he doesnt fight again, Dunphy said between rounds nine and 10. Sorry! He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. But then he got tired and he just couldnt (keep going). In his loss to Tyson in Las Vegas, Berbick was knocked down twice in the second round. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Among his losses were those to Buster Douglas, Renaldo Snipes and Larry Holmes. Boxing was on TV like crazy and we had the big closed-circuit fights. In round two, Berbicks steady pressure forced Ali to retreat more quickly than he wanted and his rights to the ribs during clinches inflicted damage that registered on Alis face. These grim footnotes are hardly surprising when one considers that Berbick was an entrenched member of The Lost Generation of heavyweights, a motley, miserable, and morose collection of overweight and undermotivated malcontents who would eventually disintegrate in various blowouts of marijuana, cocaine, Colt 45, late-night revels, Twinkies and Whoppers. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. La gloria, el drama y un final abrupto: quin fue Trevor Berbick, la According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Trevor Berbick, his skull split open by numerous blows, was found only a few feet from the Church of God Chapel. Jean was born on September 2, 1932, in Hayti, Missouri. First, Im going to destroy all the devils, I mean the fighters, who stand between me and the unified heavyweight championship of the world, Berbick declaimed after beating Pinklon Thomas for the WBC title in 1986. Please try again later. The 52-year-old boxer represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics before settling there for a number of years. Berbick wins by unanimous decision. The Brooklyn was coming out in me. The judge ordered both men jailed pending their Jan. 11 sentencing. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Former world lightheavyweight champ Freddie Mills died of gunshot wounds to the head in 1965. If nothing else, Ali could be proud that he earned the privilege of ending this fight on his feet instead of on his stool. Search above to list available cemeteries. The story of the former WBC heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick who shared a ring with Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes before he was savagely murdered. Heavyweight hope Jared Anderson does not want to be famous but realises that is a necessity if hes to realise his dreams for both himself and his brother, Kevin Lerena explains to Thomas Gerbasi how a call from Frank Warren convinced him to pack his bags, Dillian Whyte is coming off the most convincing defeat of his career and tragedy in his personal life. How sad is that: Somebody playing with Alis mind. Ex-heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick fell to Mike Tyson 25 years ago Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. He also said Alis slurring was circumstantial rather than innate. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Ive got to face the facts. However, Berbick's title reign was brief.