Despite competing in just 11 amateur bouts, he represented Jamaica at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, losing to eventual silver medalist, Mercia Simon. Ali landed just 51 power punches in his losses to Berbick and Holmes. For a man who had mastered the 15-round distance, 10 rounds now seemed an eternity. A year later, Randy Turpin, who famously beat Sugar Ray Robinson, committed suicide after being declared bankrupt. Two minutes into the round, Tyson opened up with a combination as Berbick tried to crowd him in centre ring. 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. At one point I heard Berbick say, cmon old man, show me your speed. I was lividlivid! Hobson remembered. The proof of Alis continued relevance lies in the fact that his grandson, middleweight Nico Ali Walsh, will compete inside Madison Square Garden on this special day. Try again later. You are welcome to call us any time of the day, any day of the week, for immediate assistance. There was an error deleting this problem. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. How sad is that: Somebody playing with Alis mind. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. However, his first defense of that title would come against the 20-year-old undefeated sensation Mike Tyson, who was 27-0 with 25 of his victories coming by way of knockout. Nearly a minute into round four, Berbick showed what 27 could do and Ali showed what 39 wouldnt allow him to do. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. It wasnt to be. 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. Funeral Home; Death of Trevor Berbick. (2) While the exotic locale stacked up well with other Ali fight sites, everything else connected with the venture was anything but paradise. Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. Norma "Jean" Sooter passed away on December 20, 2022, at 90 years of age after a short illness. Essentially banished from America, Ali took his circus act offshore, to the Bahamas, roughly 50 miles from the Florida coast. Even hard-bitten veterans Bob Waters, Dick Young, Dave Anderson and Ed Schuyler were moved by the occasion. As he sat ringside, he was optimistic that Ali still had enough in reserve to wring out another victory. He was a heavyweight world champion. Although Mercado had been stopped in his only fights against recognisable opposition, his clubbing right hand was a legitimate weapon. Even when Holmes, from the dais, insulted him, Berbick remained motionless. As Berbick pounded away, Ali dug into that bag of tricks by widening his eyes and opening his mouth in mock duress. The overarching issue one that should have been disqualifying was Alis health, which was in clear decline. 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. The following year, he was convicted in Florida of raping a family baby sitter and was sentenced to four years in prison. Berbick, always a rebel at heart, had other things in mind. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. His problems with the law continued and he was again deported in 2002. Two fights later, he became the last man to ever fight three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Berbick wins by unanimous decision. Based on the expectations game, Ali fared much better in the first nine minutes against Berbick than at any time during the Holmes fight, and, at least for an instant, thoughts about a potential Ali-Weaver fight danced in some heads. Berbick finished with a professional record of 50-11-1, including 33 KOs, but ran into legal problems following the Tyson fight. Even as a rising contender he had been considered eccentric, and it was clear that the outcome of his performances hinged on his psychological outlook before the opening bell rang. The press conference was actually on my floor where I was staying. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. 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. 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. Weve updated the security on the site. 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,. 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. As the crowd chanted Alis name, Berbick gestured with his gloves as if to say why are you cheering him? A jury Thursday found Harold Berbick, 21, guilty of murder and Kenton Gordon, 19, guilty of manslaughter in the death of Berbick, who was 54. Police have arrested a man and. Upon returning to his home country, it didnt take long for Trevor Berbick to find trouble. 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. Berbicks dominance was such that he occasionally barked at the old champion. Alonzo Butler submitted the kindest card at 97-94 while colleagues Jay Edson and Clyde Gray delivered harsher news by seeing Berbick the 99-94 winner. (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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The statistics backed up the judges while also delivering a brutally honest assessment. 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. His difficulties between the ropes had nothing to do with binge eating, womanising, cocaine, or liquor. 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. His nephew, Harold, and an accomplice were arrested and later convicted of murdering Berbick. Former world and Canadian heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds to . The Berbick fight was Alis first loss in 16 appearances outside the United States. He fought in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and stayed there to turn professional, winning his first 11 fights (10 by knockout) before losing for the first time to Bernardo Mercado in 1979. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Everybody knew that this was really it, he continued. He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. His future, like that of so many of his contemporaries, would include drugs, prison, privation, early death. 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. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The following is an excerpt from Muhammad Ali: By the Numbers co-written by CompuBox founder and president Bob Canobbio and punch-counter/historian Lee Groves. His 20 year old nephew Harold Berbick and Kenton Gordon, an 18 year old friend of Harold's were charged with the crime. 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. Trevor Berbick had much to suggest that he would have had a. 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. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? On November 26, 1986, Berbick squared off against Tyson at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. You have the wake and then the funeral, but this fight was like the headstone dedication, he said. There is a problem with your email/password. On April 11, 1981, Berbick became the first title challenger to last the distance against Holmes, but that was as much credit as he could wrangle from the loss. Legal Statement. Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! Berbick served a combined 15 months for both convictions and was ordered deported back to Jamaica. However, Berbick's title reign was brief. The judge ordered both men jailed pending their Jan. 11 sentencing. 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. 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. 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. "I have no age.". His blood tests indicate he has the vessels of a young man.. Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. Father Time has caught up with me, Ali said. Ali hadnt been a constant presence in the last couple of years, and it had been a while since the Holmes fight, Farhood observed. 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. For his part, Berbick out-landed Ali 22-16 overall and landed 19 of his 38 power shots (50%) to Alis 5 of 13 (39%). Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16356139/trevor-berbick. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images First, there was the opponent. According to Sports Illustrated, Ali's purse was $1.1 million and Berbick's was $350,000. 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. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Anyone can read what you share. Former world lightheavyweight champ Freddie Mills died of gunshot wounds to the head in 1965. In Halifax, Berbick developed a local following and lumbered his way to an 11-0 record before facing Colombian mauler Bernardo Mercado. Theyd put a whuppin on you if you couldnt handle yourself. This is a carousel with slides. At 5:40 p.m., just hours before stepping into the ring, Berbick got his money thanks to SelecTV, the pay-cable channel airing the card. He eventually moved back to the U.S., but was deported a second time. 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. More in News . The assembled media had either followed Ali from the very beginning or jumped on the bus sometime during its 61 stops. He has been writing for Boxing News since 2015. Win, lose or draw, I hope he doesnt fight again, Dunphy said between rounds nine and 10. Market data provided by Factset. Family members linked to this person will appear here. 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. 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. Berbick's death a homicide: police | CBC Sports Loaded. 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. Berbick eventually returned to Florida, where he was finally deported to Jamaica in 2002. Ali was the master of that game and here was Berbick talking to Ali. After his release, Berbick returned to the ring in the mid-1990s and only a failed CAT Scan in 2000 kept Berbick from continuing his farcical career into his fifties. For the next year, Berbick drifted across Canada, building his record up to 14-1-1 against an assortment of palookas. He is a member of the BWAA and the International Boxing Research Organization. Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican professional boxer. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Canada actually attempted to deport him as well given his legal troubles but Berbick was able to win a judgment in court that allowed him to stay. 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. 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. Thanks for signing up! He served 15 months in a Florida jail for sexual assault and was later deported from the United States. 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. Or, visit our funeral home in person at your convenience. Photo from The Ring/ Getty Images. 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. Steve Farhood, elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017, was also in the room, a room that stirred feelings of unworthiness. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Only Berbicks fatigue in the final minute saved Ali from oblivion, but another benefit of being 27 was that all he needed to revive himself was the 60-second rest period. Failed to report flower. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Today, of course, Guantanamo Bay is notorious for its U.S. detention camp, but in the early 1970s, it was primarily known as a military base. (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. 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 But in the fall of 1981 rumors of yet another Ali comeback began to stir. The Ali Era was over. For the first time, I feel that Im 40 years old. All rights reserved. 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. Berbick lost a title fight to Larry Holmes by unanimous decision in 1981. The shadow of Ali, 9 of 60 overall and 3 of 22 power, paled in comparison. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. In November, Berbick was charged with aggravated assault after he menaced his ex-financial manager at gunpoint. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. based on information from your browser. After trying to get up from the second knockdown he fell another two times. To put it in perspective, Im 24 years old, Farhood said during a June 2017 phone interview. Tel: 408-998-2226. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. This browser does not support getting your location. He had a gaping wound to his head. Ali seemed fine with it and I didnt remember feeling sad for him. Recently, he had been coaching boxing at clinics in Trinidad. Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring. But what most people might not know is that just two weeks later, Trevor Berbick was convicted of rape as well. A somber Ali, scaling a pudgy 236 1/4, trudged toward the ring and once there, he and his corner awaited Berbicks arrival. 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. Year should not be greater than current year. The fight card started late because organizers couldnt find the key that unlocked the front gate of the stadium. 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. I ended up beating the All-Marine heavyweight champ and winning the service tournament. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He threw 100 punches and landed 45, including 36 of 86 power shots. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. 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. A borrowed cowbell was used to start and end each round. One measure of a fighters worth is whether he left the sport in better shape than it was when he first arrived. 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. 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