Trevor Berbick (1 August 1954 – 28 October 2006) was a Jamaican professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 2000. 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. Berbick was the last boxer to fight Muhammad Ali, defeating him in 1981 by unanimous decision.

As an amateur, Berbick won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the 1975 Pan American Games. In both his early and late professional career he held the Canadian heavyweight title twice, from 1979 to 1986 and 1999 to 2001. Berbick is the only boxer to have fought Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson.

Early life Berbick was born in the Norwich area of Port Antonio, Portland Parish, Jamaica. As a young man, he worked at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba, where he first took up boxing as a means of self-defence.

Amateur career At 22, Berbick represented his native Jamaica in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as a heavyweight boxer, despite having had only 11 prior amateur bouts. His lack of experience was evident as he lost to the eventual silver medalist, Mircea Şimon of Romania. However, he still displayed a lot of promise as a young heavyweight boxer. The previous year, in his only bout at the Pan American Games in Mexico City, Berbick lost a decision to future heavyweight champion Michael Dokes in the semi-finals, winning a bronze medal.

Leroy Caldwell, a boxer who fought almost all notable top-ranked heavyweights of the 1970s and early 1980s, including several world champions, recalled that Berbick was his most talented opponent.Did Earnie Shavers or George Foreman hit harder? Leroy Caldwell, who fought both, gives his take, an interview by Jeff Mayweather, Las Vegas, Nevada (7 July 2016).

Professional career

Berbick left Jamaica after the Olympics. He opted to settle in Montreal and fight professionally out of Halifax. He won his first 11 fights (10 by knockout) before suffering his first pro loss to another rising contender, Bernardo Mercado, on 3 April 1979. As an amateur, Berbick had soundly beaten Mercado. However, with 10 seconds remaining in the first round of their only professional meeting, Berbick walked into a punch and was knocked out.

A 1980 upset of ex-champ John Tate (9th-round KO) secured a title shot against Larry Holmes on 11 April 1981, but Berbick lost a 15-round unanimous decision. In his second fight after the loss, he beat 39-year-old Muhammad Ali by unanimous decision in the final fight of Ali's career.

In 1982, he beat undefeated prospect Greg Page, and in 1984 he moved to Miramar, Florida and signed with promoter Don King. Wins over undefeated Mitch "Blood" Green and David Bey scored him another title fight.

Berbick won the WBC world heavyweight title by upsetting Pinklon Thomas with a unanimous decision on 22 March 1986. The champion Thomas was a favorite, but Berbick won a battle of attrition by wearing Thomas down with his strength and quickness. Almost knocking down Thomas in the 11th round with a powerful left hook. Both fighter's faces showed the "meanness and toughness" of the battle; Berbick marked around both eyes, Thomas cut in the corner of his left eye. The scores for Berbick were 115/113 twice, and 115/114. The Associated Press (AP) scored it 116-113 for Berbick.

However, Berbick's reign as champion would be brief.

On 22 November, in his first defense of the title, Berbick took on Mike Tyson, who was looking to break Floyd Patterson's record and become, at the age of twenty, the youngest ever heavyweight champion. In the second round, Tyson dropped Berbick with a quick knockdown. Berbick was quickly overwhelmed by his opponent and late in the round, he went down again. The champion rose to his feet, but immediately stumbled backward and fell back to the canvas. Berbick tried twice more to make it to his feet but fell both times, and referee Mills Lane stopped counting and waved the fight off to end Berbick's reign as champion.

Berbick resumed his boxing career in 1994, frequently fighting on the USA Tuesday Night Fights. He would score a mild upset over Melvin Foster but would go on to lose to prospects such as Jimmy Thunder and Hasim Rahman. He eventually fought his last bout in 2000 against Canadian journeyman Shane Sutcliffe, winning a 12-round unanimous decision. Afterwards, a CAT scan revealed a blood clot in his brain and his boxing license was revoked. His final professional record was 49 wins (33 by knockout), 11 losses, and 1 draw.

Exhibition bout In 1991, Berbick traveled to the UWFi promotion in Japan to fight Nobuhiko Takada in a "boxer vs. wrestler" bout. Berbick claimed that he had been double-crossed and that he had expected the fight to be like American kickboxing, but it turned out that the rules allowed Takada to kick Berbick below the belt. According to UWFi trainer Pat McCarthy, "no rules were ever changed, and [Berbick] just never wanted to listen". Berbick refused to mount any offense, instead repeatedly complaining to the referee as Takada landed repeated low kicks to his legs. Takada claimed victory by default when Berbick exited the ring.Quebrada.net

Outside the ring Berbick trained young boxers in New Westminster, British Columbia in the late 1990s to early 2000s.

For some time, Berbick was a preacher at the Moments of Miracles Pentecostal church in Las Vegas. He claimed to have a religious experience at the age of 16.

Rape conviction Berbick was arrested on a number of occasions throughout his life and was sentenced in Florida to five years in prison for raping his children's babysitter in 1992. He served only 15 months. In 1997, he violated his parole and was deported from the United States to Canada. Due to his legal issues, he also had problems staying in Canada, losing his landed immigrant status and being ordered back to Jamaica in 1999. Later in 1999, he won the right to remain in Canada.

Feud with Larry Holmes Berbick had a well-publicized feud with Larry Holmes, whom he fought in the ring in 1981. Their feud culminated in a public confrontation and brawl in 1991, which was caught on tape. After a verbal altercation indoors, Berbick was outside complaining about being kicked and punched by Larry Holmes when Holmes climbed atop a parked car and launched himself at Berbick. Holmes was furious with Berbick badmouthing his family. The footage ends as the two are separated by police and others.

Retirement Berbick retired in Florida to be with his wife and four children (he had three children with his first wife in Montreal) and started to train boxers at Kenny Barrett's Gym in Tamarac, Florida. Berbick's problems escalated. He was again deported from the U.S. on 2December 2002.

Death On 28 October 2006, Berbick was murdered at a church in Port Antonio, Jamaica, by an assailant wielding a steel pipe. He sustained repeated blows to the head and died at the scene.

Police arrested two men, one of whom was Berbick's 20-year-old nephew Harold Berbick, in connection with the murder. They were interrogated at the Port Antonio police station in Portland early on the morning of 29October. Local residents indicated that the suspect was involved in a land dispute with Berbick. On 3November it was reported that Berbick's nephew, 20-year-old Harold Berbick, and an unidentified 18-year-old man had been charged with his murder by Jamaican police. On 20December 2007, Harold Berbick was convicted for the murder of his uncle. His accomplice, Kenton Gordon, was convicted of manslaughter and both men were sentenced on 11January 2008. Harold Berbick was sentenced to life in prison; Kenton Gordon was sentenced to fourteen years in prison.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes61WinShane SutcliffeUD1226 May 200060Loss48–11–1Tony LaRosaSD812 Aug 199959Win48–10–1Iran BarkleyUD829 Jun 199958Win47–10–1Shane SutcliffeTKO12 (12), 5 Feb 199957Win46–10–1Ben PerliniUD106 Aug 199856Loss45–10–1Lyle McDowellSD1215 Sep 199755Loss45–9–1Hasim RahmanUD1015 Oct 199654Win45–8–1Louis MonacoUD1018 Sep 199653Win44–8–1Ken SmithTKO4 (10), 26 Apr 199652Win43–8–1Bruce JohnsonTKO3 (10)25 Aug 199551Loss42–8–1Jimmy ThunderUD1215 Mar 199550Win42–7–1Melvin FosterSD1013 Sep 199449Win41–7–1Marselles BrownKO2 (10)10 Aug 199448Win40–7–1Paul PhillipsKO4 (10), 30 Jul 199447Win39–7–1Danny WoffordPTS814 Mar 199446Win38–7–1Garing LanePTS82 Aug 199145Win37–7–1Bobby CrabtreeKO5 (10), 14 Dec 199044Win36–7–1Jeff SimsTKO6 (10), 18 Jul 199043Loss35–7–1Buster DouglasUD1025 Feb 198942Win35–6–1O T DavisKO3 (10)20 Sep 198841Loss34–6–1Carl WilliamsUD1227 Jun 198840Win34–5–1Robert EvansUD1024 Nov 198739Win33–5–1Lorenzo BoydTKO3 (10), 29 Oct 198738Win32–5–1Art TerryTKO5 (10), 31 Jul 198737Loss31–5–1Mike TysonTKO2 (12), 22 Nov 198636Win31–4–1Pinklon ThomasUD1222 Mar 198635Win30–4–1Mike PerkinsTKO10 (10)17 Jan 198634Win29–4–1Mitch Green1210 Aug 198533Win28–4–1David BeyTKO11 (12), 15 Jun 198532Win27–4–1Walter SantemoreUD1028 Nov 198431Win26–4–1Andros Ernie BarrTKO4 (12)1 Sep 198430Win25–4–1Mark Lee1013 Mar 198429Win24–4–1Mike CohenKO4 (10)19 Feb 198428Win23–4–1Ken LakustaKO10 (12), 9 Sep 198327Loss22–4–1S. T. GordonUD1028 May 198326Loss22–3–1Renaldo SnipesUD102 Oct 198225Win22–2–1Greg PageUD1011 Jun 198224Win21–2–1Gordon RacetteTKO11 (12)5 Mar 198223Win20–2–1Muhammad AliUD1011 Dec 198122Win19–2–1Conroy NelsonKO2 (15), 21 Jul 198121Loss18–2–1Larry HolmesUD1511 Apr 198120Win18–1–1Chuck GardnerTKO4 (10), 31 Jan 198119Win17–1–1Chuck FindlayKO1 (10), 11 Nov 198018Win16–1–1Ron RouselleKO1 (12), 27 Aug 198017Win15–1–1John TateKO9 (10), 20 Jun 198016Win14–1–1Johnny Warr1011 Mar 198015Win13–1–1Ngozika EkwelumTKO5 (10), 11 Dec 197914Draw12–1–1Leroy Caldwell1014 Jun 197913Win12–1Earl McLeayTKO7 (12), 26 May 197912Loss11–1Bernardo MercadoKO1 (12), 3 Apr 197911Win11–0Greg SorrentinoTKO1 (10), 8 Oct 197810Win10–0Gregory JohnsonKO4 (10), 12 Sep 19789Win9–0Tony MooreTKO6 (10), 1 Aug 19788Win8–0Horst GeislerKO1 (10), 28 Jun 19787Win7–0Eugene Green108 Dec 19776Win6–0Eddie OwensTKO5 (10), 8 Sep 19775Win5–0Willie Moore4 (10), 18 Aug 19774Win4–0Joe MayeTKO7 (10), 25 Jan 19773Win3–0Michael LucasTKO2 (6), 9 Jan 19772Win2–0Bobby HalpernTKO3 (6), 23 Nov 19761Win1–0Wayne Martin5 (6)27 Sep 1976

Exhibition boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes1Loss0–1Nobuhiko Takada1 (10), Dec 21, 1991

References

External links