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. 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. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images. Beverly Howell said Berbick's body was discovered around 6:30 a.m. in a church courtyard in Portland parish. In November, Berbick was charged with aggravated assault after he menaced his ex-financial manager at gunpoint. Instead, he battled delusions of grandeur. He won the title via unanimous decision but wouldnt hold onto it for very long. 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. Hes one of just two boxers to fight both Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, the other being Larry Holmes, and was a big part of an often-overlooked era in the sport in the early 1980s. He has been writing for Boxing News since 2015. Oops, something didn't work. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. In Halifax, Berbick developed a local following and lumbered his way to an 11-0 record before facing Colombian mauler Bernardo Mercado. But then he got tired and he just couldnt (keep going). After trying to get up from the second knockdown he fell another two times. This account has been disabled. The fight was competitive enough where I was hoping he was going to do it, he said in a July 2017 phone interview. 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. Market data provided by Factset. 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 . Tyson bombarded Berbick throughout the round, and with only a handful of seconds left, he landed a right hand that sent Berbick lurching. Berbick fought from 1976 to 2000, finishing with a record of 50-11 with a draw and 33 knockouts. 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. Anyone can read what you share. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Ali wasnt punching and Berbick was taunting him. All rights reserved. Now, he just wanted to get by. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Legal Statement. He was a heavyweight world champion. Part 5: https://youtu.be/eFE4kjKdG5sPart 1: https://youtu.be/0fXoOz9MIRo-----In this clip, Larry Holmes opens about beating Trevor Berbick, who Larry expl. His work has appeared in Inside HBO Boxing, Undisputed Champion Network, Remezcla, and Boxing Digest Magazine. 20-Year-Old Nephew of Trevor Berbick Charged with Killing Him Referee Zach Clayton, who counted Foreman out the night Ali regained the title, delivered the final instructions. 2023 RING TV LIVE. 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. August 1, 1954 - October 28, 2006 KINGSTON | Age 52 Ex-heavyweight champ Trevor Berbick found dead at 52. (3) It was just another illustration of how far Ali had declined physically and in terms of his own expectations. Chop wounds to the head gave police a clear indication that this was a homicide and his 20-year-old nephew, Harold Berbick, and 18-year-old Kenton Gordon were picked up the next 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. Brentwood Obituaries | Local Obits for Brentwood, CA - Legacy.com A 2-inch-thick metal pipe found at the scene is believed to be the murder weapon, police said. Ali tried but was outworked by Berbick for most of the fight. The bout was Ali's last in a career that spanned three decades. Ali may have even won the third as he threw more punches (56 to 48) and jabbed better than anyone could have hoped (11 of 43, 26%). Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Essentially banished from America, Ali took his circus act offshore, to the Bahamas, roughly 50 miles from the Florida coast. 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. For Berbick, the loss was humiliating. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In 1984, he moved to Florida and signed with promoter Don King. 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. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Boxing Record Featured Opponents Hasim Rahman Larry Holmes I dont remember if Ali started punching him at that point, but Berbick was asserting his dominance and playing with Alis mind. Norma "Jean" Sooter passed away on December 20, 2022, at 90 years of age after a short illness. Learn more about managing a memorial . Instead, they got an old Ali. Failed to delete memorial. 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. Ali's final pro bout was a 10-round non-title affair against Canadian contender Trevor Berbick. Though no longer able to contribute, Ali surely must have surveyed the scene, took it all in and exhaled in satisfaction. But I learned a little martial arts from the Special Forces and handled him pretty well. 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. 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. Berbick's body was discovered about 6:30 a.m. in his hometown parish of Portland, constable Beverly Howell said. 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. Darling & Fischer Garden Chapel. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. The judge ordered both men jailed pending their Jan. 11 sentencing. (1). Trevor Berbick holds an interesting place in boxing history. 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. We have set your language to This was about 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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Editor's Pick: The life and death of Trevor Berbick Just as he had against Weaver a few months earlier, Tate opened a wide lead before imploding late. 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. 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. 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. Try again. Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 Trevor Berbick with his lawyer Heron Dale in 2003 or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. 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. 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 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. Failed to report flower. 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. Trevor Berbick (1955-2006) - Find a Grave Memorial It wasnt as horribly sad as you think it would be. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Const. Nephew Is Convicted in the Death of Trevor Berbick Trevor Berbick Biography - Jamaican boxer | Pantheon Recently, he had been coaching boxing at clinics in Trinidad. 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. Legal Statement. His future, like that of so many of his contemporaries, would include drugs, prison, privation, early death. 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,. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16356139/trevor-berbick. Trevor Berbick, boxer: born Port Antonio, Jamaica 1 August 1954; twice married (six children); died Norwich, Jamaica 28 October 2006. 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.