Trevor Berbick death

cowzerp

Glen Johnson has paid tribute to Trevor Berbick following his murder at the weekend.

The former heavyweight world champion and last man to beat Muhammad Ali was found near his home in Port Antonio with head wounds from what appeared to be a machete.

A man has already been arrested in connection with the killing, as Jamaica comes to terms with losing one of its sporting heroes.

Compatriot Johnson, who is now based in Miami, led the tributes, praising Berbick for putting his country, best-known for its cricketing prowess, on the boxing map.

"It's a sad day to hear one of our boxing heroes go down the way Trevor did," he told the Jamaica Observer.

"None of us knows how our passing is going to be and it's just sad to see him going in this way, it is just a bit discouraging.

"Being the first Jamaican to go overseas and win a world (heavyweight) title, basically he put Jamaica on the map in boxing, paving the way for guys like Mike McCallum, Simon Brown and a few others."

Berbick, thought to be 52, was discovered in a church courtyard near his home on Sunday morning. He was face down, with a gaping head wound, although Jamaican police have ruled out robbery as a motive.

His death brought to an end a life that was often controversial, always colourful and latterly, troubled.

A former Olympian, Berbick's professional career took off in 1981 when he challenged Larry Holmes for the WBC heavyweight championship.

He was the overwhelming loser over 15 rounds but seven months later, was the surprise opponent for the one and only Muhammad Ali in Nassua, a fight optimistically dubbed 'The Drama in the Bahamas'.

The 10-rounder didn't quite live up to its billing and even after a points win over a seriously-faded Ali - it was his last fight - Berbick was forced to wait for another crack at the big time. That came in 1986 against then-champion Pinklon Thomas and at 32, Berbick was crowned world champion with a unanimous decision.

But his reign was short-lived. His first defence came against the emerging force that was Mike Tyson, undefeated in 28 fights and with 19 of those not reaching the third round.

Berbick fell the same way as those 19, being put down twice in the second, stumbling back to the canvas twice after the second knockdown, before referee Mills Lane came to his rescue.

"I was trying to prove to myself I could take his best shots. He punches pretty hard," admitted Berbick afterwards.

Tyson, 12 years his junior, became the youngest ever heavyweight champion and the Jamaican was relegated to the division's second tier.

He never got close to hitting the same heights again and with the Canadian title the peak of his achievements in the ring, his problems out of it mounted.

In 1991 he became involved in an infamous street brawl with Holmes, who launched a two-footed attack on Berbick from the roof of a car after he had heckled him at a post-fight press conference.

The same year, he agreed to a bizarre Rocky-style wrestler v boxer against Nobuhiko Takada.But typically, Berbick's frustrations got the better of him and he walked out midway through the first round.

The best he managed in boxing was the IBO Intercontinental heavyweight title in 1997 and the Canadian title in 1999, but the man he beat, Shane Sutcliffe, avenged the result in what proved to be the last of Berbick's 62 fights in May 2000.

He was forced to retire that year after having his licence revoked due to a blood clot on his brain. Without boxing, his problems mounted and he was continuously in and out of trouble.

He served jail time for sexual assault on his children's babysitter and was deported twice from the United States.

There had been talk of a comeback in the last couple of years, but that never materialised.

Local residents have indicated that the suspect arrested in connection with the murder, a 20 year old man whose name has not been released, was involved in a land dispute with the former champion of the world.

Magic Eight Ball

Very sad.
I watched his fight with Tyson when I found out..
Another sad lost for boxing.

bilbo79

r i p

Dempsey

Very sad to hear that