R.I.P. Trevor Berbick

kovit · Post by **kovit** » 28 Oct 2006, 22:18

Trevor Berbick the former WBC Heavyweight Champion was sadly found dead at age 52 at the church courtyard in Kingston, Jamaica. He was sadly missed in the boxing world who fought legends with Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson.

Rest In Peace Champ.

JCS · Post by **JCS** » 28 Oct 2006, 22:59

Just for the record, do you know his standing height before the time of the incident?

bollox · Post by **bollox** » 29 Oct 2006, 00:14

Berbick wasn't a great fighter by any stretch of the imagination but it's always sad to see them go well before their time. I have a suspicion that Trevor was in need of some serious psychiatric help and if he'd received it he may not have found himself in so many nasty situations. But either way........RIP Trevor

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 29 Oct 2006, 02:36

Don't forget Ike

Trent · Post by **Trent** » 29 Oct 2006, 09:08

Sonny listen was not a sociopath. Trevor was a good figher, lasted 15 rounds with Holmes, was a good fighter in his prime RIP

Syntax Error · Post by **Syntax Error** » 29 Oct 2006, 12:01

RIP Mr Berbick. :(

RazorKO · Post by **RazorKO** » 29 Oct 2006, 12:25

Trent wrote:Sonny listen was not a sociopath. Trevor was a good figher, lasted 15 rounds with Holmes, was a good fighter in his prime RIP

Nor is Tyson, but fighters like Tony Alaya however are scoipaths who shouldnt get any sympathy from anyone.

R.I.P Berbick

DoubleM · Post by **DoubleM** » 29 Oct 2006, 12:25

I did wonder when he was going to croak.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 29 Oct 2006, 14:07

....now you know....

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 29 Oct 2006, 14:32

Berbick as a man was a troubled soul and by all accounts did some horrible things to various people. I'm making no excuses for the guy but he obviously had mental problems that seemed to go unchecked.

And he met with a horrible end.

As a fighter he was as strong as an ox, very awkward, with good power and usually very durable. But he was also inconsistant, he beat some fine fighters such as Greg Page, John Tate, Mitch Green and Pinklon Thomas. But at times could look awfull like when he sleepwalked for ten rounds against Cruiserweight ST Gordon.

kick asner · Post by **kick asner** » 29 Oct 2006, 15:44

KOJOE90 wrote:Berbick as a man was a troubled soul and by all accounts did some horrible things to various people. I'm making no excuses for the guy but he obviously had mental problems that seemed to go unchecked.

And he met with a horrible end.

As a fighter he was as strong as an ox, very awkward, with good power and usually very durable. But he was also inconsistant, he beat some fine fighters such as Greg Page, John Tate, Mitch Green and Pinklon Thomas. But at times could look awfull like when he sleepwalked for ten rounds against Cruiserweight ST Gordon.

Doing horrible things to people would make an individual evil in addition to being troubled.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 29 Oct 2006, 15:49

kick asner wrote:Doing horrible things to people would make an individual evil in addition to being troubled.

I know what you are saying believe me, I was just trying to be diplomatic due to the nature of this thread, for all we know members of his family may be reading this.

kick asner · Post by **kick asner** » 29 Oct 2006, 15:57

KOJOE90 wrote:
kick asner wrote:Doing horrible things to people would make an individual evil in addition to being troubled.
I know what you are saying believe me, I was just trying to be diplomatic due to the nature of this thread, for all we know members of his family may be reading this.

My comment was more in the general sense than anything directed towoard Berbick. I am not that familiar enough with him or any deeds he may have perpetrated to make a judgement one way or the other. But if I knew for a fact someone did something like do harm to some kid I would say he was evil no matter who heard it.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 30 Oct 2006, 09:03

Decagon wrote:
Trent wrote:Sonny listen was not a sociopath. Trevor was a good figher, lasted 15 rounds with Holmes, was a good fighter in his prime RIP
I meant the colloquial term. Both Liston and Tyson did horrible deeds and never showed a single sign of remorse, unless you count that time Tyson said that "he was in the right place" after the Washington rape.

The best thing I can say about Berbick is that he wasn't the worst fighter to beat Muhammad Ali and hold a World Heavyweight title.

How do you know Liston didnt have remorse?... what did he do that was so bad after he took up boxing??... besides rough up some cops that were goading him and basically asking for it. Liston was never charged with rape like Tyson and Berbick. The general mis-treatment of Sonny Liston is only comparable to that experienced by Jack Johnson and later on Ali... Liston paid his debts for his crimes and reformed as far as he was allowed to, but was never really given a chance!... to compare Liston with Tyson either as a person or a fighter is simply an insult to Sonny imo...

JC · Post by JC » 30 Oct 2006, 09:15

silkov wrote:
Decagon wrote:
Trent wrote:Sonny listen was not a sociopath. Trevor was a good figher, lasted 15 rounds with Holmes, was a good fighter in his prime RIP
I meant the colloquial term. Both Liston and Tyson did horrible deeds and never showed a single sign of remorse, unless you count that time Tyson said that "he was in the right place" after the Washington rape.

The best thing I can say about Berbick is that he wasn't the worst fighter to beat Muhammad Ali and hold a World Heavyweight title.
How do you know Liston didnt have remorse?... what did he do that was so bad after he took up boxing??... besides rough up some cops that were goading him and basically asking for it. Liston was never charged with rape like Tyson and Berbick. The general mis-treatment of Sonny Liston is only comparable to that experienced by Jack Johnson and later on Ali... Liston paid his debts for his crimes and reformed as far as he was allowed to, but was never really given a chance!... to compare Liston with Tyson either as a person or a fighter is simply an insult to Sonny imo...

Don't forget the government's treatment of Joe Louis, in way even more shocking.

NYY2424 · Post by **NYY2424** » 30 Oct 2006, 09:31

very sad! RIP

Razor · Post by **Razor** » 30 Oct 2006, 10:34

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 31 Oct 2006, 06:39

livingstone cole wrote:
RazorKO wrote:
Trent wrote:Sonny listen was not a sociopath. Trevor was a good figher, lasted 15 rounds with Holmes, was a good fighter in his prime RIP
Nor is Tyson, but fighters like Tony Alaya however are scoipaths who shouldnt get any sympathy from anyone.

R.I.P Berbick
sociopath (soh-see-uh-path, soh-shee-uh-path)

Someone whose social behavior is extremely abnormal. Sociopaths are interested only in their personal needs and desires, without concern for the effects of their behavior on others.

How is convicted rapist Tyson not a sociopath?

As for Berbick, well my sympathy is reserved for his family. It must be a tough time for them and I hope they recover well.

Tyson hardly fits that criteria since not long ago he made a huge payment out to the family of the police woman who was killed. Or the tears he shed when Bruno was locked up, or his love for children etc.

JC · Post by JC » 31 Oct 2006, 06:47

overhand_right wrote:
livingstone cole wrote:
RazorKO wrote: Nor is Tyson, but fighters like Tony Alaya however are scoipaths who shouldnt get any sympathy from anyone.

R.I.P Berbick
sociopath (soh-see-uh-path, soh-shee-uh-path)

Someone whose social behavior is extremely abnormal. Sociopaths are interested only in their personal needs and desires, without concern for the effects of their behavior on others.

How is convicted rapist Tyson not a sociopath?

As for Berbick, well my sympathy is reserved for his family. It must be a tough time for them and I hope they recover well.

Tyson hardly fits that criteria since not long ago he made a huge payment out to the family of the police woman who was killed. Or the tears he shed when Bruno was locked up, or his love for children etc.

I think the terms Psychopath and Sociopath are greatly over-used .

enrique · Post by **enrique** » 31 Oct 2006, 07:16

I knew Berbick, talking to him a couple of dozen times over the years and being with him at several different functions when he lived in Florida.....

My good buddy Hank Kaplan was his advisor for quite awhile.

When Trevor lived in South Florida he had a reputation for wanting to spar with amateurs so he would not have to pay sparring fees.

He was a very likeable guy and easy to talk to and he had religion -in spurts- but he was also a little goofy -not from punches- but as part of his personality. He was extremely emotional. In spite of his troubles he did not seem to have a mean personality, but I think his psyche was fragile and he could become unhinged, not handling stress well.

I feel sorry for the man and all the grief he brought upon himself.

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 31 Oct 2006, 07:34

Fascinating insight Enrique, when you say he could become unhinged, do you mean violently? Do you think he could be intimidating or be quite volatile?

overhand_right · Post by **overhand_right** » 31 Oct 2006, 10:25

I dont think it was PR, i think he genuinely does feel for people who end up in a bad way. Of course he is also an extremely dark moody person but most people who have grown up in public as superstars tend to be maladjusted.

However Tyson was definitely nutty from a young age.

enrique · Post by **enrique** » 31 Oct 2006, 14:38

In response to overhand right: when I said Berbick could become unhinged I did not mean it as violent. I think stress was something he had trouble handling and his reactions were not two and two is four, but rather I think he went off the wall at times.

Many fighters -including the very good ones- have self esteem problems and although they might be able to handle the stress of an important fight at a given time, they might wither and freak in the next. I think Berbick was at that Oliver McCall level where he could freak.

I never thought he was mean. He was an easy going, likeable man when relaxed, famous for not picking up a tab, a little defensive until he trusted you -as he did with Hank Kaplan- but off the wall in the sense that he made statements that made you think -what the hell does he mean by that? How does that statement fit into this conversation?

Then again, I did not see him after he went to jail and that experience might have changed him even more...

RazorKO · Post by **RazorKO** » 31 Oct 2006, 15:26

livingstone cole wrote:
RazorKO wrote:
Trent wrote:Sonny listen was not a sociopath. Trevor was a good figher, lasted 15 rounds with Holmes, was a good fighter in his prime RIP
Nor is Tyson, but fighters like Tony Alaya however are scoipaths who shouldnt get any sympathy from anyone.

R.I.P Berbick
sociopath (soh-see-uh-path, soh-shee-uh-path)

Someone whose social behavior is extremely abnormal. Sociopaths are interested only in their personal needs and desires, without concern for the effects of their behavior on others.

How is convicted rapist Tyson not a sociopath?

As for Berbick, well my sympathy is reserved for his family. It must be a tough time for them and I hope they recover well.

Maybe if you quit showing off your 'Superior grammar' to the board and then look at the good things Tyson has done you will get a clear picture that Tyson is certianly not an evil man.

Collins2000 · Post by **Collins2000** » 31 Oct 2006, 15:54

Berbick went to jail for sexually assaulting the babysitter didn't he?