Tapia was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light flyweight champion, and the 1985 Golden Gloves flyweight champion. Tapia spokesman Julian Jiron says the marriage came "out of love, respect, and the preservation of the family and Johnny's legacy." Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. 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. At the end of the film he is at a local radio station, accompanying one of his young fighters to promote an upcoming card. Johnny Tapia made his professional debut in March 1988, so he has been a pro for 34 years. Ive never said this to anybody, I dont want it no more. Speaking to the press at his gym in the wake of his. Pro debut A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. His last fight was in June 2011. I dont miss her, Tapia claims. Four times they wanted to pull life support. Thats the love of my life. Then I outlived her after I said I wouldnt. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. appreciated. I just want to say Good night mama. Larry Merchant, the boxing analyst, told Playboy in 2004 that Tapia was a five-to-one underdog to survive his own childhood.. So why not try and get over the bad stuff and try to make it a good ending?. If you change your mind, go to Notifications in the menu to enable browser notifications. The tragedy of life was venomously harassing the Tapias, and Johnny, more miserable than ever, edged his finger towards the self-destruct button. But lacing the incessant promises not to rekindle his affair with his mistress is uncertainty and fear that hell stray again. 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. For Teresa, it was Johnny. He was 45 years old. His selfish appetite for destruction fuelled another crime-riddled drug binge, and led to another coma. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. [14] He was a born-again Christian. It is said he was declared clinically dead five times in his life, a life that was ceaselessly, stubbornly, incurably difficult. This is perhaps the documentarys most poignant moment. One in particularwas his 1997 bout with fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero. 1967213 () . Tapia ruled down in round eleven. 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. He says in the film: I would have stabbed the shit out of him like nobodys business. 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. 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. While the Martinez title-winning fight might be his greatest moment, there were other notable wins. The Albuquerque police said an autopsy would be done in the next few days. Tapia was inducted during 2017, posthumously, to the Internation *Links to streaming, pay-per-view or ticketing platforms provided on this page, if any, are affiliate links. Tapia was inducted during 2017, posthumously, to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Retained IBF and WBO super flyweight titles. Tapia won by unanimous decision (UD). Champinon.info 2018-2023. Press conferences about the Super Six have just taken place and Tapias eyes twitch as Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch amble past. BLEACHED smiles and engineered chests bounce past beggars slurring their way through rehearsed pleas for money. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. He worked as producer of KOTV from 2006 until he joined Boxing News in 2010. Tapia's body is found at his home on Sunday night. Tapia eventually took these skills to the ring, where he showed himself equally proficient at regulated combat. Johnny heard her screams as she was taken away, chained to a pickup truck, but his cries for help were ignored. Teresa Tapia looks at Johnny, her husband of 18 years and the father of her three children, and smiles gently. That same day, Tapia was upgraded from critical to serious condition. 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 Though boxing would provide no more thrills, there was a surprising development in his life. 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. If a human being is a vessel of emotions, Tapia was a powder keg, perpetually on the verge of implosion. To make money he sometimes participated in underground fights at a local bar, where apparently the only prohibited weapon was a gun. Albuquerque, he says, Im still your champion.. 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. Tapia died at his Albuquerque home in 2012. But I have lived and had it all. 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. His first pro fight was in 1988. The 45-year-old has been clean for over two years now, since being released from prison and embarking on a comeback. In 1989, he won seven more fights, including a first-round knockout of Abner Barajas and an eight-round decision against John Michael Johnson. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. [8] Tapia won the fight by majority decision, 9892, 9694, 9595. 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. Family members say Albuquerque police were summoned to Tapia's house at 7:45 PM Sunday by a family. There would be no retributive justice though, as the killer had been run over by a car eight years earlier. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. Hes like a walking contradiction, Teresa tells me while Johnny is out of earshot. The widow of former world champion Johnny Tapia has remarried. 2. John Lee Anthony Tapia[2] (February 13, 1967 May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Montreal is The Fight City. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. In a performance that summoned all of his skill, showmanship and gall, Tapia outfought and outlasted Romero and won a unanimous decision. He fought seven times in 1994 and in October he took the WBO super flyweight title from Henry Martinez in his hometown of Albuquerque. 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]. During this time, Tapias wife, Teresa, had authorities re-open his mothers murder case. I want to hug my mama.. 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. Highlights of Johnny Tapia's best combinations & knockouts.Johnny Tapia - Was an American professional boxer and a five-time world champion at super flyweigh. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. [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. Tapia is a 5-time world champ. Johnny Tapia, left, in 2007 during one of his comebacks. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. . Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. She became his manager. 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. Just two and a half weeks before his loss to Ayala in 1999, the phone rang in the gym where Tapia was training. Johnny Tapia. The camera pans across the yellow landscape and settles on a solitary man, walking with his head down as though ruminating on a dark memory. She opened the bathroom door and found Tapia with a needle in his arm. It was a cruel blow for wife Terese to take. Updated Wladimir Klitschko (en ukrainien : ; transcription franaise : Volodymyr Volodymyrovytch Klytchko) est un boxeur ukrainien, n le 25 mars 1976 Semipalatinsk (actuel Seme) en RSS kazakhe.. Discovery Company. 2012527 () . But despite his early success, his life was anything but ordered, as he escaped the streets only when physically in the ring. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. If there was any time I didnt want to be with him it was in that year, Teresa softly imparts. 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. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. Montreal is The Fight City. John Lee Anthony Tapia (February 13, 1967 - May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. For more information, see our Cookie Policy. His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. On December 5, 1998, Tapia defeated WBA bantamweight champion Nana Konadu by decision to become a two-division world champion. 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 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. 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. Out of it, their influence held sway. Tapia doesnt dwell on their relationship for long, nor does it detail how strongly it developed prior to Johnnys death, but it must have been astonishing, and perhaps astonishingly sad, for Johnny to realize, after four decades, that he was not alone in the world, and that the man responsible for his creation had been close by all along. A family member came home, found him deceased and called us, Officer Robert Gibbs, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, police spokesman, said Monday. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. 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.. [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]. He would have been 50 years old today. It wasnt okay and he would never be able to make up for that.. A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. 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. Less than a year after his mothers death, he recounted, his uncles were making him fight older boys in matches they bet on. All of Tapias pain and psychological torment is traced to its source in this one admission. He has been the editor of Boxing News since 2015. Thats when I met him, she said. Johnny clearly still adores boxing. [17] Tapia died of heart failure. The striking advertisement for sobriety in this land of the wasted is Johnny Tapia, perhaps the most infamous substance-abusing boxer of all time. 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." Or stabbing anybody, or fighting anybody, or killing anybody? That is to say, he possessed the rare medley of talent, charisma, and recklessness that leapedthrough the screen toseize the viewers heart. I felt that I killed [them] cause I was in the coma, he says. Tapia went to jail, struggled with depression, and attempted suicide. But he went on with his careerand was paid two million dollars to face legendary champion Marco Antonio Barrera in 2002. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Isleta Resort & Casino, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Tingley Coliseum, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Convention Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Id love to think that in 30 years, well be old together and surrounded by family. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. Its like a safety net he has for himself; he wants everybody around whos positive and who wont do anything wrong. Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. 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. Am I lucky or unlucky?. 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. 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. Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological pain still leave us on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality. According to the criminal complaint, Tapia was on his motorcycle. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. KOB-TV reports representatives for Teresa Tapia confirmed Sunday that she married Johnny Tapia's half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla. Tapia was hospitalized in critical condition from an apparent cocaine overdose at Albuquerque Presbyterian Hospital. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. Realizing his habits, she at first resisted. Tapia's next bout, for the IBF featherweight title, was versus Manuel Medina. In 2007 Johnny overdosed again and was taken to hospital where he lay in a coma. from host boxrec.com from host www.boxrec.com: Linked from: fr.wikipedia.org Johnny Tapia. My wife could have killed me, she could have turned off the machine, Johnny says, his voice quivering under the weight of shame. Teresa was waiting for him when he was released. Within weeks of Johnny being incarcerated, Teresas mother and grandmother passed away, and Johnnys grandfather died. He suffers from bipolar disorder and it makes it very difficult the highs are very high and the lows are very low. He had made that his motto after he thought he had outgrown his first, baby-faced assassin.. 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. I would have, believe me, if I could have had him in front of me. When at his best, Johnny Tapia met the world with the finest smile. Tapias body was found Sunday night at his home in Albuquerque. He wrote an autobiography by that title. I hurt, Im old, Im done, he says, almost poetically. 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. 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. He experienced frequent relapses over the next few years and several overdoses. Teresa reaches over and squeezes the hands that won four world titles in three divisions super-flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. 45. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. If I didnt have her Id be dead in a heartbeat.. Our Train, Teach and Reinforce mantra is designed to allow your child to reach their full potential and makes swimming fun for them! You tell me. But happiness is a daily grind for Tapia. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. [10], The next day, on the morning of March 13, Tapia's brother-in-law and nephew were killed in an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 550 near Bloomfield, New Mexico, apparently en route to the hospital to visit Tapia. A police officer told him that his mothers killing had been solved. Five-time WBO world champion who had a record of 59-5-2. He knows it will be the end of his marriage if that happens. Tapia's dad was murdered while his mom was pregnant with him. 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.

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