He held the WBO Super Flyweight Championship from October 12, 1994 to December 5, 1998. Four times I was declared dead. An insightful and revealing documentary, Tapia shows both his darkness and his better nature as it presents a life thats too complex to judge. 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. Using DNA evidence, investigators solved the crime, pinning it on the last man to have been seen with her. He took the wedding cash and dumped her in a cheap hotel. On their wedding night, in 1993, Teresa found the man she had pledged her life to injecting drugs. 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.. 45. Retained IBF and WBO super flyweight titles. Everybody has their faults, I have them, and I could move on and find somebody else, and you know, they might not have an addiction but how do I know they wont be a womaniser, they wont be an abuser? He leaps up, like a puppy dog, and gallops towards the fighters. Tapia claimed two Golden Gloves awards in addition to professional titles in several weight classes. One of them said Mi Vida Loca ("My Crazy Life"), the nickname he adopted. 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. Five times I was a world champion. 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. He has been honoured by the Sports Journalists Association and the Boxing Writers Association of America. A 21-year-old Tapia made his professional debut on March 28, 1988 against Efren Chavez. 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." He had made that his motto after he thought he had outgrown his first, baby-faced assassin.. Raised thereafter by his grandmother, Tapia turned to boxing at the age of nine.[4]. My moms death kills me every day, Tapia whispers. A police officer told him that his mothers killing had been solved. He has so much knowledge and hes training fighters and hes doing some really awesome work with them. AboutPressCopyrightContact. The next day, he was in a hospital with an overdose. He was 45 years old. He sniffs twice and swallows the build up of tears that bubble beneath the surface. The fight took place on July 18. 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 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. 1967213 () . After the Barrera fight, Tapias problems with drug abuse became more acute. Tapias father had vanished before he was born, and Tapia had thought he was dead until he turned up in 2010 after being released from a federal penitentiary and DNA tests confirmed his paternity. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. 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. I dont miss her, Tapia claims. He started boxing at age 9 to escape a troubled childhood. All of Tapias pain and psychological torment is traced to its source in this one admission. Montreal is The Fight City. Tapia said he thought his tattoos of angels kept him from passing into the next world. Johnny Tapia died, for the final time, of heart failure at 45, an age much too young for a final exit. 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. 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]. He passed away on May 27, 2012 at the age of 45. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. He suffers from bipolar disorder and it makes it very difficult the highs are very high and the lows are very low. Their marriage lurched wildly up and down, as Mrs. Tapia struggled to provide stability. Johnny Tapia was born on the 13th of February, 1967. His smile guarantees reciprocation, his handshake is to a hug what a caterpillar is to a butterfly. Teresa was waiting for him when he was released. 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. After a standout, Golden Gloves-winning amateur career, Tapia turned pro. 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. Tapia won his first 22 professional fights, then was suspended from boxing after failing three drug tests. But he insists the best of him is still to come, writes Declan Taylor. Tapia was married to Teresa Tapia in 1994 and had three boys. I was so focused on killing him that I didnt train or anything. His father had reportedly been murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. He said he saw every opponent as his mothers killer. Five days later the Albuquerque Police claimed they found cocaine after the fight in a bag carried by Tapia. Tapia down in round 6, Pastrana down in round 8. She was subsequently stabbed 22 times with a screwdriver, and left for dead. Johnny was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, on February 13, 1967. In 2007 Johnny overdosed again and was taken to hospital where he lay in a coma. One in particularwas his 1997 bout with fellow Albuquerquian Danny Romero. He was knocked out only once. Bout made at a catchweight of 124 pounds. Sometimes by the book, it would be wrong to do the things Johnny does, but hes such a natural fighter, he gets away with it., John Lee Tapia liked to point out that he was born in Albuquerque on Friday the 13th in February 1967. 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. On the drive to visit him, his brother-in-law and nephew were killed in a car accident. 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. 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. This is the documentarys most triumphant moment, and it was probably the apex of Johnny Tapias career. 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. Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser. HBOs Tapia begins with an overhead shot of the New Mexico desert. Hes like a walking contradiction, Teresa tells me while Johnny is out of earshot. 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 Tapia was admitted to the hospital in 2007 in critical condition from a cocaine OD. She got me where she wanted me and she gave me everything. In his autobiography, Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia, the fighter says that his father was murdered before he was born and that he was eight when he saw his mother murdered. Miguel, an amateur boxing champion, taught him pugilistic skills. None of it occurred on Teresas watch. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. He also remembers the misery that attacked the highs and hauled everything down. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Both sport dozens of tattoos, having used their skin as parchment on which to inscribe their own dramas. V roce 1998 bojoval s Markem Johnsonem o titul IBF mu vhy, . Tapia spokesman Julian Jiron says the marriage came "out of love, respect, and the preservation of the family and Johnny's legacy." The first time was a mistake but the second time was a habit, he confesses. Johnny Tapia was born in Albuquerque. 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. Her killing would not be solved for almost 25 years. I tried to find him, right before the Paulie Ayala fight. Tapia's heart simply stopped beating and, unlike his previous brushes with death, this one was for real. According to his wife, no drugs were found in his system. Johnny Tapia was an American boxer, who competed in the super flyweight division. 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. If there was any time I didnt want to be with him it was in that year, Teresa softly imparts. In his first title defense, Tapia defeated Jose Rafael Sosa by decision. She opened the bathroom door and found Tapia with a needle in his arm. Johnny clearly still adores boxing. 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. Boxing Hes been like a freak of nature where hes never really taken any type of punishment in the ring where hes been hurt which has been a blessing, she says in her suitably angelic voice. The family lived in Albuquerque, NM.[13]. It was my mistress and it would take me away nicely.. Tapia stirred from the coma, sobbing, with tubes attached to his tattooed body. His past regularly came back to haunt him. He did everything illegal that he could to make money. It is said he was declared clinically dead five times in his life, a life that was ceaselessly, stubbornly, incurably difficult. That win came by ten round split decision in Albuquerque. 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. KOB-TV reports representatives for Teresa Tapia confirmed Sunday that she married Johnny Tapia's half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla. From the age of eight, he has wanted to die. 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. Johnny chuckles excitedly and hangs off their shoulders as someone takes a photograph of the three of them together. Johnny Tapia lands a punch against Antonio Ruiz during the fight at the Olympic Auditorium, in May 5,1994 in Los Angeles, California. Tapia was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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 ruled down in round eleven. Privacy. In 2010, at age 43, Tapia learned that apparently, his father was alive. When he was eight years old, his mother, Virginia, was kidnapped, raped, hanged, repeatedly stabbed, and left for dead by her assailant.Google+: https://plus.google.com/104715270079859886366Dailymotion: http://www.dailymotion.com/haNZAgodVimeo: https://vimeo.com/user41971768Highlights Knockouts Tribute------------------------------------------------haNZAgod He drew in his first bout but his career soon exploded, and Johnny wouldnt lose until his forty-ninth prizefight. He then knocked out former champion Rolando Bohol in the second round. After four rounds of boxing the fight was called a draw. She got stabbed 22 times with an ice pick and raped, he told In This Corner With James Smith in a 2004 interview. Benitez first won the 140-pound WBA light-welterweight title from Antonio Cervantes on March 6, 1976, at the age of 17. For Teresa, it was Johnny. Then I outlived her after I said I wouldnt. [15] After Tapia died in 2012, his widow briefly married his alleged half-brother, Jeffrey Padilla, in 2014. Tapia's body is found at his home on Sunday night. He may or may not have considered this a good thing, his wife told Playboy. Albuquerque, he says, Im still your champion.. I mean, Ill take him until 80 or 90 years old.. That was a very, very emotional time and the hardest time for me, and for him, because he knew he had gone too far. 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. A car crash killed them both as they were on their way. Did you encounter any technical issues? His life, which ended at just 45, was spent trying not to fall into the abyss. Scores: 98-92, 96-94, 99-93. My wife could have killed me, she could have turned off the machine, Johnny says, his voice quivering under the weight of shame. 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. In 1992, he met Teresa Chavez at a party and was determined to marry her. Data may be incomplete and inaccurate. Though boxing would provide no more thrills, there was a surprising development in his life. If I could take that all back I would.. Pledged her life to injecting drugs of him is still to come, writes Declan.. Johnny overdosed again and was determined to marry her pinning it on the of. Tapias pain and psychological torment is traced to its source in this one was for real no drugs found! 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