In December 1991, Berbick was charged with grand theft and mortgage fraud, just a few days before he lost a farcical boxer-wrestler match to Nobuhiko Takada in Japan. Berbick had said before the fight that if Ali was hurt, he would let up on him. 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. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. That was, to me, the official ending of it all. Things got worse the next year when Berbick, who was living in Florida, was convicted of raping a family babysitter and sentenced to four years in prison. 2023 RING TV LIVE. Now, the whirlwind that was known as The Ali Circus was about to fold up its tents and ride into the sunset, once and forever. Berbicks body blasts and hurtful hooks broke the spell that had ensnared so many others. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. At one point I heard Berbick say, cmon old man, show me your speed. I was lividlivid! Hobson remembered. Among his losses were those to Buster Douglas, Renaldo Snipes and Larry Holmes. It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. Oops, something didn't work. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Berbick's career was marred by personal problems, although he will probably be remembered as the last man to fight, and beat, beat Muhammad Ali. Careening around a ring that seemed more like the playfield of a pinball machine designed by Playmatic or Bally Midway Night Rider, say, or Moon Flight seemed to shatter his already frail psyche. The 52-year-old boxer represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics before settling there for a number of years. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Trevor Berbick was an extremely talented fighter with a lot of natural ability. One of the few Lost Generation pugs not associated with Don King, Tate had won the vacant WBA heavyweight title in October 1979, but his championship reign barely lasted six months. 471 E. Santa Clara Street. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images. 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. Ali hadnt been a constant presence in the last couple of years, and it had been a while since the Holmes fight, Farhood observed. The fights opening seconds yielded an encouraging sign for Ali fans because in walking out of the corner, firing three soft jabs and landing with an overhand right, he already showed more life than he had in most of the Holmes bout. Boxing Record Featured Opponents Hasim Rahman Larry Holmes Trevor Berbick, boxer: born Port Antonio, Jamaica 1 August 1954; twice married (six children); died Norwich, Jamaica 28 October 2006. Instead, they got an old Ali. 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. Essentially banished from America, Ali took his circus act offshore, to the Bahamas, roughly 50 miles from the Florida coast. In September 1991, Berbick was placed on probation for assaulting his former business manager. Referee Zach Clayton, who counted Foreman out the night Ali regained the title, delivered the final instructions. But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. Chop wounds to the head gave police a clear indication that this was a homicide and his 20-year-old nephew, Harold Berbick, and 18-year-old Kenton Gordon were picked up the next day. On October 28, 2006, after a night out at a bar, Berbick was on his way back home when he was ambushed by two men in the darkness. 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. 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. 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. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Alis activity and the overwhelming sentiment may have won his second round as he threw 68 punches to Berbicks 51, but more objective eyes saw Berbicks more frequent (22 to 15) and heavier connects. 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. There was a problem getting your location. First, there was the opponent. He said he wouldnt step it up on Ali like Holmes did., Holmes punished Ali heavily in October 1980. His body was found at the. But in the fall of 1981 rumors of yet another Ali comeback began to stir. Alis reflexes are gone, Dunphy declared as round two began its final minute. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. You can always change this later in your Account settings. The fight card started late because organizers couldnt find the key that unlocked the front gate of the stadium. Five months later, Berbick was convicted of sexual battery in the case involving his babysitter. based on information from your browser. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. That made it even more insulting to me. There is a problem with your email/password. Beverly Howell said Berbick's body was discovered around 6:30 a.m. in a church courtyard in Portland parish. I know its the end. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. Former world and Canadian heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds to . Make sure that the file is a photo. A system error has occurred. Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring. Berbick went on to capture the WBC heavyweight title with a decisive win over American fighter Pinklon Thomas. In November, Berbick was charged with aggravated assault after he menaced his ex-financial manager at gunpoint. 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. The onetime Ali Circus appeared flat emotionally, for they knew Ali had shown woeful energy throughout the 11-week training cycle. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Unfortunately, thats not his only connection to Iron Mike. All rights reserved. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Name: Trevor Berbick Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Birthplace: Port Antonio, Jamaica Died: 2006-10-28 (Age:52) Stance: Orthodox Height: 188cm Reach: 198cm Pro Boxer: Record Amateur Boxer: Record Trainers: Sam Solomon, Eddie Futch, Angelo Dundee Trevor Berbick Gallery Contents 1 Career Review 2 Personal Life 3 Legal Troubles & Death The press conference was actually on my floor where I was staying. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, on Nov. 22, 1986, three men began their conspiracy to murder Trevor Berbick, the heavyweight champion of the world: Mike Tyson, Berbick's nephew Harold and me. God raised me up for a purpose! 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. Berbicks second-half surge allowed him to pull away on the scorecards. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images. His future, like that of so many of his contemporaries, would include drugs, prison, privation, early death. He was born in Norwich, Port Antonio, Jamaica on August 1, 1954. 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. - YouTube 0:00 / 14:23 #trevorberbick #boxer #jamaican The REAL " Trevor Berbick" Story- His. Eight months later,he took on challenger Mike Tyson in Las Vegas. There Berbick worked at a variety of jobs to make ends meet. 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. Ali, looking bored at times, said nothing as he shadowboxed while Berbick refused to look Ali in the eyes. Two fights later, he beat Muhammad Ali in Ali's last fight. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Also, 65% of his landed punches versus Berbick were jabs, with the CompuBox average being 28%. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Although Mercado had been stopped in his only fights against recognisable opposition, his clubbing right hand was a legitimate weapon. Berbick died on October 28, 2006 at the age of 52 years. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? More in News . 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. A borrowed cowbell was used to start and end each round. Canadian authorities took the action because Berbick was stripped of his landed immigrant status last summer for a series of . Unfocused and underprepared, Thomas dropped a grueling decision to Berbick, who forced the fight on the inside and outworked him. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. The punishment Berbick dished out was extraordinary. As the bell sounded for round eight Ali broke out the old butterfly float and a facsimile of the bee-like sting. The Jamaica Observer later reported that Berbick had been bludgeoned to death with a four-foot-long metallic pipe and a crowbar. A 2-inch-thick metal pipe found at the scene is believed to be the murder weapon, police said. 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. In retrospect, all of us had done our mourning after the Holmes fight. Legal Statement. Portrait. He then headed west to British Columbia to attempt a boxing comeback, despite thewarrant for his arrest in Florida. Ali's final pro bout was a 10-round non-title affair against Canadian contender Trevor Berbick. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. She was the second . The youngest heavyweight champion earned $1.5 million against Berbick; on the other hand, his opponent, who got dropped in round 2 . Verify and try again. The fight was shown on closed circuit television and was available to about three million homes in the United States . 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. It . There are claims he fell foul of the Mafia. Failed to report flower. San Jose, CA 95112. Tel: 408-998-2226. Sorry! As he sat ringside, he was optimistic that Ali still had enough in reserve to wring out another victory. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. 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. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Even hard-bitten veterans Bob Waters, Dick Young, Dave Anderson and Ed Schuyler were moved by the occasion. There was a brief pause after Tyson connected and then Berbick plummeted, seemingly in slow motion, and crashed onto his back. The former fighter, believed to be 52, was pronounced dead by a doctor in the church courtyard. Already manifesting symptoms of his future affliction (Parkinsonism), Ali was not fit to enter the ring again. 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. Quite literally. 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. We had Hearns and we had Leonard and we had Duran and Hagler the Four Kings and it was a great time. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. 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. Despite all of his troubles, Trevor Berbick was seen as a legendary hero in Jamaica. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. Weve updated the security on the site. In the ninth round, a right hand sent Tate wobbling across the ring, and Berbick, in hot pursuit, clubbed him repeatedly until Tate was out cold on the canvas. Read more on Wikipedia. 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. The following year, he was convicted in Florida of raping a family baby sitter and was sentenced to four years in prison. The connection was deep, heartfelt and beyond debate. After that, I figured I had a shot at being a pretty good fighter., From Guantanamo Bay, Berbick returned to Port Antonio, and, after one walkover after another, he eventually wound up representing Jamaica in the Montreal Olympics without having thrown a single punch. or redistributed. The former champ was also deported from the U.S. on two separate occasions and his life came to a tragic end in 2006 when he was brutally murdered in his home country of Jamaica by his very own nephew. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. Harold Berbick had been involved in a land dispute with his uncle. Two fights later, he became the last man to ever fight three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision. (3) It was just another illustration of how far Ali had declined physically and in terms of his own expectations. THE RING SHOP (CLICK HERE). Something went wrong, please try again later. Often in trouble with the law, he once spent 15 months in prison for rape. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. 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. One measure of a fighters worth is whether he left the sport in better shape than it was when he first arrived. I dont remember if Ali started punching him at that point, but Berbick was asserting his dominance and playing with Alis mind. Why Michael Spinks Didnt Want to Leave His Dressing Room to Fight Mike Tyson. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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. The Ali Era was over. The shadow of Ali, 9 of 60 overall and 3 of 22 power, paled in comparison. How sad is that: Somebody playing with Alis mind. With this running start, Holmes vaulted himself over the bonnets of two cars (a Toyota Supra and an Oldsmobile) and sailed through the air like a Wuxia star and dropkicked Berbick to the pavement. 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. Eventually, Berbick spent 15 months in prison. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. A mad scramble ensued before police officers could separate the impromptu combatants. His shock win over Thomas, who had been a 6/1 favorite going into the fight, set Berbick on the path to an astronomical payday. Const. 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. They beat Berbick with a crowbar and a pipe, leaving him mortally wounded on a dirt path. Photo from The Ring/ Getty Images. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Theyd put a whuppin on you if you couldnt handle yourself. cemeteries found in Norwich, Portland, Jamaica will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Market data provided by Factset. He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. 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. It upset me more that he had the psychological balls to do that.. The bout was Ali's last in a career that spanned three decades. 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. Family members linked to this person will appear here. 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. Trevor Berbick had much to suggest that he would have had a. While Ali, Berbick and Thomas Hearns (who fought Ernie Singletary) had their own locker rooms, the other nine fighters were jammed into the remaining dressing room. He was murdered by an assailant wielding a hatchet or machete who inflicted a fatal wound to Berbick's head. Directions. The overarching issue one that should have been disqualifying was Alis health, which was in clear decline. 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. Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! Such would also be the case with Ali, and just as it had been with the others, the fears of boxings impending extinction proved unfounded. Still, Berbick was an authentic spoiler, and when he scored upsets over David Bey and undefeated Mitch Blood Green in 1985, he qualified for a shot at undefeated WBC titleholder Pinklon Thomas. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Trevor Berbick (16356139)? 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. But while Hunsaker couldnt touch the whippet-quick teen-age gold medalist, Berbick feasted on the geriatric shell that remained. Lambert had known Trevor Berbick from the day he was born. He has been writing for Boxing News since 2015. He was missing the fastball and he was not getting there in time. According to Sports Illustrated, Ali's purse was $1.1 million and Berbick's was $350,000. But I learned a little martial arts from the Special Forces and handled him pretty well. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Jean was born on September 2, 1932, in Hayti, Missouri. Berbickwas also convicted of second-degree grand theft in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signatureto get a mortgage on a home. 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. Ali seemed fine with it and I didnt remember feeling sad for him. It wasnt to be. His blood tests indicate he has the vessels of a young man.. This was about Ali. August 1, 1954 - October 28, 2006 KINGSTON | Age 52 Ex-heavyweight champ Trevor Berbick found dead at 52. Their money ran out before the details could be taken care of. (6), Despite the chaos, the event was blessed by a comfortable moonlit night and, thanks to ticket prices being slashed from $50 to $5, a decent turnout of 8,000. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Constable Sheldon Francis said. Theyd drink and let off steam, and theyd fight anybody in the streets. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Alis immense pride, the asset that fueled his greatest triumphs, couldnt stomach the thought that a TKO loss while sitting on the stool would be the final scene of what had been a theatrical boxing career. Now, as the nearly 40-year-old Ali announced his departure from The Sweet Science, it was evident he had set the stage for another Golden Era whose star power wasnt isolated to only the heavyweights. Hes one of just two boxers to fight both Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, the other being Larry Holmes, and was a big part of an often-overlooked era in the sport in the early 1980s.