His life was marked by tragedy. His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. 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. Out of it, their influence held sway. The bout was being promoted as The Final Fury and Tapia promised he would win. KOB-TV reports representatives for Teresa Tapia confirmed Sunday that she married Johnny Tapia's half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla. 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. In boxing, Tapias aggression was rewarded; on the street it brought him to the edge of death. 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. I have been wealthy and lost it all. When he trains she follows him, at his request, to the gym in Albuquerque. During this time, Tapias wife, Teresa, had authorities re-open his mothers murder case. He left the title vacant so he could face Lineal & The Ring champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who beat Tapia by unanimous decision. An explosive combination puncher who backed up his suicidal tendencies with athleticism, he repeatedly waged all-out war in the ring and punctuated each miraculous victory with his trademark back-flip. 2023 Cable News Network. That is to say, he possessed the rare medley of talent, charisma, and recklessness that leapedthrough the screen toseize the viewers heart. He would have been 50 years old today. > 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. That same day, Tapia was upgraded from critical to serious condition. 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. Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. *Links to streaming, pay-per-view or ticketing platforms provided on this page, if any, are affiliate links. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. Thats when I met him, she said. A police officer told him that his mothers killing had been solved. Thats the love of my life. from host boxrec.com from host www.boxrec.com: Linked from: fr.wikipedia.org Johnny Tapia. With tragic irony, it was his heartwhich had never once let him down inside the ringthat failed him. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. 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. But I have lived and had it all. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. 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. His past regularly came back to haunt him. Tapia was banned from boxing for three years and he describes his suspension as one of the lowest times in his life. This is perhaps the documentarys most poignant moment. Raised to fight to the death.. She survives him, along with their three children. He knows it will be the end of his marriage if that happens. 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. 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. Five times I was a world champion. He reached 45 before his. He was brought up by his grandfather Miguel with eight other family members in a three-bedroom house in Albuquerque. Though successful between the ropes, Tapia hadnt divested himself of his drug habit. From the age of eight, he has wanted to die. 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. Johnny heard her screams as she was taken away, chained to a pickup truck, but his cries for help were ignored. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. 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. HOW TALL IS JOHNNY TAPIA? Raised thereafter by his grandmother, Tapia turned to boxing at the age of nine.[4]. Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. 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. WHAT IS TAPIA'S REACH? Their marriage lurched wildly up and down, as Mrs. Tapia struggled to provide stability. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. She is happy to be his side, observing and listening. After the Barrera fight, Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute. Back then I needed it, it took me away from everything. After a standout, Golden Gloves-winning amateur career, Tapia turned pro. 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. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. 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 got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. My wife could have killed me, she could have turned off the machine, Johnny says, his voice quivering under the weight of shame. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. The damage wreaked on him by his mothers murder and the degree to which it informed his worldview is extraordinarily sad, and for those of us who havent endured the same trauma, equallyimpossible to understand. Tapia's heart simply stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with death, this one was for real. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. He hasnt moved on, not properly, from his mothers dreadful demise. V roce 1995 se stal dritelem titulu super flyweight WBO Johnny Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut. Tapia fell to the canvas, clutching his ribcage, as referee Genaro Rodriguez reached the count of 10. [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]. 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. The lines on his face that greedily sink into his ageing skin provide clues of his misery. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. He won eight fights that year, five by knockout, of which four were in the first round. 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. Four times they wanted to pull life support. 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. Never again did he fight for a world title. He was 45. 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 Your email address will not be published. I wanted to get him and stab him the same way he did my mom. 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 appeared to revel in hostility and combat, as if his self-worth was proportional to his ability to give and take pain. He fought seven times in 1994 and in October he took the WBO super flyweight title from Henry Martinez in his hometown of Albuquerque. While the Martinez title-winning fight might be his greatest moment, there were other notable wins. Johnny Tapia, left, in 2007 during one of his comebacks. 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. May he rest in peace. Johnny Tapia. Thus, death reclaimed its place of prominence for Tapia, who deemed himself responsible for what happened. The 45-year-old has been clean for over two years now, since being released from prison and embarking on a comeback. I have my beautiful wife with me, nothing will happen to me if shes here.. He has been the editor of Boxing News since 2015. HOW OLD IS JOHNNY TAPIA? His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. Jesse Pearson editor et scriptor Americanus est. I was so angry I thought I was going to stay in prison for life, but I ended up doing 23-hour lockdown [every day] for a whole year so I could get out.. Highlights of Johnny Tapia's best combinations \u0026 knockouts.Johnny Tapia - Was an American professional boxer and a five-time world champion at super flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight. Johnny Tapia was born in Albuquerque. I have been famous and infamous. Montreal is The Fight City. Discovery Company. Its always fear, always, definitely, and he sees it too, hell see the look on my face.. 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. Its like a safety net he has for himself; he wants everybody around whos positive and who wont do anything wrong. She was subsequently stabbed 22 times with a screwdriver, and left for dead. Tapia's dad was murdered while his mom was pregnant with him. Tapia spokesman Julian Jiron says the marriage came "out of love, respect, and the preservation of the family and Johnny's legacy." NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. Tapia was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light flyweight champion, and the 1985 Golden Gloves flyweight champion. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. He held the WBO Super Flyweight Championship from October 12, 1994 to December 5, 1998. Champinon.info 2018-2023. That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. I dont know how this story is going to end, she said. 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. He may or may not have considered this a good thing, his wife told Playboy. 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. This is the documentarys most triumphant moment, and it was probably the apex of Johnny Tapias career. The widow of former world championJohnny Tapia has remarried. The last fight of Johnny Tapia took place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana. Bohol down twice in Round 2. 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) 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). She opened the bathroom door and found Tapia with a needle in his arm. Foul play is not suspected. 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. His disproportionately large knuckles bulge through the skin as he twists his palm skywards. Name: Juan Tapia Pro Boxing Record: 12-4-0 (Win-Loss-Draw) Nickname: Johnny Blaze Current Streak: N/A Age: 29 | Date of Birth: 1993.03.08 Last Fight: N/A Weight Class: | Last Weigh-In: N/A Affiliation: Blazing Boxing & Fitness Height: 5'5" (165cm) | Reach: 69.0" (175cm) Career Disclosed Earnings: $0 USD Born: Brownsville, Texas 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. 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. Less than a year after his mothers death, he recounted, his uncles were making him fight older boys in matches they bet on. I couldnt get to the guy to kill him, Johnny offers as the main reason for his perennial agony. HBOs Tapia begins with an overhead shot of the New Mexico desert. He then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol in the second round. He experienced frequent relapses over the next few years and several overdoses. He leaps up, like a puppy dog, and gallops towards the fighters. All my goal is to see Johnny reach this ripe old age, she said. 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 first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. You want to talk about stabbing people in jail? Tapia ponders about his mindset at that dark time. Then I outlived her after I said I wouldnt. His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. John Lee Anthony Tapia (February 13, 1967 - May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. He has also written about boxing for The Guardian and the Daily Mirror and has been used by the BBC, Sky Sports, BT Sport, HBO Boxing and Talk Sport as a boxing analyst. 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 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]. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. Mi vida loca, or my crazy life, were the words tattooed on his belly. Tapia won a dubious decision, becoming a world title holder in three different divisions. Thats my queen.. He is easily distracted as we all sit together deep inside the mysterious green labyrinth that is the MGM Grand. 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 2. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. After two more wins, he gave Willy Salazar a title shot, knocking him out in nine rounds. . On May 27 of 2012, Johnny Tapia was found dead. A car crash killed them both as they were on their way. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. Not from a drug overdose, but from heart failure. For Tapia, it was cocaine. Tapia's next bout, for the IBF featherweight title, was versus Manuel Medina. After he defended his belt with a decision over Javier Torres, a rematch with Ayala to unify the belt was set up. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. John Lee Anthony Tapia[2] (February 13, 1967 May 27, 2012) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. Though boxing would provide no more thrills, there was a surprising development in his life. AboutPressCopyrightContact. When he finally returned to the ring on March 27, 1994, he beat Jaime Olvera by a knockout in four rounds in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A Warner Bros. Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological pain still leave us on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality. 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 suffers from bipolar disorder and it makes it very difficult the highs are very high and the lows are very low. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. Back quickly after that, he was given a shot at the WBO title. [8] Tapia won the fight by majority decision, 9892, 9694, 9595. His laughter is curly and instantly infectious. I dont miss her, Tapia claims. 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. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. He had to be revived after his heart stopped beating, the first of at least five times this happened. Data may be incomplete and inaccurate. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. appreciated. On December 5, 1998, Tapia defeated WBA bantamweight champion Nana Konadu by decision to become a two-division world champion. She has mixed emotions about him quitting the sport; it has been a rare constant in their perilous journey together. But without prizefighting, life for an impulsive, troubled, and angry young man on the New Mexican streets might have ended much sooner. His emotional transparency popularized him but he was doomed by his lack of control. If a human being is a vessel of emotions, Tapia was a powder keg, perpetually on the verge of implosion. 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. Family members say Albuquerque police were summoned to Tapia's house at 7:45 PM Sunday by a family. The Johnny Tapia is currently 45 years old. Johnny chuckles excitedly and hangs off their shoulders as someone takes a photograph of the three of them together. He was still getting high and was now training under Freddie Roach (whose speech is demonstrably clearer in documentary footage than it is today). The next day, he was in a hospital with an overdose. 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. 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. The denial of any possibility to exact vengeance stung Johnny. Anyone can read what you share. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Police have made an arrest in the shooting of Johnny Tapia, the son of the boxing legend of the same name. Teresa nearly walked away from her man in 2007. 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.. An insightful and revealing documentary, Tapia shows both his darkness and his better nature as it presents a life thats too complex to judge. As the needle sank into his arm and loaded his veins with toxins, Tapia drifted into a coma. There is a poignant moment toward the end of the film in which father and son sit together. 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?. Tapia won by a unanimous twelve-round decision, adding the IBF title to his WBO belt. To make money he sometimes participated in underground fights at a local bar, where apparently the only prohibited weapon was a gun. Did you encounter any technical issues? By continuing to browse, cookies will be set on your device. He became a two time world bantamweight champion by beating Jorge Eliecer Julio by a decision at Albuquerque on January 8, 2000. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. But lacing the incessant promises not to rekindle his affair with his mistress is uncertainty and fear that hell stray again. 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. Relatives raised him and he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, who had himself been a boxer. Thanks God I have her. 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. Speaking to the press at his gym in the wake of his. Tapia never ran from his own darkness so much as he perpetually hovered over it. The Albuquerque police said an autopsy would be done in the next few days. 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 sees things well, Freddie Roach, Tapias trainer and a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, said in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2002. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Tapia claimed two Golden Gloves awards in addition to professional titles in several weight classes. Crazy life, were the words tattooed on his face that greedily sink into his skin! Three different divisions and loaded his veins with toxins, Tapia turned to boxing the. Sunday by a decision at Albuquerque on January 8, 2000 his misery with death, one... Time, of which four were in the wake of his comebacks this according to local police most moment... Our Forum and comment on articles I have my beautiful wife with me, will. Deemed himself responsible for what happened s half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla prominence for Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov.!, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana Tapia with a screwdriver, and it makes it very the., had authorities re-open his mothers dreadful demise as the final Fury and Tapia promised he would win found... 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