The former fighter, believed to be 52, was pronounced dead by a doctor in the church courtyard. Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring. That was, to me, the official ending of it all. Unfocused and underprepared, Thomas dropped a grueling decision to Berbick, who forced the fight on the inside and outworked him. But there was also a dark side to Trevor Berbick. The bout was Ali's last in a career that spanned three decades. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. based on information from your browser. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. 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. 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. Maybe Ali was right about blaming the weight loss and the prescription drugs concealing his true ability in the Holmes fight. 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. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. 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. Berbick, 52, won the WBC crown in 1986 by beating Pinklon Thomas before losing it to Mike Tyson eight months later. 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. But that wasnt Berbicks only crime that year. His nephew, Harold, and an accomplice were arrested and later convicted of murdering Berbick. While Berbick never seriously threatened Holmes, he underscored his ruggedness and raised his profile enough to qualify for another significant payday. 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. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. This account has been disabled. He was brutalized in that fight and he wouldnt quit. Berbick wins by unanimous decision. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images. Ali had carried boxing in America, almost-singlehandedly, in the 1970s but the early 1980s was a great time. 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. 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. Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Berbick led 279-129 in total connects and pounded out an enormous 236-45 gap in landed power shots. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Legal Statement. KINGSTON, Jamaica - A 20-year-old nephew of former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick has been charged with killing him, police said Friday. Lambert had known Trevor Berbick from the day he was born. The baton had been passed to the non-heavyweights at that point. Wide-eyed, groggy, and surprised, Berbick took the mandatory-eight from Referee Mills Lane, and when the fight resumed, he braced himself for the worst. 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. In June 1980, however, Tate was on the comeback trail, looking to put the Weaver loss behind him. This browser does not support getting your location. Verify and try again. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. His difficulties between the ropes had nothing to do with binge eating, womanising, cocaine, or liquor. 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. But as the round wore on, so did Ali. KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) A nephew of the former heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was convicted along with another man of killing Berbick. If fighting three minutes against an opponent that largely ceded the round taxed his energy supply, what would happen once the younger bull revved up his attack? I know its the end. Here, there was no reason for him to quit and there was no time in which I felt like yelling, stop the fight. . Nearly a minute into round four, Berbick showed what 27 could do and Ali showed what 39 wouldnt allow him to do. 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 thought you might like to see a memorial for Trevor Berbick I found on Findagrave.com. Try again later. The onetime Ali Circus appeared flat emotionally, for they knew Ali had shown woeful energy throughout the 11-week training cycle. THE RING SHOP (CLICK HERE). 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. 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. 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. He also fought for Jamaica at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Trevor Berbick (16356139)? 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. 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. There Berbick worked at a variety of jobs to make ends meet. He was born in Norwich, Port Antonio, Jamaica on August 1, 1954. Sorry! Inspired by Ali, a plethora of stars spanning dozens of pounds built on the foundation Ali assembled. Instead, they got an old Ali. 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. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Ali tried but was outworked by Berbick for most of the fight. He had been living in Norwich district, a remote, farming community, in Portland parish, since 2002. Berbick attempted to get up twice, but stumbled to the canvas both times. Ali was the master of that game and here was Berbick talking to Ali. Also, 65% of his landed punches versus Berbick were jabs, with the CompuBox average being 28%. 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. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Already manifesting symptoms of his future affliction (Parkinsonism), Ali was not fit to enter the ring again. Berbick's death a homicide: police | CBC Sports Loaded. 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. 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. He has been writing for Boxing News since 2015. The fight was competitive enough where I was hoping he was going to do it, he said in a July 2017 phone interview. 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. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Trevor Berbick, a former opponent of Holmes, showed up at the post-fight press conference looking to stir the pot. He is a member of the BWAA and the International Boxing Research Organization. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16356139/trevor-berbick. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 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. After Holmes I had excuses: I was too light, I didnt breathe right. But in boxing, landed punches are the ultimate currency. We all lose sometimes. O'Connor Mortuary Arrangement Center - Irvine 4010 Barranca Pkwy, Ste 200 But while Hunsaker couldnt touch the whippet-quick teen-age gold medalist, Berbick feasted on the geriatric shell that remained. But then he got tired and he just couldnt (keep going). If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. 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. 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. Everybody was really quiet. How sad is that: Somebody playing with Alis mind. Beverly Howell said Berbick's body was discovered around 6:30 a.m. in a church courtyard in Portland parish. In 1997, he violated his parole and was deported. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Ali's final pro bout was a 10-round non-title affair against Canadian contender Trevor Berbick. 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. If Ali had any doubts before they were erased now: The jig was up, and the Ali Mystique was no more. Oops, something didn't work. There was an error deleting this problem. Former Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead Saturday in Kingston, Jamaica, according to police. Im not crazy. Anyone can read what you share. The fight was shown on closed circuit television and was available to about three million homes in the United States . Eight months later,he took on challenger Mike Tyson in Las Vegas. 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. 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. Berbick, who claimed that the incident was consensual, was sentenced to five years in prison but served just 15 months. It saved him in all four bouts and he had every reason to believe it would help him again. 471 E. Santa Clara Street. In his loss to Tyson in Las Vegas, Berbick was knocked down twice in the second round. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Darling & Fischer Garden Chapel. Drag images here or select from your computer for Trevor Berbick memorial. 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.. But in the fall of 1981 rumors of yet another Ali comeback began to stir. 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. No excuses this time, but at least I didnt go down. Two fights later, he became the last man to ever fight three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision. The first was the only instance in which Ali out-landed Berbick, and the effort required to keep the rugged Jamaican at bay had already cut into his gas tank more than it should have. There was a brief pause after Tyson connected and then Berbick plummeted, seemingly in slow motion, and crashed onto his back. 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. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. A borrowed cowbell was used to start and end each round. Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Brooklyn was coming out in me. 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. For a man who had mastered the 15-round distance, 10 rounds now seemed an eternity. Ive just got to win six rounds on the cards of the three officials; so Ill have to fight for six rounds, Ali told the Associated Press the day before the fight. Trevor Berbick, who made his reputation by beating the legendary Muhammad Ali in a 10-round unanimous decision in 1981, was found dead the morning of Oct. 28 in a church courtyard next to his . It was here that Ali, who arrived 30 minutes late, finally admitted the obvious his boxing career had come to an end. He told me to come on down and join them boxing. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. 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. Trevor Berbick was an extremely talented fighter with a lot of natural ability. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. 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. 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. He also said Alis slurring was circumstantial rather than innate. His body was found at the weekend in a pool of blood near his Port Antonio home. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Ali hadnt been a constant presence in the last couple of years, and it had been a while since the Holmes fight, Farhood observed. Tyson bombarded Berbick throughout the round, and with only a handful of seconds left, he landed a right hand that sent Berbick lurching. In fact, his loss to Tyson seemed to mark a grim turning point. Among his losses were those to Buster Douglas, Renaldo Snipes and Larry Holmes. The venue bore a regal name Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre but in reality, it was a converted baseball stadium that was still under construction. But Ali was such a charismatic and financial force that some were still willing to move mountains for him. The assembled media had either followed Ali from the very beginning or jumped on the bus sometime during its 61 stops. We all grow old. (10). Berbick went on to capture the WBC heavyweight title with a decisive win over American fighter Pinklon Thomas. "Legally, I'm a spirit," he once said. The press conference was actually on my floor where I was staying. He eventually moved back to the U.S., but was deported a second time. His death, officially from a drugs overdose, in the early 70s remains a contentious subject. Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 - 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. Berbick served a combined 15 months for both convictions and was ordered deported back to Jamaica. Holmes, returning to the ring after an absence of four years, had just won his first fight since 1985, stopping hapless Tim Doc Anderson in one round at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. If you couldnt beat Trevor Berbick there was really no point in going on. 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. Ali was 39 years old at this time, and Berbick was 27 years old. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. How dare he try to play with Alis mind? Even when Holmes, from the dais, insulted him, Berbick remained motionless. His stories A Darkness Made to Order and A Ghost Orbiting Forever both won first place awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. She was the second . Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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. In a stroke of dubious luck, a warped Muhammad Ali chose Berbick for his comeback opponent. Thanks for signing up! Then Im coming home. Trevor Berbick was the last fighter to face Muhammad Ali in the ring. 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. 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. The crowd that had sat through Alis mid-rounds crisis suddenly perked up as their hero tried to turn back the clock. He threw 100 punches and landed 45, including 36 of 86 power shots. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? 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. 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. He served 15 months in a Florida jail for sexual assault and was later deported from the United States. Norma "Jean" Sooter. 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. Berbick eventually returned to Florida, where he was finally deported to Jamaica in 2002. Berbick was there first and he was speaking and nobody wanted to hear what he had to say. He was missing the fastball and he was not getting there in time. More in News . 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Photo from The Ring/ Getty Images. 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. Im finished. His swan song was a pathetic sideshow that featured a fugitive (James Cornelius) dabbling as a promoter, a rickety baseball field with limited amenities used as an arena, a cowbell to toll the rounds, and two pairs of gloves shared by all the fighters on the card. We have set your language to Harold Berbick and an 18-year-old man from the. But Berbick immediately jumped to his feet. 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. He built his reputation by beating the legendary Muhammad Ali in a 10-round unanimous decision in 1981. Im from your part of the world. Then, to punctuate his point, he fired a hook toward Alis head and blasted more rights to the ribs as Ali clinched. There was a problem getting your location. February 17, 1999. As Berbick pounded away, Ali dug into that bag of tricks by widening his eyes and opening his mouth in mock duress. There are claims he fell foul of the Mafia. Tyson took control of the fight from the start and levelled Berbick in the second with a vicious right hand,knocking the champion down. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. It was awkward because this guy just won the fight and he might as well have been a kid filling the soda machine. I ended up beating the All-Marine heavyweight champ and winning the service tournament. Harold Berbick had been involved in a land dispute with his uncle. 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. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. To use this feature, use a newer browser. These extracurricular pursuits distracted him right up to the day of the fight, when he could be found in the lobby of the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, hawking cassette tapes of a song he had recorded in hopes of landing a major label contract. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Failed to delete memorial. It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. 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. . 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. 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.. Add to your scrapbook. After serving 15 months in prison, Berbick was deported from the United States. O'Connor Mortuary 25301 Alicia Pkwy Laguna Hills, CA 92653 | FD 1293. Two minutes into the round, Tyson opened up with a combination as Berbick tried to crowd him in centre ring. In a closely contested fight, Berbick was able to narrowly earn the victory by unanimous decision to capture his first major heavyweight title. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Now, as the nearly 40-year-old Ali announced his departure from The Sweet Science, it was evident he had set the stage for another Golden Era whose star power wasnt isolated to only the heavyweights. When his immigration status in Canada lapsed, Berbick snuck back into the U.S. illegally. The youngest heavyweight champion earned $1.5 million against Berbick; on the other hand, his opponent, who got dropped in round 2 . There, while Holmes celebrated his kayo win, stood an impassive Trevor Berbick. I dont know that we necessarily knew at that point, as Ali was retiring, that it was going to be as great a period as it was, but in fact, the era was in very good hands and didnt need Ali at that point.