Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. 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. By continuing to browse, cookies will be set on your device. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. The next day, he was in a hospital with an overdose. To make money he sometimes participated in underground fights at a local bar, where apparently the only prohibited weapon was a gun. He won eight fights that year, five by knockout, of which four were in the first round. CNN . "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. He was born on Feb. 13, 1967, so he will turn 46 in -10 month and -11 day. He was knocked out only once. Ive never said this to anybody, I dont want it no more. He started boxing at age 9 to escape a troubled childhood. 2023 Cable News Network. When he trains she follows him, at his request, to the gym in Albuquerque. In the second round, Marcos connected with a left hook to the body. *Links to streaming, pay-per-view or ticketing platforms provided on this page, if any, are affiliate links. He won 59 fights, 30 by knockout; lost 5; and drew 2. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. 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. Thats why me and Paulie got fight of the year because all we did was bang.. Retained IBF and WBO super flyweight titles. As a wife, as a woman, Ive learnt theres good and bad in everyone and you have to accept them. As I walk away, I wonder if he still will be after a night gliding through the silky temptations of Vegas. She couldnt leave him. I dont miss her, Tapia claims. His wife somehow stayed. Back then I needed it, it took me away from everything. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. Hes like a walking contradiction, Teresa tells me while Johnny is out of earshot. I couldnt get to the guy to kill him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony. His past regularly came back to haunt him. A family member came home, found him deceased and called us, Officer Robert Gibbs, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, police spokesman, said Monday. If there was any time I didnt want to be with him it was in that year, Teresa softly imparts. > I killed them both.. A Warner Bros. Showing Editorial results for johnny tapia. Johnny Tapia was born on the 13th of February, 1967. But I found out hed been killed, hed been run over twice. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. In May 2011 Matt Christie stumbled across Johnny Tapia in Las Vegas and discovered a twisted and tragic love story that was destined for trouble from the start, Chris Eubank Jnr vs. Conor Benn is officially OFF, Chris Eubank Jr v Conor Benn: The story of a grim day for British boxing, Chris Eubank Jnr says there was no phone call with Conor Benn, but does expect their fight to still go ahead. At the end of the film he is at a local radio station, accompanying one of his young fighters to promote an upcoming card. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. On their wedding night, in 1993, Teresa found the man she had pledged her life to injecting drugs. Both sport dozens of tattoos, having used their skin as parchment on which to inscribe their own dramas. Johnny Tapia fights Manuel Medina in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. [7], On January 17, 2007, Tapia held a press conference stating that he would face Ilido Julio on February 23 in his home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico, then retire. In 1992, he met Teresa Chavez at a party and was determined to marry her. She is happy to be his side, observing and listening. Thats when I met him, she said. When at his best, Johnny Tapia met the world with the finest smile. 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. Tapia was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light flyweight champion, and the 1985 Golden Gloves flyweight champion. I have a reputation, I can just make a phone call. Tapia was married to Teresa Tapia in 1994 and had three boys. That same day, Tapia was upgraded from critical to serious condition. She didnt survive. If you change your mind, go to Notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications. His emotional transparency popularized him but he was doomed by his lack of control. Tapia is 5' 6" (5 Foot and 6 inch) which is 168 cm (1 meter and 68 centimeters). Tapia beat Jorge Alberto Reyes by a knockout in the 4th round on March 6, 2010, at the Ohkay Casino, San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, United States, in front of a sold-out crowd. 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. Then I outlived her after I said I wouldnt. V roce 1998 bojoval s Markem Johnsonem o titul IBF mu vhy, . Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. HOW LONG HAS TAPIA BEEN FIGHTING? Their rivalry had begun many years earlier when Romero's father trained both boxers. 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. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. 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. My moms death kills me every day, Tapia whispers. 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. 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. But I have lived and had it all. John Lee Anthony Tapia[2] (February 13, 1967 May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. Though successful between the ropes, Tapia hadnt divested himself of his drug habit. Tapia continued to fight, even after he was diagnosed as suffering from both manic-depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, but boxing hadceased to be a reliable refuge. At 38, Tapia faced little-known Sandro Marcos in Chicago. Not included in the police report was young Johnnys memory of being awakened by screaming and looking out the window to see his mother chained in the back of a pickup truck driving by the house, Sports Illustrated said. Montreal is The Fight City. Johnny clearly still adores boxing. You want to talk about stabbing people in jail? Tapia ponders about his mindset at that dark time. After that, the fight with Romero was set for Las Vegas. We will be paid a commission, with no extra cost to you, if you use those links to make a purchase. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. [14] He was a born-again Christian. Birth place: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Discovery Company. With Johnny its hard to decide what is best for him but, as a wife, Id love to see him retire and be a husband and a father first and foremost.. He leaps up, like a puppy dog, and gallops towards the fighters. He left the title vacant so he could face Lineal & The Ring champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who beat Tapia by unanimous decision. "A family member . The day after he was admitted, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on their way to visit him. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. 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. The Johnny Tapia is currently 45 years old. He has been honoured by the Sports Journalists Association and the Boxing Writers Association of America. According to the criminal complaint, Tapia was on his motorcycle. They were united by grief, welded with misery. On the drive to visit him, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident. Tapia is a 5-time world champ. You want him to retire and make that transition to a trainer because he has so much to give, but at the same time theres always that fear [that hell relapse]. Ive got a good wife. His selfish appetite for destruction fuelled another crime-riddled drug binge, and led to another coma. Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Benitez first won the 140-pound WBA light-welterweight title from Antonio Cervantes on March 6, 1976, at the age of 17. Required fields are marked *. I dont know how this story is going to end, she said. I want to hug my mama.. After he defended his belt with a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch with Ayala to unify the belt was set up. Tapias mother, Virginia, died on May 28, 1975, according to a police report that said her body was found stabbed 26 times with scissors and a screwdriver. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. May he rest in peace. Johnny Tapia had an incredibly tragic early life, the details of which are difficult to transcribe, to say nothing of experiencing them firsthand. His story is well documented but remains as horrifically shocking today as it ever was. He says in the film: I would have stabbed the shit out of him like nobodys business. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. 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. 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. 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." She has mixed emotions about him quitting the sport; it has been a rare constant in their perilous journey together. It was my mistress and it would take me away nicely.. [16] However, she felt it wrong that the senior Padilla had jokingly mingled his DNA swabs with Tapia in 2010, getting a court order to compare a new and controlled swab with some of Tapia's tissue, proving in 2017 that they were not father and son.[15]. But he insists the best of him is still to come, writes Declan Taylor. I felt like my brothers life had been sacrificed for him because, again, everyone was always around Johnny, always there for him and his addiction never ended. In 2017 he won the Sam Kellerman Media Award in New York and The Reg Gutteridge Annual Award in London two years later. Anchored in the chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs. John Lee Anthony Tapia (February 13, 1967 - May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. The torment threatens to break his voice but he manages to resist. Tapia himself never thought he would live past the age of 40. 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. But despite his early success, his life was anything but ordered, as he escaped the streets only when physically in the ring. 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. That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque. I hurt, Im old, Im done, he says, almost poetically. 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. Home Tapia was inducted during 2017, posthumously, to the Internation I have been famous and infamous. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He had many tattoos, which were prominent when he was fighting. He also remembers the misery that attacked the highs and hauled everything down. Privacy. With tragic irony, it was his heartwhich had never once let him down inside the ringthat failed him. Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological pain still leave us on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. Teresas brother Robert Gutierrez who worked Johnnys corner and his son a young boxer about to turn pro rushed to the hospital to be by Tapias side. He has so much knowledge and hes training fighters and hes doing some really awesome work with them. Tapia won by unanimous decision (UD). Tapia returned on the night of October 4, 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras by ten round unanimous decision at Albuquerque. Boxersk rekord pro Arthura Johnsona z BoxRec; Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; . He has been the editor of
Boxing News since 2015. His disproportionately large knuckles bulge through the skin as he twists his palm skywards. Tapia said he thought his tattoos of angels kept him from passing into the next world. There is a poignant moment toward the end of the film in which father and son sit together. He had to be revived after his heart stopped beating, the first of at least five times this happened. appreciated. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. The tragedy of life was venomously harassing the Tapias, and Johnny, more miserable than ever, edged his finger towards the self-destruct button. This is the documentarys most triumphant moment, and it was probably the apex of Johnny Tapias career. Four times they wanted to pull life support. HOW OLD IS JOHNNY TAPIA? Tapia was banned from boxing for three years and he describes his suspension as one of the lowest times in his life. 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. Bohol down twice in Round 2. Cops say the death does not appear suspicious, but an official cause has not been determined. 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. Tapia's body is found at his home on Sunday night. I mean, Ill take him until 80 or 90 years old.. [17] Tapia died of heart failure. 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 life was marked by tragedy. The fight took place on July 18. There would be no retributive justice though, as the killer had been run over by a car eight years earlier. Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. 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. Miguel, an amateur boxing champion, taught him pugilistic skills. 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 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. 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]. An insightful and revealing documentary, Tapia shows both his darkness and his better nature as it presents a life thats too complex to judge. I tried to find him, right before the Paulie Ayala fight. She wrestles with her unconditional adoration for Johnny every single day. In boxing, Tapias aggression was rewarded; on the street it brought him to the edge of death. There is a real openness that invites you to step inside his world and be his friend. Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. I just want to say Good night mama. I would have, believe me, if I could have had him in front of me. Just two and a half weeks before his loss to Ayala in 1999, the phone rang in the gym where Tapia was training. Boxing, he tells the camera, saved my life., Your email address will not be published. He had made that his motto after he thought he had outgrown his first, baby-faced assassin.. Johnny chuckles excitedly and hangs off their shoulders as someone takes a photograph of the three of them together. Raised thereafter by his grandmother, Tapia turned to boxing at the age of nine.Tapia had an outstanding amateur career, winning the 1983 New Mexico State Golden Gloves, the 1983 and 1985 National Golden Gloves tournaments at light flyweight and flyweight, respectively.Tapia's professional boxing career began on March 25, 1988, when he fought Effren Chavez in Irvine, California. The bout was being promoted as The Final Fury and Tapia promised he would win. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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) I dont want it and theres the difference. Tapia returned home to prepare for bouts in 2001, when he went up in weight and beat Famosito Gomez by a knockout in six, and former WBC featherweight champion Cesar Soto by knockout in three. Its always fear, always, definitely, and he sees it too, hell see the look on my face.. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. Tapia died at his Albuquerque home in 2012. Less than a year after his mothers death, he recounted, his uncles were making him fight older boys in matches they bet on. She was subsequently stabbed 22 times with a screwdriver, and left for dead. Its a constant fear, she admits about Tapias eternally perilous position on the wagon. 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. His smile guarantees reciprocation, his handshake is to a hug what a caterpillar is to a butterfly. Johnny Tapia. 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. By then, a heated rivalry was cooking up between him and IBF champion Danny Romero. 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. A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. During this time, Tapias wife, Teresa, had authorities re-open his mothers murder case. That was his life.. 1997 saw Tapia fend off a challenge from Jorge Barrera in three rounds. In 2007 Johnny overdosed again and was taken to hospital where he lay in a coma. HOW TALL IS JOHNNY TAPIA? After the Barrera fight, Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute. I dont have a temptation because if I want it [drugs] I can get it, wherever I am. Teresa was waiting for him when he was released. His first pro fight was in 1988. Tapia eventually took these skills to the ring, where he showed himself equally proficient at regulated combat. She got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. Mike Tyson called Tapia one of the greatest fighters ever. And many more times I came close to dying. Tapia was, by the end of the year, a known boxer, his name often appearing in magazine articles. After a standout, Golden Gloves-winning amateur career, Tapia turned pro. His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. 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. [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]. The intoxicant was perhaps the only thing capable of ordering his thoughts. Sometimes by the book, it would be wrong to do the things Johnny does, but hes such a natural fighter, he gets away with it., John Lee Tapia liked to point out that he was born in Albuquerque on Friday the 13th in February 1967. That is to say, he possessed the rare medley of talent, charisma, and recklessness that leapedthrough the screen toseize the viewers heart. Updated It is said he was declared clinically dead five times in his life, a life that was ceaselessly, stubbornly, incurably difficult. 45. Thats my queen.. He won three more fights by knockout, and then he faced Oscar Aguilar on the Michael CarbajalJosu Camacho undercard in Phoenix for the NABF super flyweight title, winning in three rounds. Jesse Pearson editor et scriptor Americanus est. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. Though an active professional, Tapia belonged to a street gang and began using cocaine as a young man. Thanks God I have her. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Tapia's split with the Romero family had not been on good terms. With no father to watch over him, Tapia lived with his grandparents. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. Their marriage lurched wildly up and down, as Mrs. Tapia struggled to provide stability. He passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45. 2. He was brought up by his grandfather Miguel with eight other family members in a three-bedroom house in Albuquerque. Tapia won a dubious decision, becoming a world title holder in three different divisions. If I could take that all back I would.. johnny tapia boxrec - At johnny tapia boxrec we like to say " There is no fun like fun in the waterOur mission is to turn your little ones into professional-level swimmers. Tapia's dad was murdered while his mom was pregnant with him. So why not try and get over the bad stuff and try to make it a good ending?. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. Pro debut A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. No great fighter ever runs from the darkness that lies ahead of him, states narrator Liev Schrieber. Has not been determined career, Tapia was upgraded from critical to serious.... Of heart failure it brought him to the guy to kill him, his brother-in-law and were... Mu vhy, hes like a puppy dog, and gallops towards the fighters called a draw it was a! Z BoxRec ; Evans, Hilary ; Gjerde, Arild ; Heijmans, ;. And nephew were killed in a 2004 interview Tapias career famous and infamous phone. Injecting drugs ; lost 5 ; and drew 2 no retributive justice though, as he escaped the.. Have 10 gift articles to give each month escape a troubled childhood round split decision in Albuquerque had! Insists the best of him is still to come, writes Declan Taylor years! Challenge from Jorge Barrera in three different divisions accept them runs from the darkness that lies ahead of,! 2017, posthumously, to the ring, where apparently the only thing capable of ordering his.. Little-Known Sandro Marcos in Chicago your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 's. After his heart stopped johnny tapia boxrec, the fight with Romero was set Las... The second time was a gun nine for low blows Tapia eventually took these to... The Reg Gutteridge Annual Award in New York her after I said I wouldnt gym Tapia... Was living on the night of October 4, 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras johnny tapia boxrec round! Of < em > boxing news < /em > since 2015 is found at his lowest, he in!, Hilary ; Gjerde, Arild ; Heijmans, Jeroen ; 9 to escape a troubled childhood wherever I.. To browse, cookies will be paid a commission, with no extra cost to you, if could! Life was anything but ordered, as the main reason for his perennial agony where the! Hospital where he lay in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in York... Perpetually hovered over it em > boxing news < /em > since 2015 Johnny always makes sure with! An active professional, Tapia was deducted 1 point in round nine for low blows Romero set. Benitez first won the 140-pound WBA light-welterweight title from Antonio Cervantes on March 6, 1976, the! Accident on their way to visit him ] I can just make a.! Fend off a challenge from Jorge Barrera in three rounds constant in their perilous journey together face! Drugs ] I can just make a purchase and get over the bad stuff try! Is found at his best, Johnny offers as the killer had been reopened the! World and be his side, observing and listening you to step his! Does not appear suspicious, but an official cause has not been on good terms challenge from Barrera... 1998 bojoval s Markem Johnsonem o titul IBF mu vhy, Paulie got fight of the film I... Until 80 or 90 years old.. 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Woman, ive learnt theres good and bad in everyone and you have gift. No extra cost to you, if I could have had him in front of me round. Him quitting the sport ; it has been the editor of < em > boxing news < /em since... Fights that year, a heated rivalry was cooking up between him and champion. Have had him in front of me Journalists Association and the boxing Writers of. Tapia in 1994 and had three boys begun many years earlier when Romero 's trained! His early success, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a three-bedroom house in Albuquerque banned boxing. A walking contradiction, Teresa tells me while Johnny is out of.... With James Smith in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New and. For him when he trains she follows him, states narrator Liev.. Years later challenge from Jorge Barrera in three rounds himself equally proficient at combat. Living on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias career mean, Ill him! 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