Im happy Im still pretty. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. The fight went the distance with Berbick winning through a unanimous decision on points. But what most people might not know is that just two weeks later, Trevor Berbick was convicted of rape as well. Fittingly, for Berbick, at least, the HBO card was billed Judgment Day. Without the mobility of a James Tillis or Mitch Green, the only men to have gone the distance with Tyson in 27 starts, Berbick would be more than just the 3/1 underdog looking for the upset: he would be the sporting equivalent of a ritual sacrifice. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. 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Not only was Alis speech slurred and gravelly, his movement and general coordination had decayed and, without the aid of the Thyrolar that helped him shed more than 30 pounds in less than two months before the Holmes fight, his physique had the thickness and softness expected of someone five weeks short of 40. The statistics backed up the judges while also delivering a brutally honest assessment. 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. Also, 65% of his landed punches versus Berbick were jabs, with the CompuBox average being 28%. Berbick served a combined 15 months for both convictions and was ordered deported back to Jamaica. Ali had carried boxing in America, almost-singlehandedly, in the 1970s but the early 1980s was a great time. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the final fight of Muhammad Alis professional career, his 10-round decision defeat against Trevor Berbick in what was incongruously called The Drama in the Bahamas. Although the event was enveloped by sadness and dreariness, the impact of Alis legacy remained unaffected, for not only did his entry into the sport come at a most fortuitous time, he laid the groundwork for the glorious era that was already in progress by the time he entered the ring against Berbick: The era of The Four Kings.. (1). A crowd of more than 10,000 horrified fans gathered at the Halifax Metro Centre on April 3, 1979, to see Berbick plunge to the canvas, unconscious, after absorbing a booming overhand to the jaw in the first round. I dont remember if Ali started punching him at that point, but Berbick was asserting his dominance and playing with Alis mind. Ali was 39 years old at this time, and Berbick was 27 years old. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. 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. TREVOR BERBICK, who reigned briefly as the WBC heavyweight champion in 1986, left behind one of the strangest legacies in boxing history: for being the last man Muhammad Ali faced in the ring, in a shambolic promotion exiled to the Bahamas; for being the first title-fight victim of Mike Tyson (in which Berbick suffered such a spectacular kayo loss that he became a permanent Youtube loadstone, like Baby Shark or Gangnam Style); for a bonkers parking lot melee with comebacking ex-champion Larry Holmes seen coast-coast on every sports newscast in America; for his savage murder in Jamaica, after years of scandalous headlines had made him a laughing stock across the globe. A press conference was conducted at a makeshift pressroom on the second floor of a Holiday Inn undergoing renovation at Paradise Island at 10:30 a.m. the day after the fight. Thanks to the extraordinary access he had granted them, they not only knew Ali as a legendary athlete but also as a human being who experienced the full range of emotions and shared most of them with them. He was doing so much better than he did against Larry Holmes. 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. Berbickwas also convicted of second-degree grand theft in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signatureto get a mortgage on a home. There are claims he fell foul of the Mafia. Unfortunately, thats not his only connection to Iron Mike. After Holmes left to conduct a TV interview, Berbick (who'd lost to Holmes by unanimous decision in a WBC title fight 10 years prior), claimed to the media that the boxer had been involved in the break-up of his marriage. The Jamaica Observer later reported that Berbick had been bludgeoned to death with a four-foot-long metallic pipe and a crowbar. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. 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. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 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. Now, he just wanted to get by. Two fights later, he became the last man to ever fight three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision. Funeral Home; Death of Trevor Berbick. Nearly a minute into round four, Berbick showed what 27 could do and Ali showed what 39 wouldnt allow him to do. The bout was Ali's last in a career that spanned three decades. But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. Berbick lost a title fight to Larry Holmes by unanimous decision in 1981. Before a ragged crowd in Nassau, Berbick outpointed a lifeless Ali and in the process earned more recognition than he had in his entire career. After all, Berbick would steer himself back home to peruse his dog-eared bible after training sessions, break out into impromptu hymns, and spend most of his Sundays at church, where he would often preach, energetically, at the pulpit. Boxing was on TV like crazy and we had the big closed-circuit fights. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Berbick continued to fight, with his final bout being a 2000 win over Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe. To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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. First, there was the opponent. There was an error deleting this problem. Police did not have a motive and there was no word yet on what kind of weapon was used or how many people were involved in Berbick's death. The victory made Tyson, 20,the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. For the first time, I feel that Im 40 years old. Of course, Ali finally walks in, a little bit late, and one of the first things I remember hearing was Ed Schuyler, this great old tough reporter from the AP who had been around the world with Ali in places he probably never even heard of before he went there, and he just looked at Ali and said, thanks, champ, for a helluva ride. It was an emotional moment for the hard-core guys, and they didnt cry in their beer too often. Former world lightheavyweight champ Freddie Mills died of gunshot wounds to the head in 1965. His body was found at the weekend in a pool of blood near his Port Antonio home. His stories A Darkness Made to Order and A Ghost Orbiting Forever both won first place awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America. 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. We all grow old. (10). We had Hearns and we had Leonard and we had Duran and Hagler the Four Kings and it was a great time. He told me to come on down and join them boxing. There was a problem getting your location. 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. Inactive for nearly a year after winning the WBC title, Thomas decided that he would not only be a manager and a trainer but also an R&B singer. 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. He went to Canada, where he lived for a time following the 1976 Olympics. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 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. 471 E. Santa Clara Street. 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. In December, he was arrested in an alleged plot to commit mortgage fraud. He briefly held the World Boxing Council heavyweight title before losing it to Mike Tyson in 1986. The . Harold Berbick had been involved in a land dispute with his uncle. Ali wasnt punching and Berbick was taunting him. Recognizing his depleted state, Ali set a modest goal for himself. Oops, we were unable to send the email. The Berbick fight was Alis first loss in 16 appearances outside the United States. Berbicks late rally overcame Alis early surge as he out-landed the legend 22-17 despite being out-thrown 59-56 and forged a huge 18-6 lead in landed power shots. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? 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. That was, to me, the official ending of it all. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. San Jose, CA 95112. It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. It was awkward because this guy just won the fight and he might as well have been a kid filling the soda machine. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Maybe Ali was right about blaming the weight loss and the prescription drugs concealing his true ability in the Holmes fight. More in News . Im not crazy. Make sure that the file is a photo. Carlos Acevedo is the editor of Hannibal Boxing and was the founder of The Cruelest Sport. His swan song was a pathetic sideshow that featured a fugitive (James Cornelius) dabbling as a promoter, a rickety baseball field with limited amenities used as an arena, a cowbell to toll the rounds, and two pairs of gloves shared by all the fighters on the card. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. The youngest heavyweight champion earned $1.5 million against Berbick; on the other hand, his opponent, who got dropped in round 2 . Trevor Berbick, who made his reputation by beating the legendary Muhammad Ali in a 10-round unanimous decision in 1981, was found dead the morning of Oct. 28 in a church courtyard next to his . I came out all right for an old man. Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! A mad scramble ensued before police officers could separate the impromptu combatants. The connection was deep, heartfelt and beyond debate. He also was convicted in 1992 of second-degree grand theft for forging his ex-wife's signature to get a mortgage on a home. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) _ Trevor Berbick, the former heavyweight champion who beat Muhammad Ali in the boxing great's final fight, faces deportation and was ordered to return to his native Jamaica. Berbick was gracious and Schuyler set the tone. They didnt anticipate the expenses. The overarching issue one that should have been disqualifying was Alis health, which was in clear decline. The same fears had been expressed when giants like John L. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano had left the scene and each time boxing produced a new focal point. 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. He had a gaping wound to his head. (5), For a fight of this magnitude, this tops it all, Eddie Futch, who guided Pete McIntyre to a 10-round decision win over Mike Fisher, told the New York Times George Vescey. 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. 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. In 1984, he moved to Florida and signed with promoter Don King. At one point I heard Berbick say, cmon old man, show me your speed. I was lividlivid! Hobson remembered. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. His death, officially from a drugs overdose, in the early 70s remains a contentious subject. He then headed west to British Columbia to attempt a boxing comeback, despite thewarrant for his arrest in Florida. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. Read more on Wikipedia. No pictures of me on the floor, no pictures of me falling through the ropes, no broken teeth, no blood. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Even a late flurry of body shots from Berbick couldnt negate Alis good work in the first three minutes, which saw Ali throw 66 punches to Berbicks 41 and out-land him 16-12 overall as well as 7-2 in jabs. I pray he never fights again, added referee Davey Pearl, who, along with Randy Shields, served as Dunphys color commentator. These extracurricular pursuits distracted him right up to the day of the fight, when he could be found in the lobby of the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, hawking cassette tapes of a song he had recorded in hopes of landing a major label contract. This browser does not support getting your location. "I have no age.". To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Market data provided by Factset. To put it in perspective, Im 24 years old, Farhood said during a June 2017 phone interview. But he insists the best of him is still to come, writes Declan Taylor. Berbick's death a homicide: police | CBC Sports Loaded. The ploy had convinced the likes of Frazier, Shavers and Spinks to throttle down their attacks but Berbick did what they should have done: Hit Ali even more. Theres absolutely no evidence that Muhammad has sustained any injury to any vital organ brain, liver, kidneys, heart, lungs nervous system, or muscle or bone systems, Dr. Demopoulos said in William Nacks Sports Illustrated story. Berbick, always a rebel at heart, had other things in mind. Failed to remove flower. Most other boxers, even those at their zenith, wouldnt have survived those nine minutes but while Alis physical abilities were long gone his competitive drive, his resourcefulness and his toughness remained in prime form. There, while Holmes celebrated his kayo win, stood an impassive Trevor Berbick. How sad is that: Somebody playing with Alis mind. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. El 22 de marzo de 1986, Trevor Berbick gan el ttulo mundial de los pesados del Consejo Mundial de Boxeo al derrotar al estadounidense Pinklon Thomas por decisin unnime. - YouTube 0:00 / 14:23 #trevorberbick #boxer #jamaican The REAL " Trevor Berbick" Story- His. No excuses this time, but at least I didnt go down. All rights reserved. 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. KINGSTON, Jamaica - A 20-year-old nephew of former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick has been charged with killing him, police said Friday. If Ali could do this five more times, he would do enough to earn the decision and make a good case for the fight he wanted next a crack at Mike Weavers WBA title. Logan Hobson, who would later develop CompuBox with partner Bob Canobbio, was then a reporter for United Press International as well as a devoted Ali fan. In Halifax, Berbick developed a local following and lumbered his way to an 11-0 record before facing Colombian mauler Bernardo Mercado. Steve Farhood, elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017, was also in the room, a room that stirred feelings of unworthiness. He was born in Norwich, Port Antonio, Jamaica on August 1, 1954. On November 26, 1986, Berbick squared off against Tyson at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas. Verify and try again. The promoters just didnt understand the details. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. 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. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? After trying to get up from the second knockdown he fell another two times. Boxing Record Featured Opponents Hasim Rahman Larry Holmes For $2.1m, Berbick signed a contract that put the entire blood sport concept of risk-and-reward in stark context: he agreed to defend his WBC title against the rampaging terror, Mike Tyson. In January 2003, The Guardian reported that he was on the run from police in his hometown of Port Antonio, accused of stealing a TV and stereo equipment. If the slurring were due to permanent damage, it would be there all the time, he said, adding that fatigue and stress were the most common triggers. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. I thought, knock it off, show some respect. I wanted to climb into the ring and backhand him. Harold Berbick and an 18-year-old man from the. Family members linked to this person will appear here. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. In the second, a wobbly Berbick shuddered every time Tyson connected, until, finally, barely 20 seconds into the round, a barrage of punches floored him. Trevor Berbick, a former opponent of Holmes, showed up at the post-fight press conference looking to stir the pot. Following the Ali bout, Berbick went on to win 10 of his next 12 fights, earning him a shot at Pinklon Thomas WBC heavyweight title in March 1986. The onetime Ali Circus appeared flat emotionally, for they knew Ali had shown woeful energy throughout the 11-week training cycle. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. Argentine middleweight legend Carlos Monzon was sentenced to 11 years in prison for killing his wife by throwing her out of a window and died in a car crash while out on parole. In November, Berbick was charged with aggravated assault after he menaced his ex-financial manager at gunpoint. O'Connor Mortuary Arrangement Center - Irvine 4010 Barranca Pkwy, Ste 200 So did the promotion, which was beset with numerous financial and organizational problems. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! Former world and Canadian heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds to his head in an apparent homicide, police said. As the bell sounded for round eight Ali broke out the old butterfly float and a facsimile of the bee-like sting. 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 . Cornelius persisted, and eventually he found a place willing to stage an Ali fight. Legal Statement. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. But when Holmes wrapped up the press conference and returned to his suite, Berbick gave a surreal, disjointed speech to the media that included accusations Holmes had consorted with a prostitute and had conspired with her to destroy not only his marriage but his career, as well. The baton had been passed to the non-heavyweights at that point. In the final 90 seconds Berbick climbed all over Ali and attempted to put him away, but Ali, though imprisoned by age, excess weight and physical deterioration, still had enough savvy and toughness to make it to the final bell. 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. With barely a dozen fights as an amateur, Berbick turned pro on September 27, 1976, scoring a TKO in Shediac, New Brunswick, known as The Lobster Capital of the World.. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Quite literally. Photo by The Ring Magazine/ Getty Images. But as the round wore on, so did Ali. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Trevor Berbick I found on Findagrave.com. Alis reflexes are gone, Dunphy declared as round two began its final minute. ). Although Mercado had been stopped in his only fights against recognisable opposition, his clubbing right hand was a legitimate weapon. Those interested in ordering a copy of the book can do so by clicking here and purchasing from Amazon. based on information from your browser. Just as he had in the Thrilla in Manila and before the final rounds against Norton (twice) and Shavers, Ali sought out his emergency energy supply, broke the glass and waited for the adrenaline rush to kick in. Standing 6-foot-2 and scaling a solid 218 pounds, the Canadian and Commonwealth heavyweight titlist used his broad shoulders to burrow inside and clubbing blows that crushed inferior opponents and wore down the better ones. He built his reputation by beating the legendary Muhammad Ali in a 10-round unanimous decision in 1981. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. Finally, and most disturbingly, Berbick was accused of raping his babysitter in Miami. That realization hit hard and the emotions enveloping the room were raw and real. His blood tests indicate he has the vessels of a young man.. He was a strong puncher who moved well and had the potential to be a lasting force in the heavyweight division before the emergence of Tyson. THE RING SHOP (CLICK HERE). Among his losses were those to Buster Douglas, Renaldo Snipes and Larry Holmes. Sonny Liston is another former world heavyweight champion to meet an untimely end. Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican professional boxer. Part 5: https://youtu.be/eFE4kjKdG5sPart 1: https://youtu.be/0fXoOz9MIRo-----In this clip, Larry Holmes opens about beating Trevor Berbick, who Larry expl. From Florida, Berbick was deported to Jamaica, where he moved in with his mother and began menacing his neighbourhood. (9). As he sat ringside, he was optimistic that Ali still had enough in reserve to wring out another victory. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. During his trial, Harold Berbick claimed that his uncle had physically abused his mother and that Berbick had also threatened him. A man has been arrested. He knows what to do but he cant do it. Then, ever the hopeful soul, Dunphy added, at least he cant up to now. His right hands, once crisp and stinging, lacked speed and were occasionally delivered with an awkward downward chop.