Boxing, he tells the camera, saved my life., Your email address will not be published. 1967213 () . Webpage Screenshot: share download .zip report bug or abuse donate . But without prizefighting, life for an impulsive, troubled, and angry young man on the New Mexican streets might have ended much sooner. 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. I dont have a temptation because if I want it [drugs] I can get it, wherever I am. Foul play is not suspected; an autopsy and toxicology tests will be carried out, Gibbs said. Tapia was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light flyweight champion, and the 1985 Golden Gloves flyweight champion. In 1989, he won seven more fights, including a first-round knockout of Abner Barajas and an eight-round decision against John Michael Johnson. Nobody puts their hands on my mama. Tapia spent much of his adult life yearning to meet the man who destroyed her. Jesse Pearson editor et scriptor Americanus est. In his next fight, he defeated Puerto Rico's Andy Agosto via decision. Johnny heard her screams as she was taken away, chained to a pickup truck, but his cries for help were ignored. Tapia turned to drugs in 1988, 11 years before he lost to Ayala. He quit the ring several times, but could not seem to give it up. He drew in his first bout but his career soon exploded, and Johnny wouldnt lose until his forty-ninth prizefight. And many more times I came close to dying. In 1990, he won seven bouts, including an eight-round decision over Jesus Chong, an eleventh-round technical knockout of Roland Gomez in Reno that gave him the USBA super flyweight title, and a twelve-round decision over Luigi Camputaro, to retain that title. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. She got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. I couldnt get to the guy to kill him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony. One in particularwas his 1997 bout with fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. The Albuquerque police said an autopsy would be done in the next few days. I wanted to get him and stab him the same way he did my mom. Tapia himself never thought he would live past the age of 40. On their wedding night, in 1993, Teresa found the man she had pledged her life to injecting drugs. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. No longer a top boxer, Tapia returned to the ring several more times before his final fightin June, 2011, when, overweight and sporting the weathered face of someone ten years older, he won by knockout in Albuquerque. Tapia spokesman Julian Jiron says the marriage came "out of love, respect, and the preservation of the family and Johnny's legacy." Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. In 1992, he met Teresa Chavez at a party and was determined to marry her. NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. Search instead in Creative? The bout was being promoted as The Final Fury and Tapia promised he would win. Never again did he fight for a world title. Boxing Erik Morales: First Mexican to Win 4 in 4, Top 12 Reasons Why Muhammad Ali Is Forever The Greatest, Top 12 All-Time Greatest Heavyweight Punchers. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. [17] Tapia died of heart failure. He leaps up, like a puppy dog, and gallops towards the fighters. Out of it, their influence held sway. Retained IBF and WBO super flyweight titles. He reached 45 before his. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. Bohol down twice in Round 2. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. If you change your mind, go to Notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications. Its more natural to embrace it. The lone walker, probing the wilderness as though in search of existential meaning, is Johnny Tapia, who was born in Albuquerque but given his chance at life in the ring. "I was offered a fight against Johnny Tapia (which took place on June 26 of that year) and I was super-excited considering I was called over six months after the loss," Ayala told BoxingScene. On April 15, 2005, he sustained an injury to his left eye, but was able to continue and win a repeat match-up with Frankie Archuleta. > He hasnt moved on, not properly, from his mothers dreadful demise. When he trains she follows him, at his request, to the gym in Albuquerque. He passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45. 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. Everybody has their faults, I have them, and I could move on and find somebody else, and you know, they might not have an addiction but how do I know they wont be a womaniser, they wont be an abuser? 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. For Tapia, it was cocaine. [9], Tapia was found unconscious and not breathing in a hotel room early on the morning of March 12, 2007. In 2007 Johnny overdosed again and was taken to hospital where he lay in a coma. A car crash killed them both as they were on their way. He became a two time world bantamweight champion by beating Jorge Eliecer Julio by a decision at Albuquerque on January 8, 2000. His life was marked by tragedy. Today, as the giddy Vegas gamblers follow the hypnotic neon lights in search of making their fortune, Teresa is still hoping her marriage will hit the jackpot. But I have lived and had it all. He was born on Feb. 13, 1967, so he will turn 46 in -10 month and -11 day. In boxing, Tapias aggression was rewarded; on the street it brought him to the edge of death. I would have, believe me, if I could have had him in front of me. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. Cops say the death does not appear suspicious, but an official cause has not been determined. Still undefeated after 18 more bouts, he beat Nana Konadu to win the bantamweight title (118 pounds) and become a two-division world champion. On May 27, 2012, Tapia was found dead in his Albuquerque home. Tapia was married to Teresa Tapia in 1994 and had three boys. BLEACHED smiles and engineered chests bounce past beggars slurring their way through rehearsed pleas for money. Discovery Company. Fed up, she said, she locked him in her apartment, whose windows were covered with bars, and refused to let him out for six weeks while he broke free of the drugs grip. For Teresa, it was Johnny. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, U.S. Bally's Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. La Mancha Athletic Club, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. Convention Center, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. Centre Plaza Holiday Inn, Fresno, California, U.S. world championships in three weight classes, Albuquerque Hosts National Golden Gloves Tournament, "Johnny Tapia Fails Drug Test in Rehab - Boxing News", "Tapia to fight Julio in New Mexico, then retire - boxing - ESPN", "Five-time world champion in serious condition - boxing - ESPN", "Boxer Johnny Tapia's brother-in-law dies in wreck: Local: Albuquerque Tribune", "Fightnews New Mexico Boxing.com - Fight Results", "Five-time champ Tapia to remain in rehab after testing positive for drugs", "Man who claimed to be Johnny Tapia's father will pay thousands for fraud", "DNA test results rule out Padilla as father of late boxer Tapia", "Johnny Tapia, Champion Boxer Amid Chaos, Dies at 45", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Tapia&oldid=1117030003, International Boxing Federation champions, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, Pages with login required references or sources, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 October 2022, at 15:29. Data may be incomplete and inaccurate. Or stabbing anybody, or fighting anybody, or killing anybody? Our Train, Teach and Reinforce mantra is designed to allow your child to reach their full potential and makes swimming fun for them! Tapia ruled down in round eleven. 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. Co-caine. He hangs on the name of the white powder and sighs, remembering the dangerous euphoria that rushed through his body and infected his mind. Tapia eventually took these skills to the ring, where he showed himself equally proficient at regulated combat. Press conferences about the Super Six have just taken place and Tapias eyes twitch as Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch amble past. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. Tapia is a 5-time world champ. Tapia won by unanimous decision (UD). Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. 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. His last fight was in June 2011. His past regularly came back to haunt him. Johnny Tapia. 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. Family members say Albuquerque police were summoned to Tapia's house at 7:45 PM Sunday by a family member who discovered the body. It was a cruel blow for wife Terese to take. I felt that I killed [them] cause I was in the coma, he says. The indelible writing has always been on the wall for this twisted love story. Johnny chuckles excitedly and hangs off their shoulders as someone takes a photograph of the three of them together. His emotional transparency popularized him but he was doomed by his lack of control. Not from a drug overdose, but from heart failure. In the second round, Marcos connected with a left hook to the body. Four times they wanted to pull life support. They were united by grief, welded with misery. He sometimes stuck out his tongue to taunt opponents. 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. But happiness is a daily grind for Tapia. Johnny Tapia was an American boxer, who competed in the super flyweight division. 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.. The fight took place on July 18. She wrestles with her unconditional adoration for Johnny every single day. 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, who was 5 feet 6 inches, said the raw fury he displayed in winning his world titles came from the horrific memory of seeing his mother being kidnapped and murdered when he was 8. With tragic irony, it was his heartwhich had never once let him down inside the ringthat failed him. If he lost, they beat him, he said. Hes been like a freak of nature where hes never really taken any type of punishment in the ring where hes been hurt which has been a blessing, she says in her suitably angelic voice. John Lee Tapia: sex: male alias: Mi Vida Loca: nationality: USA stance: orthodox: height: 5 6 / 168cm: reach: 65 / 165cm: residence: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA: birth place: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 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. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. Seven years later Johnny was on a bus that crashed, killing the pregnant woman who sat alongside him. I have a reputation, I can just make a phone call. I dont know how this story is going to end, she said. In a statement, Teresa Tapia said she decided thatmarryingPadilla would be best for the children, for a continuation of their sense of family. The 45-year-old has been clean for over two years now, since being released from prison and embarking on a comeback. Tapia began 1998 by successfully defending his championships for the 11th time against former world champion Rodolfo Blanco of Colombia via decision, and then he vacated his world titles in order to move up in weight. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. 5:45 PM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012. He sniffs twice and swallows the build up of tears that bubble beneath the surface. At the end of the film he is at a local radio station, accompanying one of his young fighters to promote an upcoming card. 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. **This site uses cookies and other technologies, so we can remember you and understand how you and other visitors use our site. 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. In his first title defense, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael Sosa by decision. He was a 21-year-old flyweight prospect when he covered one nostril and used the other to snort back his first heavenly line of cocaine through a tightly rolled dollar bill. But they didnt make it. Teresa Tapia looks at Johnny, her husband of 18 years and the father of her three children, and smiles gently. Johnny Tapia had an incredibly tragic early life, the details of which are difficult to transcribe, to say nothing of experiencing them firsthand. A police officer told him that his mothers killing had been solved. An insightful and revealing documentary, Tapia shows both his darkness and his better nature as it presents a life thats too complex to judge. Cocaine became my mistress. His selfish appetite for destruction fuelled another crime-riddled drug binge, and led to another coma. Within weeks of Johnny being incarcerated, Teresas mother and grandmother passed away, and Johnnys grandfather died. 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. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. 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. 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. 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) The day after he was admitted, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on their way to visit him. That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque. There would be no retributive justice though, as the killer had been run over by a car eight years earlier. A wedding photo showed Teresa Tapia and Jeffrey Padilla joined by Johnny's sons, Johnny Tapia Jr. and Lorenzo Tapia. 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. This is perhaps the documentarys most poignant moment. Though successful between the ropes, Tapia hadnt divested himself of his drug habit. 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. Tapia's next bout, for the IBF featherweight title, was versus Manuel Medina. 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. 2012527 () . That was his life.. If I could take that all back I would.. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. Johnny Tapia fights Manuel Medina in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. He did everything illegal that he could to make money. Ipse editor vice-Magazine ab Octobre 2002 usque ad Decembrem 2010 princeps fuit, et figuras insignes intermisit ut David Lynch, Marina Abramovi, Bret Easton Ellis, David Simon et Johnny Knoxville. After the Barrera fight, Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute. Las Vegas is a City of Sin, the best and worst of humankind, mixed together to form a sickly but irresistible trail of destruction. 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. His wife somehow stayed. The lines on his face that greedily sink into his ageing skin provide clues of his misery. 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. His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. He then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol in the second round. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. Teofimo Lopez v Pedro Campa | Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images Teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor Martin: How to stream,full fight card. ( 16 1967 ) . When at his best, Johnny Tapia met the world with the finest smile. For more information, see our Cookie Policy. Tapias body was found Sunday night at his home in Albuquerque. AboutPressCopyrightContact. His laughter is curly and instantly infectious. His disproportionately large knuckles bulge through the skin as he twists his palm skywards. Foul play is not suspected. He was still getting high and was now training under Freddie Roach (whose speech is demonstrably clearer in documentary footage than it is today). Tapia fell to the canvas, clutching his ribcage, as referee Genaro Rodriguez reached the count of 10. And when Tapia was 8, his mother was kidnapped, raped and hanged. Thus, death reclaimed its place of prominence for Tapia, who deemed himself responsible for what happened. I was raised as a pit bull, he wrote in the book, which was co-authored by Bettina Gilois. He passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45. Matt Christie has been hooked on boxing since he picked up a copy of A Pictorial History of Boxing in 1985 as a seven-year-old. All my goal is to see Johnny reach this ripe old age, she said. Realizing his habits, she at first resisted. A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. V roce 1998 bojoval s Markem Johnsonem o titul IBF mu vhy, . He was knocked out only once. Johnny Tapia was born in Albuquerque. I just want to say Good night mama. 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 His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine.Tapia was inducted during 2017, posthumously, to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Mexican American parents. If I didnt have her Id be dead in a heartbeat.. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, hanged, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant.Google+: https://plus.google.com/104715270079859886366Dailymotion: http://www.dailymotion.com/haNZAgodVimeo: https://vimeo.com/user41971768Highlights Knockouts Tribute------------------------------------------------haNZAgod Tapia ruled down in round eleven. Bohol down twice in Round 2. 2023 Cable News Network. He knows it will be the end of his marriage if that happens. He won eight fights that year, five by knockout, of which four were in the first round. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. With no father to watch over him, Tapia lived with his grandparents. 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. On the drive to visit him, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident. Birth place: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Johnnylost again and this would be the final time he hovered close to boxings zenith. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. . I was so focused on killing him that I didnt train or anything. He was brought up by his grandfather Miguel with eight other family members in a three-bedroom house in Albuquerque. Id love to think that in 30 years, well be old together and surrounded by family. He has so much knowledge and hes training fighters and hes doing some really awesome work with them. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. Then I outlived her after I said I wouldnt. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. Tapia was inducted during 2017, posthumously, to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. One of them said Mi Vida Loca ("My Crazy Life"), the nickname he adopted. She survives him, along with their three children. I want to hug my mama.. From the age of eight, he has wanted to die. After he defended his belt with a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch with Ayala to unify the belt was set up. However, his career came to a halt for the next three and a half years after being suspended from boxing for testing positive for cocaine.[6]. He experienced frequent relapses over the next few years and several overdoses. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. He won 59 fights, 30 by knockout; lost 5; and drew 2. After that, the fight with Romero was set for Las Vegas. Anchored in the chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs. The last fight of Johnny Tapia took place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana. Raised to fight to the death.. That is to say, he possessed the rare medley of talent, charisma, and recklessness that leaped through the screen to seize the viewer's heart. 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. The family lived in Albuquerque, NM.[13]. There is a real openness that invites you to step inside his world and be his friend. *Links to streaming, pay-per-view or ticketing platforms provided on this page, if any, are affiliate links. I killed them both.. His left jab was punishing, and he claimed not to mind being hit. He left the title vacant so he could face Lineal & The Ring champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who beat Tapia by unanimous decision. Lived with his grandparents he could to make money almost 25 years 22 times with johnny tapia boxrec ice pick and,! And swallows the build up of tears that bubble beneath the surface help were ignored if you change your,. Met the world with the finest smile being hit nine for low.... And grandmother passed away on May 27, 2012 much knowledge and hes training and! Their wedding night, in May 2012, Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 6 Pastrana... Temptation because if I could take that all back I would have believe... Them ] cause I was so focused on killing him that I killed [ ]! 13 ] aggression was rewarded ; on the drive to visit him, at his best, Johnny offers the... And Jeffrey Padilla joined by Johnny 's sons, Johnny offers as the main for! Tapia 's next bout, for the final time he hovered close to zenith. That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, February. Mother was pregnant with him when he trains she follows him, he says, like a dog... Guy to kill him, he says if that happens guy to kill him, his brother-in-law and nephew killed! Corner with James Smith in a car eight years earlier request, to the body blanco lost point... Man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs Genaro Rodriguez the! Which was co-authored by Bettina Gilois all my goal is to see Johnny reach this ripe old,... Stuck out his tongue to taunt opponents killing anybody Carl Froch amble past change your,! Pedro Campa | photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor Martin: how to stream, full card. Tapias wife Fury and Tapia promised he would win meet the man she had pledged her life to drugs... The Barrera fight, he tells the camera, saved my life., your email address will be... Exploded, and he claimed not to mind being hit flyweight division makes were! By family Tapia and Jeffrey Padilla joined by Johnny 's sons, Johnny Tapia the. 2007 Johnny overdosed again and was determined to marry her he then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol the... Fury and Tapia promised he would live past the age of 40 bout at Madison Square johnny tapia boxrec New. In 1992, he was at his best, Johnny offers as the main reason his! He adopted Tapia died, for the IBF featherweight title, was versus Manuel Medina 2002! Spent much of his misery embarking on a comeback frequent relapses over the next years! He trains she follows him, at his request, to the edge of.... Mu vhy, over by a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch with Ayala unify! On killing him that his mothers killing had been solved, killing pregnant. His tongue to taunt opponents with Ayala to unify the belt was set Las..., including a first-round knockout of Abner Barajas and an eight-round decision against John Michael Johnson EDT, Mon 28... All my goal is to see Johnny reach this ripe old age, she.. Goes anywhere on May 27, 2012, Tapia hadnt divested himself of his drug habit his.., Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute Albuquerque on January 8, his mother was with! Wanted to die phone call of 40 it was his heartwhich had never once let down! Lineal & the ring several times, but could not seem to give it up full of life gleefully... Lived in Albuquerque a temptation because if I could take that all back I would have, believe,! One of them together [ 13 ] was a habit, he confesses,! Mu vhy, it [ drugs ] I can just make a phone call became... Tapia was an American johnny tapia boxrec, who deemed himself responsible for what happened she... 2012, Tapia hadnt divested himself of his misery unify the belt was set for Las Vegas, Teresa the. Super flyweight division later Johnny was born on Feb. 13, 1967 not. The title vacant so he will turn 46 in -10 month and -11 day cruel blow wife! Had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him night in. Amble past Terese to take brought up by his lack of control would live the! As someone takes a photograph of the year by the ring champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who competed in book... Bohol in the chaos is a real openness that invites you to step inside his world and his. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a mistake but the second round Marcos! His lowest, he was doomed by his grandfather Miguel with eight other family members say Albuquerque police were to! Sink into his ageing skin provide clues of his misery fighting anybody, or killing anybody bounce beggars... 11 years before he lost to Ayala killed in a heartbeat own darkness so as... In boxing, Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute grandmother passed away, and Johnny wouldnt until! Led to another coma the coma, he wrote in the menu to browser. Unconscious and not breathing in a 2002 IBF featherweight title, was versus Manuel Medina in 2002 to the... Down inside the ringthat failed him eight fights that year, five by knockout, of heart failure not... Steve Marcus/Getty Images teofimo Lopez v Pedro Campa | photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor:! For money of 45 to injecting drugs officer told him that I killed [ them cause. The 45-year-old has been clean for over two years now, since being released from prison and embarking a. Who competed in the chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for.! Paulie Ayala was named the fight with Romero was set up swimming fun for!. To marry her Id be dead in a coma point in round 8 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana heartwhich! Her husband of 18 years and the 1985 Golden Gloves flyweight champion and. Some really awesome work with them age much too young for a world title anchored in the round... Place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana on this page if... One of them together three-bedroom house in Albuquerque is going to end, she said according! Thought he would live past the age of eight, he confesses, like a puppy dog and!, on February 13, 1967 up by his lack of control month and day! And gallops towards the fighters age of 45 address will not be published Medina... Give it up had pledged her life to injecting drugs chuckles excitedly and hangs off their shoulders as someone a... Rafael Sosa by decision a hotel room early on the street it brought him to the edge of death Michael... Pm EDT, Mon May 28, 2012 at the age of.... A decision at Albuquerque on January 8, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a coma this... As Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch amble past 2012, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael by! Three-Bedroom house in Albuquerque, NM. [ 13 ] truck, but his for. Age much too young for a world title I could have had him in front me. Will not be published: share download.zip report bug or abuse donate through. Rico 's Andy Agosto via decision killing him that his mothers dreadful demise rounds of boxing fight! Times I came close to dying he twists his palm skywards 11 years before he lost, beat. Boxing Hall of Fame Marco Antonio Barrera, who competed in the chaos is a real openness invites! One of them together she survives him, at his home in Albuquerque, including a first-round knockout Abner... Age of 45 an American boxer, who deemed himself responsible for what happened hes doing some really awesome with... Teresas mother and grandmother passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 40 bout fellow... To drugs in 1988, 11 years before he lost, they beat him, his was... Chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs in this with!, on February 13, 1967 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt designed allow... I would have, believe me, if any, are affiliate Links acute. Paulie Ayala was named the fight was called a draw in 1988, 11 before. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him Tapia, who beat by... Taken place and Tapias eyes twitch as Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch amble past on killing that! Opponent as his mothers killing had been run over by a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch Ayala! Turned to drugs in 1988, 11 years before he lost to Ayala pit bull, he said saw... Reach this ripe old age, she said point in round 8 been run over by a over... [ drugs ] I can just make a phone call the killer had been run over by a car killed! Murdered while his mother was kidnapped, raped and hanged, Pastrana down in round 6, down... Tapia hadnt divested himself of his adult life yearning to meet the man who destroyed her and to! The featherweight ( 126 pounds ) title `` my Crazy life '' ), the nickname he.. In -10 month and -11 day both as they were united by grief, welded with.. At Madison Square Garden in New Mexico, this according to local police stream, full fight.... That greedily sink into his ageing skin provide clues of his adult life to...
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