Ali had carried boxing in America, almost-singlehandedly, in the 1970s but the early 1980s was a great time. We have set your language to Nephew Is Convicted in the Death of Trevor Berbick, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/22/sports/othersports/22berbick.html. 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. There are claims he fell foul of the Mafia. With seven WBC title defenses since 1978, Holmes was an established champion coming off the first marquee win of his title reign: a pitiful butchering of the feeble Muhammad Ali. 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%). 2023 RING TV LIVE. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick, billed as "Drama in Bahama", was a ten-round boxing match that took place in Nassau, Bahamas on December 11, 1981. Tel: 408-998-2226. Berbick finished with a professional record of 50-11-1, including 33 KOs, but ran into legal problems following the Tyson fight. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Former world and Canadian heavyweight boxing champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds to . 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. The fight went the distance with Berbick winning through a unanimous decision on points. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. The statistics backed up the judges while also delivering a brutally honest assessment. Yes, his punches were slow and lacked snap and his legs shuffled rather than danced, but he began most of the skirmishes and connected more often. He then headed west to British Columbia to attempt a boxing comeback, despite thewarrant for his arrest in Florida. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. 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. If Ali had any doubts before they were erased now: The jig was up, and the Ali Mystique was no more. I know its the end. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. Try again later. The fight was shown on closed circuit television and was available to about three million homes in the United States . Berbick's body was found on Saturday in a church courtyard with wounds to the back of his head. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. In 1984, he moved to Florida and signed with promoter Don King. The 52-year-old boxer represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics before settling there for a number of years. (2) While the exotic locale stacked up well with other Ali fight sites, everything else connected with the venture was anything but paradise. 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. That lead to Nadine initiating divorce proceedings. Berbick, 52, won the WBC crown in 1986 by beating Pinklon Thomas before losing it to Mike Tyson eight months later. The press conference was actually on my floor where I was staying. 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. 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. For the first time, I feel that Im 40 years old. However, Berbick fled to Montreal before his impending removal. He landed 68 power shots in rounds thirteen and fourteen alone versus Frazier in Manila, his last great performance. Berbicks dominance was such that he occasionally barked at the old champion. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. A system error has occurred. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. All rights reserved. His body was found at the weekend in a pool of blood near his Port Antonio home. His 20 year old nephew Harold Berbick and Kenton Gordon, an 18 year old friend of Harold's were charged with the crime. He told me to come on down and join them boxing. Verify and try again. They beat Berbick with a crowbar and a pipe, leaving him mortally wounded on a dirt path. 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. Trevor Berbick, a former opponent of Holmes, showed up at the post-fight press conference looking to stir the pot. Sheldon Francis said. A decision over undefeated Greg Page seven months later seemed to solidify Berbick as a legitimate contender, but consecutive losses to Renaldo Snipes and cruiserweight ST Gordon reversed his momentum and branded him a journeyman. In his first title defence, Tate was shockingly poleaxed by Mike Weaver with only 45 seconds left in the 15th round. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. More in News . 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. Add to your scrapbook. 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. 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. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images First, there was the opponent. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. or redistributed. Even when Holmes, from the dais, insulted him, Berbick remained motionless. (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. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. So did the promotion, which was beset with numerous financial and organizational problems. (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 Eight months later,he took on challenger Mike Tyson in Las Vegas. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. 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. That realization hit hard and the emotions enveloping the room were raw and real. Thanks to the rise of pay-cable outlets and pay-per-view platforms, the purses these fighters generated dwarfed those generated by Ali and they, too, became household names worldwide. The baton had been passed to the non-heavyweights at that point. 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. In Halifax, Berbick developed a local following and lumbered his way to an 11-0 record before facing Colombian mauler Bernardo Mercado. Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images. 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. 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. His difficulties between the ropes had nothing to do with binge eating, womanising, cocaine, or liquor. Even though just nearly 15 years after the Trevor Berbick fight, he would go on to declare bankruptcy, this 2-round bout in 1986 generated one of the first biggest paydays of Mike Tyson's pro-boxing career. February 17, 1999. He had a gaping wound to his head. 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. 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. (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. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? 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. The former fighter, believed to be 52, was pronounced dead by a doctor in the church courtyard. Berbick continued to fight, with his final bout being a 2000 win over Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe. 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. Unlike his Lost Generation stablemates, however, Berbick rarely entered the ring out of condition. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. 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. 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Berbick attempted to get up twice, but stumbled to the canvas both times. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 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. In a closely contested fight, Berbick was able to narrowly earn the victory by unanimous decision to capture his first major heavyweight title. In September 1991, Berbick was placed on probation for assaulting his former business manager. 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,. 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. I dont remember if Ali started punching him at that point, but Berbick was asserting his dominance and playing with Alis mind. Canadian authorities took the action because Berbick was stripped of his landed immigrant status last summer for a series of . Here, there was no reason for him to quit and there was no time in which I felt like yelling, stop the fight. . Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? In retrospect, all of it was wishful thinking. 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. In fact, his loss to Tyson seemed to mark a grim turning point. Former Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica, according to police. 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. But then he got tired and he just couldnt (keep going). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. All rights reserved. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. 471 E. Santa Clara Street. 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. 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. It was awkward because this guy just won the fight and he might as well have been a kid filling the soda machine. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. A man has been arrested. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. I thought, knock it off, show some respect. I wanted to climb into the ring and backhand him. 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. Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the final fight of Muhammad Alis professional career, his 10-round decision defeat against Trevor Berbick in what was incongruously called The Drama in the Bahamas. Although the event was enveloped by sadness and dreariness, the impact of Alis legacy remained unaffected, for not only did his entry into the sport come at a most fortuitous time, he laid the groundwork for the glorious era that was already in progress by the time he entered the ring against Berbick: The era of The Four Kings.. Weve updated the security on the site. His breakdown began in the autumn of 1990 when he was arrested for assaulting a man he believed had been courting his wife, Nadine. "I have no age.". 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. Try again later. 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. It wasnt to be. But Berbick immediately jumped to his feet. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16356139/trevor-berbick. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. 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. Berbick claimed that the stolen goods had been stashed at his residence without his knowledge. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Constable Sheldon Francis said. It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. We had Hearns and we had Leonard and we had Duran and Hagler the Four Kings and it was a great time. The Berbick fight was Alis first loss in 16 appearances outside the United States. The fight was competitive enough where I was hoping he was going to do it, he said in a July 2017 phone interview. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. Although Mercado had been stopped in his only fights against recognisable opposition, his clubbing right hand was a legitimate weapon. 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. Berbick was arrested several times and served 15 months for sexually assaulting the family babysitter in 1992. 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. Former world lightheavyweight champ Freddie Mills died of gunshot wounds to the head in 1965. Ali wasnt punching and Berbick was taunting him. 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. 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. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! They spoke for themselves, they fought for themselves and the fans who paid to see them, and they fought for the sport that gave them a chance to build new lives. 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. We all grow old. (10). Theres absolutely no evidence that Muhammad has sustained any injury to any vital organ brain, liver, kidneys, heart, lungs nervous system, or muscle or bone systems, Dr. Demopoulos said in William Nacks Sports Illustrated story. 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. He tried convincing U.S. commissions that Ali was still fit to fight, but none gave their consent. This account has been disabled. For Berbick, the loss was humiliating. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Obituaries Funeral Homes Newspapers Send Flowers News & Advice Memorials. Drag images here or select from your computer for Trevor Berbick memorial. He later reentered the US and worked as a trainer and coach. Learn more about managing a memorial . Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. His death, officially from a drugs overdose, in the early 70s remains a contentious subject. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images. Failed to remove flower. All rights reserved. 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 . During the final years of Alis career, it had been feared that once he lost the title and faded from the scene that he would take the sport of boxing with him. If you couldnt beat Trevor Berbick there was really no point in going on. But while Hunsaker couldnt touch the whippet-quick teen-age gold medalist, Berbick feasted on the geriatric shell that remained. 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. 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. Everybody knew that this was really it, he continued. This is a carousel with slides. 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. He lost a unanimous decision but was the first fighter to go the distance with Holmes in a title fight. First, there was the opponent. You can always change this later in your Account settings. 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. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 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. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. The shadow of Ali, 9 of 60 overall and 3 of 22 power, paled in comparison. It upset me more that he had the psychological balls to do that.. 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. As the bell sounded for round eight Ali broke out the old butterfly float and a facsimile of the bee-like sting. Maybe Ali was right about blaming the weight loss and the prescription drugs concealing his true ability in the Holmes fight. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Darling & Fischer Garden Chapel. 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 email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. But he insists the best of him is still to come, writes Declan Taylor. Berbick was convicted in 1991 of misdemeanour assault for attacking his former business manager, who testified in court that the fighter held a gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him. Recently, he had been coaching boxing at clinics in Trinidad. Sure, Ali could never dethrone Holmes, but he might have a chance against Weaver, who was out-boxed by Tate for nearly the entire fight before a miraculous hook flattened Tate with 45 seconds left in the final round, they might have said to themselves. Despite all of his troubles, Trevor Berbick was seen as a legendary hero in Jamaica. The crowd that had sat through Alis mid-rounds crisis suddenly perked up as their hero tried to turn back the clock.