This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, He fought in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and stayed there to turn professional, winning his first 11 fights (10 by knockout)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. 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. That lead to Nadine initiating divorce proceedings. As if to underscore just how far Holmes had drifted from his days as a headliner in glitzy hot spots such as New York and Las Vegas, the low-rent press conference after the fight degenerated into one of the trashiest boxing highlights of the last 30 years. Ali was the master of that game and here was Berbick talking to Ali. At one point I heard Berbick say, cmon old man, show me your speed. I was lividlivid! Hobson remembered. In November, Berbick was charged with aggravated assault after he menaced his ex-financial manager at gunpoint. A final attempt to regain verticality ended with Berbick tottering into the arms of Mills Lane, who promptly halted the massacre. The overriding theme of it, being a young kid, was, this is something Im never going to forget, this is something I probably dont deserve to be at, and this is the end of the greatest athlete in the history of the world. . At the time involved in a land dispute with his nephew, Berbicks body was found in a church courtyard. In that round Berbick out-threw Ali 89-28 overall (including 72-9 power) and out-landed him 41-8 overall and 39-1 power. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. 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. Berbicks dominance was such that he occasionally barked at the old champion. 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. Berbick eventually returned to Florida, where he was finally deported to Jamaica in 2002. Year should not be greater than current year. While Berbick never seriously threatened Holmes, he underscored his ruggedness and raised his profile enough to qualify for another significant payday. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. 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. Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 There was an error deleting this problem. He was born in Norwich, Port Antonio, Jamaica on August 1, 1954. 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. A system error has occurred. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. We all lose sometimes. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. The fight went the distance with Berbick winning through a unanimous decision on points. Darling & Fischer Garden Chapel. Just as he had against Weaver a few months earlier, Tate opened a wide lead before imploding late. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! Former Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica, according to police. February 17, 1999. The bludgeoning Ali received from Holmes should have resulted in the end of his career, and when he surrendered his boxing license to the Nevada State Athletic Commission in late December and promised not to pursue reinstatement it certainly looked as if that was the case. 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. According to Sports Illustrated, Ali's purse was $1.1 million and Berbick's was $350,000. In February 1992, Mike Tyson was convicted on rape charges and spent three years in prison. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Berbick continued to fight, with his final bout being a 2000 win over Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe. He later had legal problems, including convictions for sexual assault, grand theft and burglary, that led to his being deported from the United States to his native Jamaica. The punishment Berbick dished out was extraordinary. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. 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. However, the post-Ali era was especially blessed because the sport would be fueled not just by one fighter, but several. Then Im coming home. This was about Ali. 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. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. The Brooklyn was coming out in me. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. "Legally, I'm a spirit," he once said. His midnight-blue suit, gaudy tie, white pocket square kerchief, and sunglasses out of place among the pastel shirts, Zubaz, and tracksuits. 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. In retrospect, all of us had done our mourning after the Holmes fight. 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 for your help! Recently, he had been coaching boxing at clinics in Trinidad. Berbick lost a title fight to Larry Holmes by unanimous decision in 1981. The 548th round of Alis 21-year professional career started as the first against Tunney Hunsaker had on his toes, using the jab and firing right hands over the top. 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. Funeral Home; Death of Trevor Berbick. Jean was born on September 2, 1932, in Hayti, Missouri. (1). Harold Berbick and an 18-year-old man from the. His breakdown began in the autumn of 1990 when he was arrested for assaulting a man he believed had been courting his wife, Nadine. Trevor Berbick. Trevor Berbick, boxer: born Port Antonio, Jamaica 1 August 1954; twice married (six children); died Norwich, Jamaica 28 October 2006. We all grow old. (10). Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. Theyd drink and let off steam, and theyd fight anybody in the streets. According to Nack, Ali, wearing a rubber corset, walked more than he ran during roadwork, shadowboxed listlessly, then climbed into a waiting limousine that took him back to his hotel. He's 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. Berbick claimed that the stolen goods had been stashed at his residence without his knowledge. 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. 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. Tyson took control of the fight from the start and levelled Berbick in the second with a vicious right hand,knocking the champion down. In Halifax, Berbick developed a local following and lumbered his way to an 11-0 record before facing Colombian mauler Bernardo Mercado. The more energetic Berbick bounded into the squared circle four minutes later and as he danced around the ring a stony Ali ignored him instead of launching into his usual pre-fight antics. It . or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. A 2-inch-thick metal pipe found at the scene is believed to be the murder weapon, police said. (8) Ali and his retinue knew full well that the string that Ali had played the past few years was frayed and nearing disintegration. 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. Sheldon Francis said. Weve updated the security on the site. 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 . Berbick entered the fight as the Canadian and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, as well as the WBA's fourth-ranked heavyweight contender. Ive got to face the facts. Two minutes into the round, Tyson opened up with a combination as Berbick tried to crowd him in centre ring. Please try again later. 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. 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. 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. He is a member of the BWAA and the International Boxing Research Organization. Ali had carried boxing in America, almost-singlehandedly, in the 1970s but the early 1980s was a great time. 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. (9). Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Theyd put a whuppin on you if you couldnt handle yourself. Just three years earlier in New Orleans, a 36-year-old Ali made good on his promise to dance for nearly all 15 rounds in regaining the title from Leon Spinks. Tel: 408-998-2226. Inspired by Ali, a plethora of stars spanning dozens of pounds built on the foundation Ali assembled. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. But that wasnt Berbicks only crime that year. 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. On November 26, 1986, Berbick squared off against Tyson at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas. All rights reserved. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. According to Berbick, it was his gig as a matre d at a rowdy mess hall that led him to boxing. Harold Berbick would be convicted of the murder and given a life sentence while Gordon was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison. 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. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. 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. 0 cemeteries found in Norwich, Portland, Jamaica. 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. Contact Us. No pictures of me on the floor, no pictures of me falling through the ropes, no broken teeth, no blood. Now, he just wanted to get by. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. As Ali sat on his stool between rounds, his inner being was hard at work. 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. He briefly held the World Boxing Council heavyweight title before losing it to Mike Tyson in 1986. It upset me more that he had the psychological balls to do that.. 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. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. cemeteries found in Norwich, Portland, Jamaica will be saved to your photo volunteer list. His difficulties between the ropes had nothing to do with binge eating, womanising, cocaine, or liquor. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. 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 made his professional boxing debut at the age of 22 on September 27, 1976. The accuser claimed that Berbick had driven to her apartment in Miami (FL) on Halloween in 1991 to pay her for her services but then physically assaulted her, ripped off her clothing, and then raped her. In 1984, he moved to Florida and signed with promoter Don King. 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. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Trevor Berbick I found on Findagrave.com. Family members linked to this person will appear here. He later reentered the US and worked as a trainer and coach. Photo by The Ring Magazine/ Getty Images. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. As one of the few heavyweights not given to waddling around the ring, Thomas had a chance to improve the lowly reputation of his division. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Constable Sheldon Francis said. 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. A borrowed cowbell was used to start and end each round. ). 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. 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. Market data provided by Factset. O'Connor Mortuary 25301 Alicia Pkwy Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | FD 1293. He had a gaping wound to his head. The bout was Ali's last in a career that spanned three decades. Berbick fought from 1976 to . 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. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. 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. 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. Berbicks body blasts and hurtful hooks broke the spell that had ensnared so many others. Legal Statement. Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. There was a problem getting your location. Please reset your password. 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. By Carlos Acevedo, Chris Eubank Jnr vs. Conor Benn is officially OFF, Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn: The story of a grim day for British boxing, Chris Eubank Jnr says there was no phone call with Conor Benn, but does expect their fight to still go ahead. Failed to delete memorial. Resend Activation Email. 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. 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. For a man who had mastered the 15-round distance, 10 rounds now seemed an eternity. He served 15 months in a Florida jail for sexual assault and was later deported from the United States. Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. In September 1991, Berbick was placed on probation for assaulting his former business manager. Berbick wins by unanimous decision. He was missing the fastball and he was not getting there in time. Maybe Ali was right about blaming the weight loss and the prescription drugs concealing his true ability in the Holmes fight. The baton had been passed to the non-heavyweights at that point. Berbickwas also convicted of second-degree grand theft in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signatureto get a mortgage on a home. Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Carlos Acevedo is the editor of Hannibal Boxing and was the founder of The Cruelest Sport. Portrait. Six months later, on April 7, 1991, Berbick took part in a fracas with Larry Holmes that epitomised his now-disordered life. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16356139/trevor-berbick. This browser does not support getting your location. 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. Thanks for signing up! He landed 68 power shots in rounds thirteen and fourteen alone versus Frazier in Manila, his last great performance. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. There is a problem with your email/password. He told me to come on down and join them boxing. Norma "Jean" Sooter passed away on December 20, 2022, at 90 years of age after a short illness. How dare he try to play with Alis mind? He threw 100 punches and landed 45, including 36 of 86 power shots. 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. There Berbick worked at a variety of jobs to make ends meet. Father Time has caught up with me, Ali said. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. His stories A Darkness Made to Order and A Ghost Orbiting Forever both won first place awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America. The connection was deep, heartfelt and beyond debate. 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. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Try again later. 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. First, there was the opponent. 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. No excuses this time, but at least I didnt go down. Berbick won the WBC world heavyweight title by upsetting Pinklon Thomas in March, 1986. 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. 2023 RING TV LIVE. From Florida, Berbick was deported to Jamaica, where he moved in with his mother and began menacing his neighbourhood. 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. 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. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. 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 . 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. He enjoyed the city so much he decided to move there to continue his training, later moving to Florida. A man has been arrested. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Ali absorbed 43% of Berbicks total punches and 45% of his power shots while landing just 24% and 26% respectively. based on information from your browser. KINGSTON, Jamaica - Former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead in a church courtyard Saturday with chop wounds to his head in a suspected homicide. The judge ordered both men jailed pending their Jan. 11 sentencing. 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. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. It was awkward because this guy just won the fight and he might as well have been a kid filling the soda machine. Photo from The Ring/ Getty Images. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Failed to remove flower. The Jamaica Observer later reported that Berbick had been bludgeoned to death with a four-foot-long metallic pipe and a crowbar. A year later, Randy Turpin, who famously beat Sugar Ray Robinson, committed suicide after being declared bankrupt. 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. As he sat ringside, he was optimistic that Ali still had enough in reserve to wring out another victory. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. He then headed west to British Columbia to attempt a boxing comeback, despite thewarrant for his arrest in Florida. Berbick died on October 28, 2006 at the age of 52 years. Berbick, always a rebel at heart, had other things in mind. As excited as I was (to be there), I felt like I didnt belong because I looked around me and I saw all these writers like Michael Katz, Eddie Schuyler, Dick Young, all these writers who I had grown up reading. Round four was a wipeout for Berbick as he landed 38 of 68 punches to Alis 9 of 51 as well as 33 of 59 power shots to Alis 5 of 21. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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.