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. 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. 387 Trevor Berbick Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Const. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Berbick died on October 28, 2006 at the age of 52 years. 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. (9). 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. After trying to get up from the second knockdown he fell another two times. 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. Directions. 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. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! 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. Trevor Berbick: Record and Stats - martialbot.com If nothing else, Ali could be proud that he earned the privilege of ending this fight on his feet instead of on his stool. I ended up beating the All-Marine heavyweight champ and winning the service tournament. Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring. He is a member of the BWAA and the International Boxing Research Organization. I came out all right for an old man. If you couldnt beat Trevor Berbick there was really no point in going on. 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. The youngest heavyweight champion earned $1.5 million against Berbick; on the other hand, his opponent, who got dropped in round 2 . Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. He turned pro that fall and went on to win 18 of his first 20 professional fights (one loss, one draw), earning him a shot at Larry Holmes heavyweight crown in April 1981. But I learned a little martial arts from the Special Forces and handled him pretty well. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. Unfortunately, thats not his only connection to Iron Mike. Please reset your password. 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. Trevor Berbick vs. Mike Tyson - Wikipedia Darling & Fischer Garden Chapel. However, the post-Ali era was especially blessed because the sport would be fueled not just by one fighter, but several. Why Michael Spinks Didnt Want to Leave His Dressing Room to Fight Mike Tyson. The baton had been passed to the non-heavyweights at that point. A 2-inch-thick metal pipe found at the scene is believed to be the murder weapon, police said. August 1, 1954 - October 28, 2006 KINGSTON | Age 52 Ex-heavyweight champ Trevor Berbick found dead at 52. Berbick continued to fight, with his final bout being a 2000 win over Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe. Berbick attempted to get up twice, but stumbled to the canvas both times. 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. Two fights later, he became the last man to ever fight three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Trevor Berbick I found on Findagrave.com. 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. God raised me up for a purpose! 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. Eight months later,he took on challenger Mike Tyson in Las Vegas. 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. 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 . Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. No pictures of me on the floor, no pictures of me falling through the ropes, no broken teeth, no blood. 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. This is a carousel with slides. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. We have set your language to Mike Tyson Finished Trevor Berbick 35 Years Ago - EssentiallySports 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. Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 0 cemeteries found in Norwich, Portland, Jamaica. Carlos Acevedo is the editor of Hannibal Boxing and was the founder of The Cruelest Sport. How dare he try to play with Alis mind? She was the second . The punishment Berbick dished out was extraordinary. 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 led 279-129 in total connects and pounded out an enormous 236-45 gap in landed power shots. Ali was the master of that game and here was Berbick talking to Ali. 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. 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. 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. How sad is that: Somebody playing with Alis mind. 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. There are claims he fell foul of the Mafia. Berbick might have believed his words, but when he got the chance to dominate inside the ring he took it with both hands. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images. GREAT NEWS! But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. 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. Boxing Record Featured Opponents Hasim Rahman Larry Holmes 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. He also said Alis slurring was circumstantial rather than innate. 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. It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. Former world and Canadian heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds to . On November 26, 1986, Berbick squared off against Tyson at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas. From Florida, Berbick was deported to Jamaica, where he moved in with his mother and began menacing his neighbourhood. 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 have no age.". But while Hunsaker couldnt touch the whippet-quick teen-age gold medalist, Berbick feasted on the geriatric shell that remained. Trevor Berbick - BoxRec The connection was deep, heartfelt and beyond debate. 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 future, like that of so many of his contemporaries, would include drugs, prison, privation, early death. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. But that wasnt Berbicks only crime that year. In his first title defence, Tate was shockingly poleaxed by Mike Weaver with only 45 seconds left in the 15th round. So did the promotion, which was beset with numerous financial and organizational problems. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The fight went the distance with Berbick winning through a unanimous decision on points. There, while Holmes celebrated his kayo win, stood an impassive Trevor Berbick. Steve Farhood, elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017, was also in the room, a room that stirred feelings of unworthiness. This was about Ali. 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.. 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. Ali was 39 years old at this time, and Berbick was 27 years old. Berbick's death a homicide: police | CBC Sports A man has been arrested. Berbick was gracious and Schuyler set the tone. Lambert had known Trevor Berbick from the day he was born. 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. Also, 65% of his landed punches versus Berbick were jabs, with the CompuBox average being 28%. 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. The authorities said Harold Berbick and Gordon beat Trevor Berbick to death in October 2006, leaving his body in a church courtyard in Portland, Jamaica. Ali landed just 51 power punches in his losses to Berbick and Holmes. I know its the end. Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. Try again. 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. The lone defeat in that stretch came against WBC champion Larry Holmes, who was looking to break Tommy Burns all-time record of eight consecutive knockouts in heavyweight title fights. Two fights later, he beat Muhammad Ali in Ali's last fight. In his loss to Tyson in Las Vegas, Berbick was knocked down twice in the second round. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. I had a buddy with me and we went there and it was similar to waiting for a funeral to begin. Berbick won the WBC world heavyweight title by upsetting Pinklon Thomas in March, 1986. I dont remember if Ali started punching him at that point, but Berbick was asserting his dominance and playing with Alis mind. based on information from your browser. 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. 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. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. The assembled media had either followed Ali from the very beginning or jumped on the bus sometime during its 61 stops. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Berbick, whose contempt was now replaced by compassion, yelled at Clayton to stop the fight but the onetime Harlem Globetrotter held firm and allowed the battering to continue. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Norma "Jean" Sooter passed away on December 20, 2022, at 90 years of age after a short illness. 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. Larry Holmes' infamous street fight with Trevor Berbick The Ali Era was over. 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. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. In June 1980, however, Tate was on the comeback trail, looking to put the Weaver loss behind him. Im here, God!, Trevor Berbick was born in Port Antonio, Jamaica, in either 1952 or 1954, and spent five years in Guantanamo Bay as immigrant labour. Now operating under the umbrella of Sports Internationale Ltd., Cornelius put together a fight between Ali and onetime title challenger Trevor Berbick that was to be staged December 11, 1981 on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. There was an error deleting this problem. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. 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. Jurors deliberated for just two hours before finding the former champion guilty of raping a 26-year-old woman that worked as a babysitter for the Berbick family. This browser does not support getting your location. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. But then he got tired and he just couldnt (keep going). His problems with the law continued and he was again deported in 2002. The promoters just didnt understand the details. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Berbick, beset by legal problems following his retirement from the ring, lost his heavyweight title to Mike Tyson and was the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali. Despite competing in just 11 amateur bouts, he represented Jamaica at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, losing to eventual silver medalist, Mercia Simon. 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. Trevor Berbick Biography - Jamaican boxer | Pantheon cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Tel: 408-998-2226. In a closely contested fight, Berbick was able to narrowly earn the victory by unanimous decision to capture his first major heavyweight title. 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. 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. Berbick, always a rebel at heart, had other things in mind. To put it in perspective, Im 24 years old, Farhood said during a June 2017 phone interview. It was awkward because this guy just won the fight and he might as well have been a kid filling the soda machine. The REAL " Trevor Berbick" Story- His Life,Career,Conviction and Murder In retrospect, all of us had done our mourning after the Holmes fight. 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. Thanks for your help! He briefly held the World Boxing Council heavyweight title before losing it to Mike Tyson in 1986. We all lose sometimes. Something went wrong, please try again later. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. You are welcome to call us any time of the day, any day of the week, for immediate assistance. That was, to me, the official ending of it all. A year later, Randy Turpin, who famously beat Sugar Ray Robinson, committed suicide after being declared bankrupt. Sorry! 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. All rights reserved. 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. Everybody knew that this was really it, he continued. 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. Everybody was really quiet. If Ali gets himself into prime shape, if everything falls into place during the fight and if he stays away from that big left hook he might shock the world one more time.. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. He tried convincing U.S. commissions that Ali was still fit to fight, but none gave their consent. Harold Berbick and an 18-year-old man from the. Hobson, who was also in the room, agreed with Farhoods description of the experience. His 20 year old nephew Harold Berbick and Kenton Gordon, an 18 year old friend of Harold's were charged with the crime. We had Hearns and we had Leonard and we had Duran and Hagler the Four Kings and it was a great time. Berbick further separated himself in the ninth as he upped his work rate to 70 punches to Alis 41 and out-landed him 23-11 overall, including 20-0 in power shots. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Despite all of his troubles, Trevor Berbick was seen as a legendary hero in Jamaica. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. Larry Holmes on Trevor Berbick Murdered by Nephew: He Deserved It One time 50 ships were in the harbour and a lot of the guys were all there for liberty. He briefly held the World Boxing Council heavyweight title before losing it to Mike Tyson in 1986. Berbick fought from 1976 to . Lambert had known Trevor Berbick from the day he was born. It upset me more that he had the psychological balls to do that.. The former fighter, believed to be 52, was pronounced dead by a doctor in the church courtyard. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Muhammad Ali's last stand and the sad, sorry tale of Trevor Berbick's He told me to come on down and join them boxing. Ali tried but was outworked by Berbick for most of the fight. His stories A Darkness Made to Order and A Ghost Orbiting Forever both won first place awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America. Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. (1) Not With a Bang, But a Whisper, by William Nack, Sports Illustrated, December 21, 1981, (2) Berbick Defeats Ali on Decision, by George Vescey, New York Times, December 12, 1981, (3) Ali Wants Weaver Title Bout, Associated Press, published in the Wilmington Morning Star, December 9, 1981, p. 1D, (4) Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, by Thomas Hauser, Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 1991, p. 429, (5) Berbick Defeats Ali on Decision, by George Vescey, New York Times, December 12, 1981, (7) Berbick Pounds Out Decision Over Ali, by Michael Farber, Montreal Gazette, December 11, 1981, p. 15, (8) Not With a Bang, But a Whisper, by William Nack, Sports Illustrated, December 21, 1981, (9) Ali Wants Weaver Title Bout, Associated Press, published in the Wilmington Morning Star, December 9, 1981, p. 1D, (10) Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, by Thomas Hauser, Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, 1991, p. 430, (11) The Curtain Closes on a Great Act: Alis Traumas in the Bahamas, by Dave Anderson, THE RING, February 1982, p. 37, GET THE LATEST ISSUE AT He enjoyed the city so much he decided to move there to continue his training, later moving to Florida. Oops, something didn't work. Sheldon Francis said. (1). You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. It . Now, he just wanted to get by. O'Connor Mortuary 25301 Alicia Pkwy Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | FD 1293. 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. Berbick, who claimed that the incident was consensual, was sentenced to five years in prison but served just 15 months.