She was subsequently stabbed 22 times with a screwdriver, and left for dead. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. 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. That same day, Tapia was upgraded from critical to serious condition. On October 12, 1994 Johnny Tapia became the WBO super flyweight champion in a fight for the vacant title. Ive never said this to anybody, I dont want it no more. In a performance that summoned all of his skill, showmanship and gall, Tapia outfought and outlasted Romero and won a unanimous decision. The tragedy of life was venomously harassing the Tapias, and Johnny, more miserable than ever, edged his finger towards the self-destruct button. 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. . Johnnylost again and this would be the final time he hovered close to boxings zenith. 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 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. After a standout, Golden Gloves-winning amateur career, Tapia turned pro. 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) Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. KOB-TV reports representatives for Teresa Tapia confirmed Sunday that she married Johnny Tapia's half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla. 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. [15] After Tapia died in 2012, his widow briefly married his alleged half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla, in 2014. But lacing the incessant promises not to rekindle his affair with his mistress is uncertainty and fear that hell stray again. Their marriage lurched wildly up and down, as Mrs. Tapia struggled to provide stability. NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. [3], Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Mexican American parents. Am I lucky or unlucky?. He was 45. Teresa loves it when her husband chuckles like that; it means he is in a good place. V roce 1995 se stal dritelem titulu super flyweight WBO Johnny Tapia, ale ztratil vtinov rozhodnut. He would have been 50 years old today. I felt that I killed [them] cause I was in the coma, he says. 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. On December 5, 1998, Tapia defeated WBA bantamweight champion Nana Konadu by decision to become a two-division world champion. 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. I wanted to get him and stab him the same way he did my mom. The torment threatens to break his voice but he manages to resist. My moms death kills me every day, Tapia whispers. Thats when I met him, she said. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. I killed them both.. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Police have made an arrest in the shooting of Johnny Tapia, the son of the boxing legend of the same name. 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. Within weeks of Johnny being incarcerated, Teresas mother and grandmother passed away, and Johnnys grandfather died. 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. 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. He had many tattoos, which were prominent when he was fighting. Johnny Tapia was an American boxer, who competed in the super flyweight division. AboutPressCopyrightContact. If I didnt have her Id be dead in a heartbeat.. Albuquerque, he says, Im still your champion.. Tapia's split with the Romero family had not been on good terms. 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. 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. She became his manager. His past regularly came back to haunt him. This is perhaps the documentarys most poignant moment. 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. His left jab was punishing, and he claimed not to mind being hit. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. As I walk away, I wonder if he still will be after a night gliding through the silky temptations of Vegas. Fortunately, he was allowed to resume his career in 1994. He knows it will be the end of his marriage if that happens. 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. The 45-year-old has been clean for over two years now, since being released from prison and embarking on a comeback. Johnny Tapia was born in Albuquerque. Five-time WBO world champion who had a record of 59-5-2. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. Tapia said he thought his tattoos of angels kept him from passing into the next world. He was famous for being a Boxer. But they didnt make it. 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. If there was any time I didnt want to be with him it was in that year, Teresa softly imparts. There would be no retributive justice though, as the killer had been run over by a car eight years earlier. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. He fought seven times in 1994 and in October he took the WBO super flyweight title from Henry Martinez in his hometown of Albuquerque. Ive got a good wife. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. The last fight of Johnny Tapia took place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana. Mi vida loca, or my crazy life, were the words tattooed on his belly. Search instead in Creative? While the Martinez title-winning fight might be his greatest moment, there were other notable wins. [17] Tapia died of heart failure. 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. The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. At the end of the film he is at a local radio station, accompanying one of his young fighters to promote an upcoming card. 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. 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. He became a two time world bantamweight champion by beating Jorge Eliecer Julio by a decision at Albuquerque on January 8, 2000. He won 59 fights, 30 by knockout; lost 5; and drew 2. Tapia was married to Teresa Tapia in 1994 and had three boys. He won eight fights that year, five by knockout, of which four were in the first round. His emotional transparency popularized him but he was doomed by his lack of control. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. His life was marked by tragedy. It was my mistress and it would take me away nicely.. It is a city of fights and fighters, of hockey and heroes, of broken dreams and immortal glory, a city unlike any other. Larry Merchant, the boxing analyst, told Playboy in 2004 that Tapia was a five-to-one underdog to survive his own childhood.. A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. John Lee Anthony Tapia was an American professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2011. Tapia won his first 22 professional fights, then was suspended from boxing after failing three drug tests. Tapia died at his Albuquerque home in 2012. Four times they wanted to pull life support. He says in the film: I would have stabbed the shit out of him like nobodys business. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. 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 Foul play is not suspected; an autopsy and toxicology tests will be carried out, Gibbs said. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother 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. Johnnys cocaine habit has caused his heart to stop beating on five separate occasions, he has been in three comas, and he has been in and out of prison. Then I outlived her after I said I wouldnt. In boxing, Tapias aggression was rewarded; on the street it brought him to the edge of death. 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. Anchored in the chaos is a slight man, clear-eyed and full of life, gleefully posing for photographs. 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. Boxing He was still getting high and was now training under Freddie Roach (whose speech is demonstrably clearer in documentary footage than it is today). Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. 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. As the needle sank into his arm and loaded his veins with toxins, Tapia drifted into a coma. He won a unanimous decision. In his next fight, he defeated Puerto Rico's Andy Agosto via decision. In his first title defense, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael Sosa by decision. Tapia was banned from boxing for three years and he describes his suspension as one of the lowest times in his life. 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. 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. [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]. Johnny Tapia fights Manuel Medina in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. 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. Johnny heard her screams as she was taken away, chained to a pickup truck, but his cries for help were ignored. 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. A family member came home, found him deceased and called us, Officer Robert Gibbs, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, police spokesman, said Monday. "A family member . Miguel, an amateur boxing champion, taught him pugilistic skills. With no father to watch over him, Tapia lived with his grandparents. The widow of former world championJohnny Tapia has remarried. NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. By continuing to browse, cookies will be set on your device. 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.. 1967213 () . She got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. from host boxrec.com from host www.boxrec.com: Linked from: fr.wikipedia.org Johnny Tapia. He started boxing at age 9 to escape a troubled childhood. 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. None of it occurred on Teresas watch. "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. Blanco lost one point in round nine for low blows. I dont miss her, Tapia claims. 1997 saw Tapia fend off a challenge from Jorge Barrera in three rounds. Or stabbing anybody, or fighting anybody, or killing anybody? There is a real openness that invites you to step inside his world and be his friend. 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). 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. Required fields are marked *. He drew in his first bout but his career soon exploded, and Johnny wouldnt lose until his forty-ninth prizefight. Tapia was admitted to the hospital in 2007 in critical condition from a cocaine OD. He hasnt moved on, not properly, from his mothers dreadful demise. 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 In 2010, at age 43, Tapia learned that apparently, his father was alive. 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. **This site uses cookies and other technologies, so we can remember you and understand how you and other visitors use our site. 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 reaches over and squeezes the hands that won four world titles in three divisions super-flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight. She got me where she wanted me and she gave me everything. Tapia claimed what the police found was only a soap bar, and the charges were eventually dropped. Cops say the death does not appear suspicious, but an official cause has not been determined. All fights list 2023, champion titles, age, height, reach and weight, KO ratio of the boxer Johnny Mi Vida Loca Tapia. HOW LONG HAS TAPIA BEEN FIGHTING? On February 11, 2009, Tapia was taken into custody in Albuquerque for a violation of parole related to cocaine use. When he trains she follows him, at his request, to the gym in Albuquerque. Mike Tyson called Tapia one of the greatest fighters ever. He is easily distracted as we all sit together deep inside the mysterious green labyrinth that is the MGM Grand. All Rights Reserved. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Five times I was a world champion. In a statement, Teresa Tapia said she decided thatmarryingPadilla would be best for the children, for a continuation of their sense of family. Tapia was hospitalized in critical condition from an apparent cocaine overdose at Albuquerque Presbyterian Hospital. Johnny Tapia made his professional debut in March 1988, so he has been a pro for 34 years. On their wedding night, in 1993, Teresa found the man she had pledged her life to injecting drugs. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. If I could take that all back I would.. Thats why me and Paulie got fight of the year because all we did was bang.. But despite his early success, his life was anything but ordered, as he escaped the streets only when physically in the ring. Anyone can read what you share. 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." His wife somehow stayed. The indelible writing has always been on the wall for this twisted love story. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. He was brought up by his grandfather Miguel with eight other family members in a three-bedroom house in Albuquerque. After two more wins, he gave Willy Salazar a title shot, knocking him out in nine rounds. Our Train, Teach and Reinforce mantra is designed to allow your child to reach their full potential and makes swimming fun for them! He did everything illegal that he could to make money. She couldnt leave him. He then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol in the second round. And many more times I came close to dying. 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. It was a cruel blow for wife Terese to take. 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. Hes like a walking contradiction, Teresa tells me while Johnny is out of earshot. My wife could have killed me, she could have turned off the machine, Johnny says, his voice quivering under the weight of shame. Webpage Screenshot: share download .zip report bug or abuse donate . Teresa nearly walked away from her man in 2007. The lines on his face that greedily sink into his ageing skin provide clues of his misery. Seven years later Johnny was on a bus that crashed, killing the pregnant woman who sat alongside him. 2. His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. Thanks God I have her. Never again did he fight for a world title. Less than a year after his mothers death, he recounted, his uncles were making him fight older boys in matches they bet on. 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. Thus, death reclaimed its place of prominence for Tapia, who deemed himself responsible for what happened. 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.. The denial of any possibility to exact vengeance stung Johnny. 45. There is a poignant moment toward the end of the film in which father and son sit together. His last fight was in June 2011. All of Tapias pain and psychological torment is traced to its source in this one admission. Their rivalry had begun many years earlier when Romero's father trained both boxers. 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. Tapia started boxing at age 9 and had his first amateur fight at 11. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. 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. On the drive to visit him, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident. A car crash killed them both as they were on their way. . You want to talk about stabbing people in jail? Tapia ponders about his mindset at that dark time. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. He also remembers the misery that attacked the highs and hauled everything down. I have a reputation, I can just make a phone call. I want to hug my mama.. Tapia won by a unanimous twelve-round decision, adding the IBF title to his WBO belt. Tapia won by unanimous decision (UD). A Warner Bros. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. Undefeated and only 23-years-old, the drug was his undoing when he tested positive in June of 1990 and then did so again several more times in the ensuing months. I dont know how this story is going to end, she said. 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 suffers from bipolar disorder and it makes it very difficult the highs are very high and the lows are very low. 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. An insightful and revealing documentary, Tapia shows both his darkness and his better nature as it presents a life thats too complex to judge. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. The Albuquerque police said an autopsy would be done in the next few days. [14] He was a born-again Christian. He may or may not have considered this a good thing, his wife told Playboy. A wedding photo showed Teresa Tapia and Jeffrey Padilla joined by Johnny's sons, Johnny Tapia Jr. and Lorenzo Tapia. 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. The widow of former world champion Johnny Tapia has remarried. In 2017 he won the Sam Kellerman Media Award in New York and The Reg Gutteridge Annual Award in London two years later. WHAT IS TAPIA'S REACH? I dont want it and theres the difference. Tapia went to jail, struggled with depression, and attempted suicide. 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.

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