Matthew Hurley: The nephew of Trevor Berbick was found guilty for the murder of the former WBC heavyweight champion along with his accomplice. Harold Berbick, twenty-one years old and Kenton Gordon, nineteen years old, were convicted of manslaughter on Thursday in Kingston, Jamaica. Both men will remain jailed until sentencing on January 11th. The two men were charged with the beating death of the fighter which arose over a property dispute. Berbick’s body was left in a church courtyard in Portland, Jamaica..
Berbick won the WBC heavyweight title by a twelve round decision over Pinklon Thomas in March of 1986. However, the fighter is most famous for defeating Muhammad Ali in Ali’s last professional bout in the Bahamas in 1981 and for suffering a second round knockout at the hands of Mike Tyson in 1986. Berbick also gained notoriety for a scuffle with then champion Larry Holmes in Florida. After a verbal assault at a press conference in which Berbick insulted Holmes’ wife and children Holmes leapt off of the hood of a car and attacked the rising contender in the parking lot. The incident can be seen on YouTube.
Berbick fought professionally from 1976 until 2000 compiling a record of 50-11-1 with 33 KOs. He was 52 years old.
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In other boxing news rising lightweight contender Amir Khan, 15-0 with 12 KOs will face Martin Kristjansen, 19-1-3 with 5 KOs for the vacant WBO Intercontinental title at the ExCel Arena in London on February 2nd.
Also, super middleweight contender Edison Miranda, 29-2 with 25 KOs will face off against David Banks, 15-3-1 with 2 KOs on January 11th at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. On the undercard Jean Pascal, 20-0 with 14 KOs will take on Omar Pittman, 15-3-1 with 8 KOs. Both fights are scheduled for ten rounds. If both Miranda and Pascal emerge victorious the fighters will next meet in a showdown later in the year. The card will be televised on ESPN2’s ‘Friday Night Fights’ at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.