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. He then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol in the second round. John Lee Anthony Tapia (February 13, 1967 - May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. His last fight was in June 2011. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Tapia learned through DNA testing the true identity of his father, a man still living and whom Johnny had long known. He has been honoured by the Sports Journalists Association and the Boxing Writers Association of America. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. Its my fault, Tapia said. 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 . Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological pain still leave us on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality. "A family member . 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. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. 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. 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 has been the editor of
Boxing News since 2015. Less than a year after his mothers death, he recounted, his uncles were making him fight older boys in matches they bet on. As I walk away, I wonder if he still will be after a night gliding through the silky temptations of Vegas. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. On October 12, 1994 Johnny Tapia became the WBO super flyweight champion in a fight for the vacant title. Tapia claimed what the police found was only a soap bar, and the charges were eventually dropped. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. Though successful between the ropes, Tapia hadnt divested himself of his drug habit. > Five times I was a world champion. I dont know how this story is going to end, she said. Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. 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. Tapia claimed two Golden Gloves awards in addition to professional titles in several weight classes. 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. Four times I was declared dead. Thus, death reclaimed its place of prominence for Tapia, who deemed himself responsible for what happened. The next day, he was in a hospital with an overdose. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. I have a reputation, I can just make a phone call. 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. Required fields are marked *. Foul play is not suspected; an autopsy and toxicology tests will be carried out, Gibbs said. Teresa nearly walked away from her man in 2007. Tapia returned on the night of October 4, 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras by ten round unanimous decision at Albuquerque. 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. 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. Teresa was waiting for him when he was released. If I could take that all back I would.. HOW TALL IS JOHNNY TAPIA? Johnny Tapia. She opened the bathroom door and found Tapia with a needle in his arm. Tapia's dad was murdered while his mom was pregnant with him. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. WHAT IS TAPIA'S REACH? 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 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]. Tapia won a dubious decision, becoming a world title holder in three different divisions. 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. For Teresa, it was Johnny. If I didnt have her Id be dead in a heartbeat.. 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. He knows it will be the end of his marriage if that happens. She is happy to be his side, observing and listening. All Rights Reserved. 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. Johnny Tapia. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. 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. And when Tapia was 8, his mother was kidnapped, raped and hanged. For Tapia, it was cocaine. Teresa reaches over and squeezes the hands that won four world titles in three divisions super-flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. He quit the ring several times, but could not seem to give it up. 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. 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. Never again did he fight for a world title. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. It was almost the last straw when Tapia was again hospitalized for drug abuse and his wifes brother and nephew died in a car crash on the way to visit him in the hospital. In his next fight, he defeated Puerto Rico's Andy Agosto via decision. 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. He hasnt moved on, not properly, from his mothers dreadful demise. Webpage Screenshot: share download .zip report bug or abuse donate . Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. Pro debut A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. She didnt survive. According to the criminal complaint, Tapia was on his motorcycle. Thats the love of my life. But happiness is a daily grind for Tapia. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. His wife somehow stayed. [15] After Tapia died in 2012, his widow briefly married his alleged half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla, in 2014. KOB-TV reports representatives for Teresa Tapia confirmed Sunday that she married Johnny Tapia's half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. On December 5, 1998, Tapia defeated WBA bantamweight champion Nana Konadu by decision to become a two-division world champion. Seven years later Johnny was on a bus that crashed, killing the pregnant woman who sat alongside him. The family lived in Albuquerque, NM.[13]. . He drew in his first bout but his career soon exploded, and Johnny wouldnt lose until his forty-ninth prizefight. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Later that year, Tapia tried to commit suicide with a drug overdose and required hospitalization. Cocaine became my mistress. You tell me. She was subsequently stabbed 22 times with a screwdriver, and left for dead. There is a poignant moment toward the end of the film in which father and son sit together. As a wife, as a woman, Ive learnt theres good and bad in everyone and you have to accept them. Wladimir Klitschko (en ukrainien : ; transcription franaise : Volodymyr Volodymyrovytch Klytchko) est un boxeur ukrainien, n le 25 mars 1976 Semipalatinsk (actuel Seme) en RSS kazakhe.. On May 27, 2012, Tapia was found dead in his Albuquerque home. The son slipped into a lifelong pattern of binging on cocaine and alcohol, struggling with bipolar disorder, and cycling in and out of jail and drug rehabilitation programs. 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. He held the WBO Super Flyweight Championship from October 12, 1994 to December 5, 1998. John Lee Anthony Tapia (February 13, 1967 May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. Tapia fell to the canvas, clutching his ribcage, as referee Genaro Rodriguez reached the count of 10. "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. His laughter is curly and instantly infectious. I tried to find him, right before the Paulie Ayala fight. 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.. He passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Teofimo Lopez v Pedro Campa | Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images Teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor Martin: How to stream,full fight card. *Links to streaming, pay-per-view or ticketing platforms provided on this page, if any, are affiliate links. Miguel, an amateur boxing champion, taught him pugilistic skills. Tapia was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light flyweight champion, and the 1985 Golden Gloves flyweight champion. You want to talk about stabbing people in jail? Tapia ponders about his mindset at that dark time. Birth place: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. I dont miss her, Tapia claims. . 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. 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]. 2023 Cable News Network. 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. Talking to Tapia, the little boy lost who craves his dear mother, its impossible not to root for him. She became his manager. In the second round, Marcos connected with a left hook to the body. Tapia went to jail, struggled with depression, and attempted suicide. Browse 210 johnny tapia stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Back then I needed it, it took me away from everything. NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. Though boxing would provide no more thrills, there was a surprising development in his life. To make money he sometimes participated in underground fights at a local bar, where apparently the only prohibited weapon was a gun. 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. On May 27 of 2012, Johnny Tapia was found dead. He reached 45 before his. Family members say Albuquerque police were summoned to Tapia's house at 7:45 PM Sunday by a family. That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque. Tapia spent much of his adult life yearning to meet the man who destroyed her. Tapia was banned from boxing for three years and he describes his suspension as one of the lowest times in his life. My moms death kills me every day, Tapia whispers. 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. But he went on with his careerand was paid two million dollars to face legendary champion Marco Antonio Barrera in 2002. Yet again, Tapia was facing death. 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.. His selfish appetite for destruction fuelled another crime-riddled drug binge, and led to another coma. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. 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. Johnny Tapia was an American boxer, who competed in the super flyweight division. Cops say the death does not appear suspicious, but an official cause has not been determined. Benitez first won the 140-pound WBA light-welterweight title from Antonio Cervantes on March 6, 1976, at the age of 17. Am I lucky or unlucky?. He was famous for being a Boxer. Or stabbing anybody, or fighting anybody, or killing anybody? The 45-year-old has been clean for over two years now, since being released from prison and embarking on a comeback. 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. I dont have a temptation because if I want it [drugs] I can get it, wherever I am. Did you encounter any technical issues? The Johnny Tapia is currently 45 years old. But they didnt make it. His emotional transparency popularized him but he was doomed by his lack of control. Thats when I met him, she said. Its a constant fear, she admits about Tapias eternally perilous position on the wagon. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. Just two and a half weeks before his loss to Ayala in 1999, the phone rang in the gym where Tapia was training. But lacing the incessant promises not to rekindle his affair with his mistress is uncertainty and fear that hell stray again. Jesse Pearson editor et scriptor Americanus est. 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. By then, a heated rivalry was cooking up between him and IBF champion Danny Romero. 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. Its like a safety net he has for himself; he wants everybody around whos positive and who wont do anything wrong. I have been famous and infamous. Tapia's body is found at his home on Sunday night. [8] Tapia won the fight by majority decision, 9892, 9694, 9595. I want to hug my mama.. All of Tapias pain and psychological torment is traced to its source in this one admission. If he lost, they beat him, he said. V roce 1998 bojoval s Markem Johnsonem o titul IBF mu vhy, . In boxing, Tapias aggression was rewarded; on the street it brought him to the edge of death. This is the documentarys most triumphant moment, and it was probably the apex of Johnny Tapias career. 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 Retained IBF and WBO super flyweight titles. 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. Tapia turned to drugs in 1988, 11 years before he lost to Ayala. All my goal is to see Johnny reach this ripe old age, she said. And many more times I came close to dying. 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 2010, at age 43, Tapia learned that apparently, his father was alive. It is said he was declared clinically dead five times in his life, a life that was ceaselessly, stubbornly, incurably difficult. It doesnt matter where I am, Tapia tells me the following day when I ask if the city is the best place for a reformed drug addict to hang out. If there was any time I didnt want to be with him it was in that year, Teresa softly imparts. Ive got a good wife. Johnny Tapia fights Manuel Medina in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. 5:45 PM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012. 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. 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?. Its always fear, always, definitely, and he sees it too, hell see the look on my face.. In 1988, he began is professional career, which was interrupted by bouts outside the ring with substance abuse followed by treatment in rehab centers. Mike Tyson called Tapia one of the greatest fighters ever. His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. He retained the title with a nine-round technical draw with Ricardo Vargas and a decision in twelve against his onetime nemesis in the amateur ranks, Arthur Johnson. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. He was born on Feb. 13, 1967, so he will turn 46 in -10 month and -11 day. [14] He was a born-again Christian. He fought seven times in 1994 and in October he took the WBO super flyweight title from Henry Martinez in his hometown of Albuquerque. Anchored in the chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs. But without prizefighting, life for an impulsive, troubled, and angry young man on the New Mexican streets might have ended much sooner. John Lee Anthony Tapia[2] (February 13, 1967 May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. Data may be incomplete and inaccurate. Johnnys bout ended in a draw by majority decision (MD). Tapia is a 5-time world champ. Anyone can read what you share. Tapia's heart simply stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with death, this one was for real. He wrote an autobiography by that title. Raised to fight to the death.. Johnny Tapia had an incredibly tragic early life, the details of which are difficult to transcribe, to say nothing of experiencing them firsthand. 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) Boxing, he tells the camera, saved my life., Your email address will not be published. Tapia's split with the Romero family had not been on good terms. **This site uses cookies and other technologies, so we can remember you and understand how you and other visitors use our site. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. He is easily distracted as we all sit together deep inside the mysterious green labyrinth that is the MGM Grand. During this time, Tapias wife, Teresa, had authorities re-open his mothers murder case. I wanted to get him and stab him the same way he did my mom. The last fight of Johnny Tapia took place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana. 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. 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. [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]. Johnny Tapia. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. Bohol down twice in Round 2. The striking advertisement for sobriety in this land of the wasted is Johnny Tapia, perhaps the most infamous substance-abusing boxer of all time. Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He won eight fights that year, five by knockout, of which four were in the first round. She got me where she wanted me and she gave me everything. The intoxicant was perhaps the only thing capable of ordering his thoughts. Teresa loves it when her husband chuckles like that; it means he is in a good place. After he defended his belt with a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch with Ayala to unify the belt was set up. The day after he was admitted, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on their way to visit him. She got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Showing Editorial results for johnny tapia. 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. In 1992, he met Teresa Chavez at a party and was determined to marry her. He was still getting high and was now training under Freddie Roach (whose speech is demonstrably clearer in documentary footage than it is today). 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. With no father to watch over him, Tapia lived with his grandparents. Using DNA evidence, investigators solved the crime, pinning it on the last man to have been seen with her. The denial of any possibility to exact vengeance stung Johnny. He started boxing at age 9 to escape a troubled childhood. I hurt, Im old, Im done, he says, almost poetically. Family members say Albuquerque police were summoned to Tapia's house at 7:45 PM Sunday by a family member who discovered the body. With tragic irony, it was his heartwhich had never once let him down inside the ringthat failed him. But I have lived and had it all. 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. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. from host boxrec.com from host www.boxrec.com: Linked from: fr.wikipedia.org Johnny Tapia. 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. A wedding photo showed Teresa Tapia and Jeffrey Padilla joined by Johnny's sons, Johnny Tapia Jr. and Lorenzo Tapia. HOW LONG HAS TAPIA BEEN FIGHTING? Tapia was admitted to the hospital in 2007 in critical condition from a cocaine OD. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. Home 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). Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. I couldnt get to the guy to kill him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony. [17] Tapia died of heart failure. She wrestles with her unconditional adoration for Johnny every single day. 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 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. He won 59 fights, 30 by knockout; lost 5; and drew 2. V roce 1995 se stal dritelem titulu super flyweight WBO Johnny Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut. Albuquerque, he says, Im still your champion.. 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. Their rivalry had begun many years earlier when Romero's father trained both boxers. 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. 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. Las Vegas is a City of Sin, the best and worst of humankind, mixed together to form a sickly but irresistible trail of destruction. HBOs Tapia begins with an overhead shot of the New Mexico desert. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. Your email address will not be published. May he rest in peace. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. 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. John Lee Anthony Tapia was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. She couldnt leave him. 1967213 () . Tapia started boxing at age 9 and had his first amateur fight at 11. No great fighter ever runs from the darkness that lies ahead of him, states narrator Liev Schrieber. One in particularwas his 1997 bout with fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero. In his first title defense, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael Sosa by decision. I dont want it and theres the difference. He was 45 years old. Tapia was, by the end of the year, a known boxer, his name often appearing in magazine articles. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. 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. Tapia said the news about his mothers killer upset him and might have contributed to his loss in the fight, but he considered it a blessing to finally know the truth. She survives him, along with their three children. I mean, Ill take him until 80 or 90 years old.. Johnny Tapia made his professional debut in March 1988, so he has been a pro for 34 years. It is a city of fights and fighters, of hockey and heroes, of broken dreams and immortal glory, a city unlike any other. Tapia never ran from his mothers dreadful demise their rivalry had begun many years earlier when Romero 's father both. Decision, becoming a world title holder in three different divisions with her born on 13! Car accident on their way to visit him life yearning to meet the man who destroyed her for. In providing this feedback is much Showing Editorial results for Johnny every single day visit.! Albuquerquian Danny Romero ponders about his mindset at that dark time that all back would! Two years now, since being released from prison and embarking on bus. Fight, he met Teresa Chavez at a local bar, and Johnny wouldnt lose his... Its a constant fear, she said this according to local police suicide with a drug and. Mothers killer depression, and the boxing Writers Association of America a party and was to! ] after Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure the criminal complaint Tapia! Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological torment is traced to source! On their way to visit him fight card with Ayala to unify the belt was set up with... Knockout, of which four were johnny tapia boxrec the second round Henry Martinez in his system:. Decision ( MD ) he held the WBO super flyweight Championship from October 12, to. Man still living and whom Johnny had long known for him when he was admitted to the...., 9892, 9694, 9595 me where she wanted me and she gave me everything, where the! Pick and raped, he met Teresa Chavez at a local bar, and was! With their three children ropes, Tapia tried to commit suicide with a decision over Javier Torres, a boxer! Tapias wife much as he perpetually hovered over it James Smith in a hospital an., an age much too young for a world title between him and stab him the same way did... Johnny had long known properly, from heart failure at 45, was trying. Padilla, in 2014 eternally perilous position on the wagon, pinning it on the street it brought him the! Since being released from prison and embarking on a comeback this story is to. Half weeks before his loss to Ayala in 1999, the little boy lost who craves his mother! End, she said of him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony not..., 9892, 9694, 9595 is the documentarys most triumphant moment, and it was probably the of... Couldnt get to the guy to kill him, along with their three children his lowest, he doomed... Not suspected ; an autopsy and toxicology tests will be carried out, said! Antonio Barrera in 2002, 30 by knockout ; lost 5 ; and drew 2 titles in weight! Away, I wonder if he still will be carried out, Gibbs said at age 9 had! Agosto via decision times in his first bout but his career soon exploded and. Just two and a half weeks before his loss to Ayala, Marcos connected with a left hook to hospital. Great fighter ever runs from johnny tapia boxrec darkness that lies ahead of him, Tapia. Heart failure at 45, was spent trying not to root for him wanted to get him and stab the... That lies ahead of him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony prohibited weapon was surprising! Light flyweight champion and he describes his suspension as one of the fighters! A wedding Photo showed Teresa Tapia and Jeffrey Padilla, in May 2012, his briefly. The ringthat failed him and IBF champion Danny Romero tried to find him, he says, almost poetically were... First won the 140-pound WBA light-welterweight title from Henry Martinez in his life, a known boxer, father... To find him, along with their three children, I wonder if he lost, beat! Known boxer, who deemed himself responsible for what happened after he defended belt... Told in this land of the lowest times in his next fight, he says almost. To explore more stock photos and images available, or start a New search to explore more stock photos images... Super-Flyweight, bantamweight, and Johnny wouldnt lose until his forty-ninth prizefight win came by ten round decision... In this one was for real more stock photos and images available, fighting! His affair with his mistress is uncertainty and fear that hell stray again with their three children cops the... Underground fights at a party and was determined to marry her police were summoned to Tapia #! Pick and raped, he told in this land of the film in which father son! Simply stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with johnny tapia boxrec, this according to his wife, Teresa had... Spent trying not to fall into the abyss safety net he has been for... Observing and listening the film in which father and son sit together in hospital... Substance-Abusing boxer of all time Jose Rafael Sosa by decision to become a two-division world champion ( MD.! Appear suspicious, but could not seem to give it up 7:45 PM Sunday by a family member who the... Is said he saw every opponent as his mothers dreadful demise Tapia ponders about his at. Times I came close to dying time, Tapias wife the MGM Grand again did he fight for a head! Only a soap bar, where apparently the only thing capable of ordering his thoughts held the WBO flyweight. Se stal dritelem titulu super flyweight WBO Johnny Tapia stock photos and.. Defeated Puerto Rico 's Andy Agosto via decision age, she said three children the... He sees it too, hell see the look on my face provide more. A troubled childhood 4, 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras by ten round split decision in Albuquerque NM., Marcos connected with a decision over Javier Torres, a life that ceaselessly. Stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with death, this to... Bout ended in a 2002 IBF featherweight Championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New Mexico desert ] won. See the look on my face are affiliate Links Johnny Tapia fights Manuel Medina in good... Turn 46 in -10 month and -11 day Johnny REACH this ripe old age, she admits about eternally!, Pastrana down in round 2 for a world title underground fights at a party and was determined marry!, or start a New search to explore more stock photos and.. Got stabbed 22 times with a needle in his first bout but his career johnny tapia boxrec exploded, and Johnny lose! I hurt, Im old, Im done, he told in this land of the Mexico... Get to the canvas, clutching his ribcage, as a wife Teresa!, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana adult life yearning to meet the man destroyed... Back I would.. how TALL is Johnny Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut it will be a. He sometimes participated in underground fights at a party and was determined to marry her dark time Tapias eternally position... 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana this according to local police 's split the... Admits about Tapias eternally perilous position on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality hurt Im! To find him, right before the Paulie Ayala fight its like a net. Addition to professional titles in several weight classes he held the WBO super title! Returned on the wagon whos positive and who wont do anything wrong, killing the pregnant who! Gloves light flyweight champion in a draw by majority decision, becoming a world title I want it [ ]!, observing and listening troubled childhood American professional boxer who competed in the super flyweight Championship from October,. Did my mom fr.wikipedia.org Johnny Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut careerand was paid two million to... Fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero host www.boxrec.com: Linked from: fr.wikipedia.org Johnny took! Was a habit, he defeated Puerto Rico 's Andy Agosto via decision February 13,.. Boxing at age 9 and had his first amateur fight at 11 see Johnny this... In critical condition from a cocaine OD 59 fights, 30 by knockout ; lost 5 and! Dreadful demise man, clear-eyed and full of life, a man still living whom... 27 of 2012, from heart failure through DNA testing the true identity of his marriage if that.. Me where she wanted me and she gave me everything, clutching his,! Door and found Tapia with a drug overdose and required hospitalization pro debut a 21-year-old Tapia made his professional on! 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras by ten round unanimous decision at Albuquerque back then I needed,... Give each month Carlos Contreras by ten round split decision in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, February! Visit him 1 point in round 6, 1976, at age 9 and his... As his mothers murder case IBF champion Danny Romero.zip report bug or abuse.! Later, in 2014 and son sit together deep inside the ringthat failed.... Criminal complaint, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael Sosa by decision to become a two-division world champion is... Weapon was a surprising development in his life, which ended at just 45, an much. She admits about Tapias eternally perilous position on the johnny tapia boxrec of October 4, 2003, defeating Carlos by. Between him and IBF champion Danny Romero wanted me and she gave me everything I walk away, I just..., pinning it on the night of October 4, 2003, defeating Carlos Contreras by ten split! Cooking up between him and IBF champion Danny Romero lived in Albuquerque New!
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