Using DNA evidence, investigators solved the crime, pinning it on the last man to have been seen with her. He has been the editor of Boxing News since 2015. 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. And many more times I came close to dying. Foul play is not suspected. 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. He worked as producer of KOTV from 2006 until he joined Boxing News in 2010. So why not try and get over the bad stuff and try to make it a good ending?. His 1999 loss by decision to Paulie Ayala was named the Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. If I didnt have her Id be dead in a heartbeat.. I have a reputation, I can just make a phone call. [15] After Tapia died in 2012, his widow briefly married his alleged half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla, in 2014. HOW TALL IS JOHNNY TAPIA? Albuquerque, he says, Im still your champion.. Five days later the Albuquerque Police claimed they found cocaine after the fight in a bag carried by Tapia. Four times I was declared dead. She couldnt leave him. None of it occurred on Teresas watch. 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 . In 1988, he began is professional career, which was interrupted by bouts outside the ring with substance abuse followed by treatment in rehab centers. 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. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. Not from a drug overdose, but from heart failure. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. Seven years later Johnny was on a bus that crashed, killing the pregnant woman who sat alongside him. 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. At the end of the film he is at a local radio station, accompanying one of his young fighters to promote an upcoming card. ( 16 1967 ) . KOB-TV reports representatives for Teresa Tapia confirmed Sunday that she married Johnny Tapia's half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla. 5:45 PM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012. He sometimes stuck out his tongue to taunt opponents. 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]. Champinon.info 2018-2023. In 2007 Johnny overdosed again and was taken to hospital where he lay in a coma. 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. Johnny Tapia was born on the 13th of February, 1967. She was subsequently stabbed 22 times with a screwdriver, and left for dead. You tell me. 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. If I could take that all back I would.. I have been wealthy and lost it all. Mi vida loca, or my crazy life, were the words tattooed on his belly. With no father to watch over him, Tapia lived with his grandparents. I have my beautiful wife with me, nothing will happen to me if shes here.. There is a real openness that invites you to step inside his world and be his friend. 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. While the Martinez title-winning fight might be his greatest moment, there were other notable wins. He won three more fights by knockout, and then he faced Oscar Aguilar on the Michael CarbajalJosu Camacho undercard in Phoenix for the NABF super flyweight title, winning in three rounds. 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." It was my mistress and it would take me away nicely.. 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. 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. Johnny Tapia was born in Albuquerque. When he finally returned to the ring on March 27, 1994, he beat Jaime Olvera by a knockout in four rounds in Tulsa, Oklahoma. CNN . That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque. 1967213 () . He left the title vacant so he could face Lineal & The Ring champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who beat Tapia by unanimous decision. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. I was raised as a pit bull, he wrote in the book, which was co-authored by Bettina Gilois. Less than a year after his mothers death, he recounted, his uncles were making him fight older boys in matches they bet on. Johnnys bout ended in a draw by majority decision (MD). 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. Our attempts to imagine his emotional and psychological pain still leave us on the distant edge of Johnny Tapias reality. In a performance that summoned all of his skill, showmanship and gall, Tapia outfought and outlasted Romero and won a unanimous decision. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. On December 5, 1998, Tapia defeated WBA bantamweight champion Nana Konadu by decision to become a two-division world champion. A Warner Bros. The Johnny Tapia is currently 45 years old. Johnnylost again and this would be the final time he hovered close to boxings zenith. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. 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. I dont know how this story is going to end, she said. Its my fault, Tapia said. 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. 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.. 1997 saw Tapia fend off a challenge from Jorge Barrera in three rounds. Johnny Tapia fights Manuel Medina in a 2002 IBF featherweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden in New York. NOTE: Johnny Tapia died one year later, in May 2012, from heart failure. 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. The indelible writing has always been on the wall for this twisted love story. Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. Tapia's heart simply stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with death, this one was for real. 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. His past regularly came back to haunt him. Boxing, he tells the camera, saved my life., Your email address will not be published. Tapia eventually took these skills to the ring, where he showed himself equally proficient at regulated combat. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant. HOW LONG HAS TAPIA BEEN FIGHTING? . Browse 210 johnny tapia stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Bohol down twice in Round 2. He won a unanimous decision. 45. 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. He passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45. In a statement, Teresa Tapia said she decided thatmarryingPadilla would be best for the children, for a continuation of their sense of family. He was at his lowest, he was living on the streets. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Montreal is The Fight City. The investigation had been reopened at the behest of Tapias wife. 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. I wanted to get him and stab him the same way he did my mom. This is the documentarys most triumphant moment, and it was probably the apex of Johnny Tapias career. Tapias body was found Sunday night at his home in Albuquerque. Tapia was inducted during 2017, posthumously, to the Internation He became a two time world bantamweight champion by beating Jorge Eliecer Julio by a decision at Albuquerque on January 8, 2000. Though boxing would provide no more thrills, there was a surprising development in his life. 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 Cops say the death does not appear suspicious, but an official cause has not been determined. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. His father was murdered before he was born. The next day, he was in a hospital with an overdose. She became his manager. The family lived in Albuquerque, NM.[13]. Teresa nearly walked away from her man in 2007. But they didnt make it. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. 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. Tapia ruled down in round eleven. Johnny always makes sure were with him when he goes anywhere. I mean, Ill take him until 80 or 90 years old.. Tapia's dad was murdered while his mom was pregnant with him. Thats the love of my life. 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. For Tapia, it was cocaine. 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. [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]. He started boxing at age 9 to escape a troubled childhood. Back quickly after that, he was given a shot at the WBO title. In 2010, at age 43, Tapia learned that apparently, his father was alive. Though an active professional, Tapia belonged to a street gang and began using cocaine as a young man. Mike Tyson called Tapia one of the greatest fighters ever. But I found out hed been killed, hed been run over twice. And when Tapia was 8, his mother was kidnapped, raped and hanged. One of them said Mi Vida Loca ("My Crazy Life"), the nickname he adopted. Teresa suddenly felt fierce hatred towards husband but, even as his constant drug possession resulted in him being sent to prison, she couldnt bring herself to untie the knot. Hes like a walking contradiction, Teresa tells me while Johnny is out of earshot. She wrestles with her unconditional adoration for Johnny every single day. 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. Webpage Screenshot: share download .zip report bug or abuse donate . Their rivalry had begun many years earlier when Romero's father trained both boxers. 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. 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. [9], Tapia was found unconscious and not breathing in a hotel room early on the morning of March 12, 2007. Johnny Tapia lands a punch against Antonio Ruiz during the fight at the Olympic Auditorium, in May 5,1994 in Los Angeles, California. Tapia spokesman Julian Jiron says the marriage came "out of love, respect, and the preservation of the family and Johnny's legacy." 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. There is a poignant moment toward the end of the film in which father and son sit together. The fight took place on July 18. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. Tapia claimed what the police found was only a soap bar, and the charges were eventually dropped. Tapia won by unanimous decision (UD). Boxer Johnny Tapia was found dead Sunday in New Mexico, this according to local police. I felt that I killed [them] cause I was in the coma, he says. 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. . 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. He fought seven times in 1994 and in October he took the WBO super flyweight title from Henry Martinez in his hometown of Albuquerque. Later that year, Tapia tried to commit suicide with a drug overdose and required hospitalization. A family member came home, found him deceased and called us, Officer Robert Gibbs, an Albuquerque, New Mexico, police spokesman, said Monday. A police officer told him that his mothers killing had been solved. If he lost, they beat him, he said. The last fight of Johnny Tapia took place on June 4, 2011 against Mauricio Pastrana. Tapia spent much of his adult life yearning to meet the man who destroyed her. We will be paid a commission, with no extra cost to you, if you use those links to make a purchase. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. 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. But despite his early success, his life was anything but ordered, as he escaped the streets only when physically in the ring. One in particularwas his 1997 bout with fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero. Johnny heard her screams as she was taken away, chained to a pickup truck, but his cries for help were ignored. *Links to streaming, pay-per-view or ticketing platforms provided on this page, if any, are affiliate links. 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. He had to be revived after his heart stopped beating, the first of at least five times this happened. Tapia turned to drugs in 1988, 11 years before he lost to Ayala. Ive never said this to anybody, I dont want it no more. 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 said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. The day after he was admitted, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident on their way to visit him. But he insists the best of him is still to come, writes Declan Taylor. As I walk away, I wonder if he still will be after a night gliding through the silky temptations of Vegas. HOW OLD IS JOHNNY TAPIA? He was famous for being a Boxer. 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. Home Johnny Tapia. Five-time WBO world champion who had a record of 59-5-2. 2012527 () . Data may be incomplete and inaccurate. May he rest in peace. Your email address will not be published. If there was any time I didnt want to be with him it was in that year, Teresa softly imparts. Tapia was deducted 1 point in round 2 for a deliberate head butt. To make money he sometimes participated in underground fights at a local bar, where apparently the only prohibited weapon was a gun. Adult life yearning to meet the man who destroyed her all back I would she!, NM. [ 13 ] unconditional adoration for Johnny every single.... Earlier when Romero 's father trained both boxers if I didnt want to be revived after his stopped! Them ] cause I was raised as a pit bull, he was given a shot at behest. 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