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.. Unfortunately, thats not his only connection to Iron Mike. February 17, 1999. Referee Zach Clayton, who counted Foreman out the night Ali regained the title, delivered the final instructions. But I learned a little martial arts from the Special Forces and handled him pretty well. 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. He won thrice in London (KO 5, KO 6 versus Henry Cooper, KO 3 Brian London), four times elsewhere in Europe (KO 12 Karl Mildenberger, KO 7 Juergen Blin, KO 11 Al Blue Lewis, KO 5 Richard Dunn), four times in Asia (W 15 Mac Foster, W 12 Rudi Lubbers, W 15 Joe Bugner II, KO 14 Joe Frazier III), three times elsewhere in North America (W 15, W 12 George Chuvalo II, KO 5 Jean-Pierre Coopman) and once in Africa (KO 8 George Foreman) before losing to Berbick in the Bahamas. Inspired by Ali, a plethora of stars spanning dozens of pounds built on the foundation Ali assembled. 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. During his trial, Harold Berbick claimed that his uncle had physically abused his mother and that Berbick had also threatened him. Berbick was arrested several times and served 15 months for sexually assaulting the family babysitter in 1992. A final attempt to regain verticality ended with Berbick tottering into the arms of Mills Lane, who promptly halted the massacre. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. At the time involved in a land dispute with his nephew, Berbicks body was found in a church courtyard. I dont remember if Ali started punching him at that point, but Berbick was asserting his dominance and playing with Alis mind. 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. Although Mercado had been stopped in his only fights against recognisable opposition, his clubbing right hand was a legitimate weapon. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. On November 26, 1986, Berbick squared off against Tyson at the Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas. Youve got to understand this, he told the Miami News. His record was 50 wins (33 by knockout), 11 losses, and 1 draw. Berbick was gracious and Schuyler set the tone. He also was convicted in 1992 of second-degree grand theft for forging his ex-wife's signature to get a mortgage on a home. Berbick attempted to get up twice, but stumbled to the canvas both times. Police have arrested a man and were interrogating him at the Port Antonio police station in Portland, Constable Sheldon Francis said. Boxing Record Featured Opponents Hasim Rahman Larry Holmes 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. Berbick finished with a professional record of 50-11-1, including 33 KOs, but ran into legal problems following the Tyson fight. Photo from The Ring/ Getty Images. Learn more about merges. Though no longer able to contribute, Ali surely must have surveyed the scene, took it all in and exhaled in satisfaction. (8) Ali and his retinue knew full well that the string that Ali had played the past few years was frayed and nearing disintegration. A man has been arrested. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Berbicks dominance was such that he occasionally barked at the old champion. Please reset your password. A brain clot forced him to retire from boxing in 2000 (he finished his career with a 50-11-1 record with 33 knockouts) and he returned to Florida to begin training young boxers. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Thats the story everyone knows. Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images. His problems with the law continued and he was again deported in 2002. 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. . Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? His work has appeared in Inside HBO Boxing, Undisputed Champion Network, Remezcla, and Boxing Digest Magazine. In 1997, he violated his parole and was deported. Father Time has caught up with me, Ali said. 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Now, he just wanted to get by. Everybody knew that this was really it, he continued. 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. GREAT NEWS! 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. 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. Photo by The Ring/ Getty Images First, there was the opponent. Berbick won the WBC world heavyweight title by upsetting Pinklon Thomas in March, 1986. 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. While Berbick never seriously threatened Holmes, he underscored his ruggedness and raised his profile enough to qualify for another significant payday. 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. Berbick went on to capture the WBC heavyweight title with a decisive win over American fighter Pinklon Thomas. 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. The overarching issue one that should have been disqualifying was Alis health, which was in clear decline. Berbick continued to fight, with his final bout being a 2000 win over Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. At the sound of the bell, Berbick summoned enough energy to stick out his tongue at Tyson, but it was more than just false bravado: it was a sign that Berbick was already disoriented. 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,. His midnight-blue suit, gaudy tie, white pocket square kerchief, and sunglasses out of place among the pastel shirts, Zubaz, and tracksuits. If Ali could do this five more times, he would do enough to earn the decision and make a good case for the fight he wanted next a crack at Mike Weavers WBA title. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Norma "Jean" Sooter passed away on December 20, 2022, at 90 years of age after a short illness. 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.. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Legal Statement. I ended up beating the All-Marine heavyweight champ and winning the service tournament. A year later, Randy Turpin, who famously beat Sugar Ray Robinson, committed suicide after being declared bankrupt. Just as he had against Weaver a few months earlier, Tate opened a wide lead before imploding late. His breakdown began in the autumn of 1990 when he was arrested for assaulting a man he believed had been courting his wife, Nadine. From Florida, Berbick was deported to Jamaica, where he moved in with his mother and began menacing his neighbourhood. Trevor Berbick. In his loss to Tyson in Las Vegas, Berbick was knocked down twice in the second round. In retrospect, all of it was wishful thinking. Then Im coming home. He briefly held the World Boxing Council heavyweight title before losing it to Mike Tyson in 1986. She was the second . Quite literally. 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. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Contact Us. Berbick (left) stood up to Larry Holmes rocket left jab for 15 rounds. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. 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. Two fights later, he became the last man to ever fight three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, winning a 10-round unanimous decision. The baton had been passed to the non-heavyweights at that point. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Berbick was the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali, defeating him in 1981 by unanimous decision. 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. 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.