Greg Carr
2006-10-28 22:59:27 UTC
Boxer Berbick's death a homicide: police
2 hours, 51 minutes ago
Former Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead
Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds
to his head, police said.
Const. Beverly Howell said Berbick's body was discovered around 6:30
a.m. in a church courtyard in Portland parish.
Police found chop wounds to his head and are investigating his death as
a homicide, said Insp. Victor Henry.
The 52-year-old boxer represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
before settling in the Quebec city for a number of years.
He built up his reputation by beating the legendary Muhammad Ali in a
10-round unanimous decision in 1981. The bout was Ali's last in a
career that spanned three decades.
Berbick went on to capture the WBC heavyweight title with a decisive
win over American Pinklon Thomas. His title reign, however, was brief.
Berbick faced Mike Tyson eight months later in Las Vegas, where the
Jamaican native was disposed of in two rounds.
Tyson took control of the fight from the start and levelled Berbick in
the second with a vicious right hand, sending the champion to the
ground. Berbick attempted to get up twice, but stumbled to the canvas
both times.
The 20-year-old Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in
boxing history.
Berbick finished with a professional record of 50-11-1, including 33
KOs, but ran into legal problems following the Tyson fight.
Sentenced for raping babysitter
Berbick was convicted in 1991 of misdemeanour assault for attacking his
former business manager, who testified in court that the fighter held a
gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him.
Things only got worse the next year as Berbick, who was living in
Florida, was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a family
babysitter.
The former Canadian resident was also convicted of second-degree grand
theft in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signature to get a mortgage on
a home.
Berbick served a combined 15 months for both convictions and was
ordered deported back to Jamaica. However, Berbick fled to Montreal
before his impending removal.
He then headed west to B.C. to attempt a boxing comeback with a warrant
for his arrest back in Florida still in effect. Berbick eventually
returned to Florida, where he was finally deported to Jamaica in 2002.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/28102006/3/sports-boxer-berbick-s-death-homicide-police.html&printer=1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I remember seeing the fights of Berbick but I didn't know that he was a
convicted rapist just like his old foe Mike Tyson. He defeated Shane
Sutcliffe to retain the CDN heavyweight title on 24 Cheshvan 5762
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/05/27/boxing000527.html.
2 hours, 51 minutes ago
Former Canadian heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick was found dead
Saturday morning in his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, with chop wounds
to his head, police said.
Const. Beverly Howell said Berbick's body was discovered around 6:30
a.m. in a church courtyard in Portland parish.
Police found chop wounds to his head and are investigating his death as
a homicide, said Insp. Victor Henry.
The 52-year-old boxer represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
before settling in the Quebec city for a number of years.
He built up his reputation by beating the legendary Muhammad Ali in a
10-round unanimous decision in 1981. The bout was Ali's last in a
career that spanned three decades.
Berbick went on to capture the WBC heavyweight title with a decisive
win over American Pinklon Thomas. His title reign, however, was brief.
Berbick faced Mike Tyson eight months later in Las Vegas, where the
Jamaican native was disposed of in two rounds.
Tyson took control of the fight from the start and levelled Berbick in
the second with a vicious right hand, sending the champion to the
ground. Berbick attempted to get up twice, but stumbled to the canvas
both times.
The 20-year-old Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in
boxing history.
Berbick finished with a professional record of 50-11-1, including 33
KOs, but ran into legal problems following the Tyson fight.
Sentenced for raping babysitter
Berbick was convicted in 1991 of misdemeanour assault for attacking his
former business manager, who testified in court that the fighter held a
gun to her head and accused her of stealing money from him.
Things only got worse the next year as Berbick, who was living in
Florida, was sentenced to four years in prison for raping a family
babysitter.
The former Canadian resident was also convicted of second-degree grand
theft in 1992 for forging his ex-wife's signature to get a mortgage on
a home.
Berbick served a combined 15 months for both convictions and was
ordered deported back to Jamaica. However, Berbick fled to Montreal
before his impending removal.
He then headed west to B.C. to attempt a boxing comeback with a warrant
for his arrest back in Florida still in effect. Berbick eventually
returned to Florida, where he was finally deported to Jamaica in 2002.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/28102006/3/sports-boxer-berbick-s-death-homicide-police.html&printer=1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I remember seeing the fights of Berbick but I didn't know that he was a
convicted rapist just like his old foe Mike Tyson. He defeated Shane
Sutcliffe to retain the CDN heavyweight title on 24 Cheshvan 5762
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/05/27/boxing000527.html.