Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. But happiness is a daily grind for Tapia. Search instead in Creative? Like so many athletes once their careers have ended, Tapia returned to the only real vocation hed known and opened a boxing gym in Albequerque. He moved up in weight to win the 147-pound WBC welterweight title from Carlos Palomino on January 14, 1979, and finally won a third title when he added the 154-pound WBC light-middleweight title from Maurice Hope on May 23, 1981. Mike Tyson called Tapia one of the greatest fighters ever. With no father to watch over him, Tapia lived with his grandparents. The family lived in Albuquerque, NM.[13]. Not from a drug overdose, but from heart failure. Boxersk rekord pro Arthura Johnsona z BoxRec; Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; . [11], Tapia was scheduled to make a comeback on May 2, 2008, in El Paso, Texas, but pulled out due to contractual disputes with promoter Ron Weathers.[12]. Then theres other times when I look at him and I think I probably wont have this man in my life for much longer because if youve lost your will to live then what do you have?. I have a reputation, I can just make a phone call. Johnny Tapia, left, in 2007 during one of his comebacks. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. In 2010, at age 43, Tapia learned that apparently, his father was alive. He had many tattoos, which were prominent when he was fighting. He also remembers the misery that attacked the highs and hauled everything down. Tapia, a five time world champion, might be one of the greatest television fighters ever, a distinction he shares with fellow 90s legend Arturo Gatti. Montreal is The Fight City. Johnnys bout ended in a draw by majority decision (MD). He sometimes stuck out his tongue to taunt opponents. Wladimir Klitschko (en ukrainien : ; transcription franaise : Volodymyr Volodymyrovytch Klytchko) est un boxeur ukrainien, n le 25 mars 1976 Semipalatinsk (actuel Seme) en RSS kazakhe.. The two had circled each other for years and when they finally met at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas an extraordinary police presence was required because of the fear that violence would erupt between gang members. Johnny Tapia, a prizefighter who won world titles in three weight classes in a chaotic life that included jail, struggles with mental illness, suicide attempts and five times being declared clinically dead as a result of drug overdoses, was found dead at his home in Albuquerque on Sunday. Family members say Albuquerque police were summoned to Tapia's house at 7:45 PM Sunday by a family. Teresa suddenly felt fierce hatred towards husband but, even as his constant drug possession resulted in him being sent to prison, she couldnt bring herself to untie the knot. She became his manager. Tapia had recently wed Teresa Chavez, who would exercise a calming and supportive influence in his life, and wins came quickly for the newly married man. Johnnys cocaine habit has caused his heart to stop beating on five separate occasions, he has been in three comas, and he has been in and out of prison. The striking advertisement for sobriety in this land of the wasted is Johnny Tapia, perhaps the most infamous substance-abusing boxer of all time. She survives him, along with their three children. Johnny Tapia vs. Paulie Ayala (1st meeting) - BoxRec Johnny Tapia vs. Paulie Ayala (1st meeting) Paulie Ayala 118 lbs beat Johnny Tapia 118 lbs by UD in round 12 of 12 Date: 1999-06-26 Location: Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Referee: Joe Cortez Judge: Guy Jutras 115-114 Judge: Duane Ford 116-113 Judge: Fernando Viso 116-113 [8] Tapia won the fight by majority decision, 9892, 9694, 9595. Contents 1 Personal life 2 Amateur career 3 Professional career 4 Professional record 5 Sparring partners 6 References 7 External links Personal life [ edit] Tapia was born and raised in Passaic, New Jersey to Dominican immigrants from Santo Domingo, DR. He hasnt moved on, not properly, from his mothers dreadful demise. His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. My moms death kills me every day, Tapia whispers. The camera pans across the yellow landscape and settles on a solitary man, walking with his head down as though ruminating on a dark memory. Bohol down twice in Round 2. 2. None of it occurred on Teresas watch. Raised to fight to the death.. 1997 saw Tapia fend off a challenge from Jorge Barrera in three rounds. I mean, Ill take him until 80 or 90 years old.. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. Albuquerque, he says, Im still your champion.. [3], Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Mexican American parents. His ring return has kept Tapia out of trouble since 2009 boxing was a condition of his release from prison but now he wants to retire. I killed them both.. Seven years later Johnny was on a bus that crashed, killing the pregnant woman who sat alongside him. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. To make money he sometimes participated in underground fights at a local bar, where apparently the only prohibited weapon was a gun. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. Tapia returned on the night of October 4, 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras by ten round unanimous decision at Albuquerque. Thats the love of my life. In a statement, Teresa Tapia said she decided thatmarryingPadilla would be best for the children, for a continuation of their sense of family. He has been honoured by the Sports Journalists Association and the Boxing Writers Association of America. V roce 1995 se stal dritelem titulu super flyweight WBO Johnny Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut. The crazy life of Johnny Tapia a five-time world champion boxer who once wrote that he had been raised to fight to the death ended this week at age 45. The Johnny Tapia is currently 45 years old. All my goal is to see Johnny reach this ripe old age, she said. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Five times I was a world champion. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. Ive got a good wife. It wasnt okay and he would never be able to make up for that.. His father was murdered before he was born. He became a two time world bantamweight champion by beating Jorge Eliecer Julio by a decision at Albuquerque on January 8, 2000. But he went on with his careerand was paid two million dollars to face legendary champion Marco Antonio Barrera in 2002. He has so much knowledge and hes training fighters and hes doing some really awesome work with them. Fortunately, he was allowed to resume his career in 1994. In 2002, Tapia traveled to London, where he knocked out Eduardo Enrique Alvarez in the first round; after the bout, he was interviewed by former rival Romero. She got me where she wanted me and she gave me everything. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. The intoxicant was perhaps the only thing capable of ordering his thoughts. Johnnylost again and this would be the final time he hovered close to boxings zenith. Your email address will not be published. He is easily distracted as we all sit together deep inside the mysterious green labyrinth that is the MGM Grand. The damage wreaked on him by his mothers murder and the degree to which it informed his worldview is extraordinarily sad, and for those of us who havent endured the same trauma, equallyimpossible to understand. Tapia was admitted to the hospital in 2007 in critical condition from a cocaine OD. He took the wedding cash and dumped her in a cheap hotel. Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. After that, the fight with Romero was set for Las Vegas. When he finally returned to the ring on March 27, 1994, he beat Jaime Olvera by a knockout in four rounds in Tulsa, Oklahoma. If he says Im just going to run down the store to get a Dr Pepper, you cant help but think you should go with him, and wonder what is going to happen. One in particularwas his 1997 bout with fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero. 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. Pro debut A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. I dont have a temptation because if I want it [drugs] I can get it, wherever I am. I couldnt get to the guy to kill him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony. He is so full of life and he has so much to give people and he really is a great person but at the flip of a switch he can turn around and be your worst nightmare.. If he lost, they beat him, he said. His laughter is curly and instantly infectious. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much For more information, see our Cookie Policy. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. Boxing, he tells the camera, saved my life., Your email address will not be published. Johnny Tapia made his professional debut in March 1988, so he has been a pro for 34 years. It is said he was declared clinically dead five times in his life, a life that was ceaselessly, stubbornly, incurably difficult. Johnny Tapia was an American boxer, who competed in the super flyweight division. According to Johnny, his grandfather was a rugged, tough, macho man and his influence resonated with his grandson, who quickly gained a reputation as a fearsome street fighter. Tapia was married to Teresa Tapia in 1994 and had three boys. The crazy life of Johnny Tapia - a five-time world champion boxer who once wrote that he had been "raised to fight to the death" - ended this week at age 45. Tapias father had vanished before he was born, and Tapia had thought he was dead until he turned up in 2010 after being released from a federal penitentiary and DNA tests confirmed his paternity. Five days later the Albuquerque Police claimed they found cocaine after the fight in a bag carried by Tapia. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. After the Barrera fight, Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute. That same day, Tapia was upgraded from critical to serious condition. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. Press conferences about the Super Six have just taken place and Tapias eyes twitch as Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch amble past. Tapia said he thought his tattoos of angels kept him from passing into the next world. I want to hug my mama.. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. He worked as producer of KOTV from 2006 until he joined Boxing News in 2010. A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. Though an active professional, Tapia belonged to a street gang and began using cocaine as a young man. The murderer had died in 1983 after stumbling drunk into the middle of a busy Albuquerque street where he was hit by three cars and dragged to his death. After he defended his belt with a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch with Ayala to unify the belt was set up. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. For Tapia, it was cocaine. The radio station segues to a commercial with Snoop and Wiz Khalifas Young Wild and Free and listening to the music, the ex-champion sways joyfully from side to side. In 1999, Tapia suffered his first loss in his 48-bout career, losing a decision and the WBA title to Paulie Ayala in what The Ring Magazine called its "Fight of the Year." Larry Merchant, the boxing analyst, told Playboy in 2004 that Tapia was a five-to-one underdog to survive his own childhood.. HBOs Tapia begins with an overhead shot of the New Mexico desert. [17] Tapia died of heart failure. At the age of eight, he looked out of his bedroom window and saw his mother chained up in the back of a pick up truck, being driven away by her lover. A car crash killed them both as they were on their way. By continuing to browse, cookies will be set on your device. 45. I have my beautiful wife with me, nothing will happen to me if shes here.. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. Relatives raised him and he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, who had himself been a boxer. And many more times I came close to dying. John Lee Anthony Tapia (February 13, 1967 - May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. Known in years past as "Sin City" and "Babylon on the St. Lawrence", it saw more than its share of ring legends over the decades. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Police have made an arrest in the shooting of Johnny Tapia, the son of the boxing legend of the same name. Later that year, Tapia tried to commit suicide with a drug overdose and required hospitalization. On October 12, 1994 at The Pit, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tapia defeated Henry Martnez in eleven rounds to win the vacant WBO super flyweight title. Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological pain still leave us on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. On December 5, 1998, Tapia defeated WBA bantamweight champion Nana Konadu by decision to become a two-division world champion. Double champion du monde des poids lourds, de 2000 2003 et de 2006 2015, il dtenait les ceintures WBA (Super), WBO (Super), IBF et la . NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. Tapia won his first 22 professional fights, then was suspended from boxing after failing three drug tests. This is perhaps the documentarys most poignant moment. Investigators said there were no indications of a drug overdose or alcohol use but that the 45-year-old former fighter likely developed medical complications from past illegal drug use. Tapia doesnt dwell on their relationship for long, nor does it detail how strongly it developed prior to Johnnys death, but it must have been astonishing, and perhaps astonishingly sad, for Johnny to realize, after four decades, that he was not alone in the world, and that the man responsible for his creation had been close by all along. The indelible writing has always been on the wall for this twisted love story. She got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. Tapia stirred from the coma, sobbing, with tubes attached to his tattooed body. Mi vida loca, or my crazy life, were the words tattooed on his belly. His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. Theres times when I look at him and I think to myself, I believe were going to grow old together, I believe were going to see our kids and our grandkids and were going to beat the odds. Tapia's heart simply stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with death, this one was for real. . As a wife, as a woman, Ive learnt theres good and bad in everyone and you have to accept them. The fight took place on July 18. He fought seven times in 1994 and in October he took the WBO super flyweight title from Henry Martinez in his hometown of Albuquerque. When Johnny was only eight-years-old, his mother and only parent was raped and murdered at the age of 33, stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and left to die on the side of the road. He wrote an autobiography by that title. Teresa was waiting for him when he was released. Webpage Screenshot: share download .zip report bug or abuse donate . But I found out hed been killed, hed been run over twice. He appeared to revel in hostility and combat, as if his self-worth was proportional to his ability to give and take pain. But despite his early success, his life was anything but ordered, as he escaped the streets only when physically in the ring. In his next fight, he defeated Puerto Rico's Andy Agosto via decision. I was so focused on killing him that I didnt train or anything. In his first title defense, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael Sosa by decision. Two controversial defeats to Paulie Ayala introduced a new dimension to his experience as a professional, that of losing, and it didnt sit well with Tapia, who felt he was robbed in both fights. Am I lucky or unlucky?. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. She has mixed emotions about him quitting the sport; it has been a rare constant in their perilous journey together. Retained IBF and WBO super flyweight titles. Tapia turned to drugs in 1988, 11 years before he lost to Ayala. Tapia eventually took these skills to the ring, where he showed himself equally proficient at regulated combat. > Tapia is a 5-time world champ. Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. He experienced frequent relapses over the next few years and several overdoses. A wedding photo showed Teresa Tapia and Jeffrey Padilla joined by Johnny's sons, Johnny Tapia Jr. and Lorenzo Tapia. If you change your mind, go to Notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications. He was knocked out only once. Johnny Tapia was born in Albuquerque. His first pro fight was in 1988. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. [15] After Tapia died in 2012, his widow briefly married his alleged half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla, in 2014. He was 45 years old. HOW TALL IS JOHNNY TAPIA? They were united by grief, welded with misery. I have been famous and infamous. **This site uses cookies and other technologies, so we can remember you and understand how you and other visitors use our site. After three and a half years away from the ring, he returned to win five fights before defeating Henry Martinez to win the world super flyweight title (115-pound limit). Their marriage lurched wildly up and down, as Mrs. Tapia struggled to provide stability. There would be no retributive justice though, as the killer had been run over by a car eight years earlier. Or stabbing anybody, or fighting anybody, or killing anybody? Name: Johnny Tapia Alias: Mi Vida Loca Birth Name: John Lee Tapia Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Birthplace: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Died: 2012-05-27 (Age:45) Stance: Orthodox Height: 168cm Reach: 165cm Pro Boxer: Record Amateur Boxer: Record Managers: Paul Chavez (1988-1995) Teresa Tapia, his wife (1995-2011) 2023 Cable News Network. According to the criminal complaint, Tapia was on his motorcycle. He quit the ring several times, but could not seem to give it up. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. The Albuquerque police said an autopsy would be done in the next few days. The widow of former world championJohnny Tapia has remarried. At the end of the film he is at a local radio station, accompanying one of his young fighters to promote an upcoming card. Johnny Tapia was born on the 13th of February, 1967. Raised thereafter by his grandmother, Tapia turned to boxing at the age of nine.[4]. His left jab was punishing, and he claimed not to mind being hit. ( 16 1967 ) . I dont want it and theres the difference. Tapia won by a unanimous twelve-round decision, adding the IBF title to his WBO belt. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Both sport dozens of tattoos, having used their skin as parchment on which to inscribe their own dramas. appreciated. A police officer told him that his mothers killing had been solved. She didnt survive. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. [14] He was a born-again Christian. In his autobiography, Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia, the fighter says that his father was murdered before he was born and that he was eight when he saw his mother murdered. Id love to think that in 30 years, well be old together and surrounded by family. I would have, believe me, if I could have had him in front of me. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Isleta Resort & Casino, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Convention Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. Tapia had an outstanding amateur career, winning the 1983 New Mexico State Golden Gloves,[5] the 1983 and 1985 National Golden Gloves tournaments at light flyweight and flyweight, respectively. There is a poignant moment toward the end of the film in which father and son sit together. If I didnt have her Id be dead in a heartbeat.. The last fight of Johnny Tapia took place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana. Johnny Tapia, a prizefighter who won world titles in three weight classes in a chaotic life that included jail, struggles with mental illness, suicide attempts and five times being declared. The denial of any possibility to exact vengeance stung Johnny. Johnny Tapia looks to get back into title contention following yet another disputed loss to Paulie Ayala, taking on Famosito Gomez in the main event of Showt. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. > She couldnt leave him. Yet again, Tapia was facing death. His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. A metropolis where hundreds of young warriors train and battle each day in its many gyms, it is where Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Bernard Hopkins all found greatness. When at his best, Johnny Tapia met the world with the finest smile. Teofimo Lopez v Pedro Campa | Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images Teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor Martin: How to stream,full fight card. Did you encounter any technical issues? No great fighter ever runs from the darkness that lies ahead of him, states narrator Liev Schrieber. Tapia was banned from boxing for three years and he describes his suspension as one of the lowest times in his life. Ayala won by unanimous decision in a fight that ring observers largely felt Tapia won; following the fight, Showtime commentators said that Tapia "put on a clinic" and "something's not right," nearly labeling the decision as rigged. He left the title vacant so he could face Lineal & The Ring champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who beat Tapia by unanimous decision. Thats when I met him, she said. Tapia went to jail, struggled with depression, and attempted suicide. All Rights Reserved. One of them said Mi Vida Loca ("My Crazy Life"), the nickname he adopted. In his first defeat, Tapia lost the bantamweight crown to Paulie Avala in June 1999 in what The Ring magazine called the fight of the year. He narrowly defeated Manuel Medina in 2002 to win the featherweight (126 pounds) title. Playboy reported that when they finally married, one of her cousins approached her and said, If you want to see what you married, go look in the bathroom.. 5:45 PM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012. The day after he was admitted, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on their way to visit him. Anchored in the chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs. Five-time WBO world champion who had a record of 59-5-2. A family member came home, found him deceased and called us, Officer Robert Gibbs, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, police spokesman, said Monday. Tapia started boxing at age 9 and had his first amateur fight at 11. Teresa loves it when her husband chuckles like that; it means he is in a good place. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. vacant International Boxing Council Americas Lightweight Title, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, International Boxing Federation World Featherweight Title, World Boxing Organisation World Bantamweight Title, World Boxing Association World Bantamweight Title, International Boxing Federation World Super Flyweight Title By then, a heated rivalry was cooking up between him and IBF champion Danny Romero. His disproportionately large knuckles bulge through the skin as he twists his palm skywards. He held multiple world championships in three weight classes, including the unified IBF and WBO super flyweight titles between 1994 and 1998, the unified WBA and WBO bantamweight titles between 1998 and 2000, and the IBF featherweight title in 2002. He won eight fights that year, five by knockout, of which four were in the first round.In 1989, he won seven more fights, including a first-round knockout of Abner Barajas and an eight-round decision against John Michael Johnson. Johnny Tapia had an incredibly tragic early life, the details of which are difficult to transcribe, to say nothing of experiencing them firsthand. He has been the editor of Boxing News since 2015. In 2017 he won the Sam Kellerman Media Award in New York and The Reg Gutteridge Annual Award in London two years later. Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a standout, Golden Gloves-winning amateur career, Tapia turned pro. Las Vegas is a City of Sin, the best and worst of humankind, mixed together to form a sickly but irresistible trail of destruction. World Boxing Organisation World Super Flyweight Title, World Boxing Organisation World Super Flyweight Title, vacant World Boxing Organisation World Super Flyweight Title, Caesars Palace, Sports Pavilion, Las Vegas. In 1990, he had just won a $1 million commercial for Pepsi when he tested dirty and got kicked out, losing his boxing license, said his wife and manager, Teresa Tapia, in the same 2004 interview. That was a very, very emotional time and the hardest time for me, and for him, because he knew he had gone too far. Jerry Padilla, who Tapia already knew, was supposedly intrigued by the similarities in their mannerisms, and the two decided to submit to a DNA test, which proved they were father and son. Within weeks of Johnny being incarcerated, Teresas mother and grandmother passed away, and Johnnys grandfather died. Required fields are marked *. While the Martinez title-winning fight might be his greatest moment, there were other notable wins. He then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol in the second round. Glen Tapia (born December 11, 1989) is an American professional boxer. On the drive to visit him, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident. It is a city of fights and fighters, of hockey and heroes, of broken dreams and immortal glory, a city unlike any other. John Lee Anthony Tapia was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. But they didnt make it. Teresa reaches over and squeezes the hands that won four world titles in three divisions super-flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. He has also written about boxing for The Guardian and the Daily Mirror and has been used by the BBC, Sky Sports, BT Sport, HBO Boxing and Talk Sport as a boxing analyst. Thus, death reclaimed its place of prominence for Tapia, who deemed himself responsible for what happened. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. I hurt, Im old, Im done, he says, almost poetically.

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