The last ever boxer to have fought the great Muhammad Ali, Trevor Berbick, was killed in Jamaica by an attacker using a hatchet or machete, claim police. He was aged between 51 and 52 – as his birth date was clarified - he was found dead near a church 90 miles east of Kingston, with serious head wounds and police are currently treating his death as murder.
Berbick, who claimed as a teenager that he had a vision of God, beat Ali back in 1981 and for a short time held the WBC heavyweight belt in 1986 prior to losing to “Iron” Mike Tyson. The great Jamaican represented his country at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, losing to the concluding silver medallist. After that he chose to stay in Montreal and fight as a professional in Canada. In the beginning he was a talented and dominant heavyweight and won his first 11 fights before losing to another growing gift called Bernardo Mercado in the year 1979. But, as he usually did, he came back from that loss to lock a world title shot against the awesome Larry Holmes back in April 1981; even though he lost the fight after 15 rounds to a unanimous decision. After whipping a worn-out Ali over 10 rounds in the Bahamas in 1981, Berbick transferred to Florida and signed up with the notorious promoter Don King.
Nearly five years after his defeat to Holmes, Berbick came back in style to trouble Pinklon Thomas to claim the WBC edition of the heavyweight crown.
But sadly his sovereignty only lasted eight months when he lost his first defence to the up-and-coming 20-year-old Mike Tyson when he was knocked out late into the second round. Even though he lost to the greats: Ali, Holmes and Tyson, Berbick also beat fighters such as Iran Barkley, Greg Page and John Tate. When he was questioned about his age, an aspect that never had light shed on it, Berbick said “Legally, I’m a spirit. I have no age.” Which I think summed him, his life and boxing career up nicely.
This is a tragic incident that will warm the hearts of many boxing fans, and my condolences go out to his friends and family.
Please leave your tributes to Trevor at the bottom of the page.
R.I.P. Trevor, thanks for entertaining and inspiring boxing fans everywhere, including me.
hope they catch whoever did this and lock them up for a very long time.
Comment by Sam — October 29, 2006 @ 10:28 am
this really is tragic and i wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. he weren’t a bad fighter at all and i think the c*** who killed him should be put away for the rets of his time!!!
rest in peace big guy.
Comment by martin_ffs — October 29, 2006 @ 12:54 pm
Thank you both for your comments and I hope more people will leave their best thoughts and wishes aswell.
I will be shortly publishing an article on Berbick’s life and boxing career.
Comment by David — October 29, 2006 @ 5:28 pm
R.I.P trev!!!
Comment by harry — November 4, 2006 @ 11:42 am
this is so tragic. berick was a great fight and deserves more recongnition for his world heavyweight title.
R.I.P. Trevor - you are missed by all us boxing fans
Comment by jamie_stones — November 6, 2006 @ 3:38 pm
saw ur tribute to trevor on You Tube - very touching.
rest in peace trev!!!
best wishes,
tony
Comment by T-4-tony — November 6, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
Hello. My name is Anita Berbick. I am one of Trevor’s 3 daughters.
So many people are trying to get in touch with the family so we are trying to set up a website, but some opportunist with larceny in their hearts registered http://www.trevorberbick.com the day after my father was murdered, and refuses to allow the family to use it so my father’s story can be told properly. He even listed the site up for sale on eBAY, but has since pulled the listing.
A very close family friend has registered http://www.trevorberbick.org
The website is being built little by little by someone that held a lot of love for my dad. There is now a “guestbook” there that I would really appreciate everyone go to sign and express your feelings.
Again, I do wish to thank you all for understanding that it isnt necessarily the bad things that are being reported about my father’s life, but rather the timeframe with which these statements are being made, so close to his untimely passing.
Right now, my family is trying to come up with enough capital to afford paying for the flights from Miramar, Florida to Jamaica. My dad is being laid to rest this saturday. Contrary to popular belief, the family of a former Championship Boxer does not always end up well off. We are struggling, and something so simple as trying to afford a funeral with absolutely no assistance from the people/corporations my father helped back in the day - has become an arduous chore. One would think folks like Don King would reach out to us at our time in need, after all the money my father made him in the past. Any/All help, of course would be appreciated.
I can be reached at: trevor_berbick@yahoo.com or on the main website email: love@trevorberbick.org
Again, to those that have shown gratitude, respect or admiration for my dad when he was “World Champ”, and were also inclined to forgive him for the shortcomings he exhibited thereafter - I wish to express my sincerest praise.
On behalf of myself & the family, a very heartfelt thankyou goes out to all that understood Trevor Berbick as, “the man, loving father & compassionate friend” that he was.
“Let no one weep for me, or celebrate my funeral with mourning; for I still live, as I pass to and fro through the mouths of men”
With love & respect for the sport, and eternal love for my father - I remain,
Anita Berbick - age 19
Comment by Anita Berbick — November 9, 2006 @ 7:25 am
I just wanted to let those that care, know that my father was laid to eternal rest this saturday in
Jamaica.
I hope to be able to illuminate his life on trevorberbick.org in the weeks and months ahead.
Right now, the family is still grieving - but soon we should have some photo’s and other personal information never before seen by the general public/boxing community. I do hope it comes out well, as we don’t have much in the way of professional assistance and/or funding to do the things we’d like, to tribute my father.
Again, to those that have shown gratitude, respect or admiration for my dad when he was “World Champ”, and were also inclined to forgive him for the shortcomings the exhibited thereafter - I wish to express my sincerest praise.
On behalf of myself & the family, a very heartfelt thankyou goes out to all that understood Trevor Berbick as, “the man, loving father & compassionate friend” that he was.
God Bless
Anita Berbick
We also would like to pass on Anita’s thanks to Mr. Fritz Zivic from EVERLAST for the donation of a boxing robe and other articles for her father’s funeral.
A biography of Trevor Berbick’s boxing career will be published shortly on Boxing Daily.
http://www.boxingdaily.co.uk/a-letter-from-anita-berbick/
Comment by Anita Berbick — November 15, 2006 @ 4:45 am
I don’t really know much of Trevor’s boxing career but he certainly showed great heart trying to get up after Tyson had knocked him down, it is sad that it has taken his death to make me sit up and take notice of his boxing talent, and he really sounds like a great character and I’m looking forward to finding out more about him.
Ali will want a rematch when he joins you.
Comment by Pat Finney — November 21, 2006 @ 3:22 pm
To find more about Trevor Berbick visit:
http://www.boxingdaily.co.uk/the-life-of-trevor-berbick/
Comment by David — November 21, 2006 @ 7:35 pm