Remembering Ill-Fated Big John Tate, Tennessee’s Only World Heavyweight Champion

Published

5 years ago

February 10, 2020

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The biggest fight on this week’s docket takes place this Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee, where Caleb Plant defends his IBF world super middleweight title against Germany’s Vincent Feigenbutz. It’s a homecoming for Plant who was born in Nashville and raised in nearby Ashland City, which is no city at all but a small town on the northern bank of the Cumberland River.

Caleb Plant is potentially the best fighter ever from the Volunteer State, unless one chooses to include Thomas Hearns who was born in Tennessee near Memphis, but moved with his parents to Detroit at the age of five and would always be identified with the Motor City.

Tennessee, however, did spawn one fighter who went on to win a version of the world heavyweight title. Big John Tate was actually born across the Tennessee line in West Memphis, Arkansas, but he learned to box in Knoxville which became his permanent home.

The rise of Big John Tate reads like something forged by a Hollywood screenwriter. A fifth-grade dropout who left school without knowing how to read or write, Tate used boxing as his ticket to escape from a world of poverty and dead-end jobs, earning more than a million dollars in purse money well before he was 30 years old.

In the hands of a Hollywood screenwriter, his saga would have likely had a happy ending. But in the real world of boxing, happy endings are the exception, and the sad saga of Big John Tate stands as yet another cautionary tale.

Tate’s Svengali was Ace Miller, a reformed pool hustler turned boxing gym operator, trainer and manager. Under Miller’s tutelage, Tate had a brief but productive amateur career, defeating such notables as Michael Dokes, Greg Page and Tony Tubbs en route to a berth on the U.S. Olympic team. At the 1976 Games in Montreal, he advanced to the semis where he was knocked out by the legendary Cuban fighter Teofilo Stevenson.

Standing six-foot-four, Tate was a big heavyweight for his era, bigger than George Foreman, the ex-Olympian to whom he was often compared. He carried 240 pounds for his Oct. 20, 1979 match with Gerrie Coetzee at South Africa’s national rugby stadium in Pretoria. At stake was the WBA world heavyweight title vacated by Muhammad Ali who had announced his retirement after avenging his loss to Leon Spinks.

The battle between Tate (19-0) and Coetzee (22-0) was historic, the first integrated sporting event in the land of apartheid. The crowd, overwhelmingly white and pro-Coetzee, was enormous. Estimates ran as high as 86,000 and that presumably didn’t include the armed militia, 2,000 strong, or the 100 attack dogs deployed to provide security.

Coetzee landed the first meaningful punch of the fight, buckling Tate’s knees with a right to the jaw in the third round, but Tate gradually wore him down and won a unanimous decision.

Bob Arum, Big John’s promoter, thought it would be cool for Tate to make his first defense in his adopted hometown of Knoxville. Mike Weaver, a bodybuilder who owned a 21-9 record and had been stopped five times, was brought in as the opponent. Arum staged the fight at the basketball arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee. The match aired in prime time on ABC where it was conjoined with matches at Caesars Palace in the slot reserved in the fall for Monday Night Football.

If Arum ever gets around to finishing his memoir, the Tate-Weaver fight will occupy a prominent place in it. As Arum has related in bull sessions with reporters, he was entrusted with the trophy that the city of Knoxville had made to present to John Tate at the conclusion of the fight. It was tucked under the ring apron for safekeeping and when he went to retrieve it as the heretofore uneventful 15-round contest was entering the final minute, he heard a large roar from the crowd. Looking up, he saw Tate lying face first on the canvas, out cold. Trailing on all three cards, Mike Weaver had pulled the fight out of the fire with a short but ferocious left hook.

Tate’s heavyweight title reign was over inside of six months, a bitter pill for Arum who, in the words of Michael Katz, had touted Big John as the greatest thing to come out of Tennessee since sippin’ whiskey.

Tate was back in action in 11 weeks, fighting in the chief undercard bout of the mega-fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran in Montreal, where he was matched against an up-and-comer from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Trevor Berbick. And disaster struck once again.

In round nine, with the fight up for grabs, Tate turned his back on Berbick after absorbing a punch and was hit with two rabbit punches, the second of which knocked him half-way through the ropes. His legs quivered as he was counted out and he would need assistance to navigate the stairs as he left the ring. Berbick could have been disqualified, but it went into the books as a loss by KO for Big John.

John Tate would never again appear in a high-profile fight. He had 14 more bouts, nine in Tennessee, leading into his farewell fight in London with British journeyman Noel Quarles who was given the decision in a close 10-round fight. According to Ace Miller, John was “financially well-protected” when he returned to the civilian world because of various annuities that had been purchased for him.

If you know the history of boxing, you can guess where this story is heading. In the ensuing years, Tate battled a cocaine addiction, lost all his property to creditors, was arrested twice, once for petty theft and once for assault, and was in and out of jail on probation violations. On April 9, 1998, he died in Knoxville when he lost control of his pick-up truck on the entrance ramp to an interstate highway. The truck hit a utility pole and flipped over. The accident may have been caused by a sudden brain aneurism – Tate had been diagnosed with a brain tumor – but the autopsy revealed that he had cocaine in his system. Big John Tate, former U.S. Olympian, former world heavyweight champion, was 43 years old.

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Caleb Plant’s match with Vincent Feigenbutz is the biggest fight ever in Nashville and the biggest fight in Tennessee since Lennox Lewis fought Mike Tyson in Memphis in 2002. Feigenbutz, on paper, doesn’t punch hard enough to do what Mike Weaver did to John Tate, but Feigenbutz, who turned pro in 2011 at age 16, is a solid technician who may well make things a little dicey for the hometown hero. And then, when his career has finally run its course, the pressure will be on Caleb Plant to make a smooth transition into the life of an ex-boxer so that his story, unlike that of poor John Tate, is a story with a happy ending.

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Arne K. Lang

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Bivol Evens the Score with Beterbiev; Parker and Stevenson Win Handily

Published

1 hour ago

February 22, 2025

David A. Avila

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It was labeled the best boxing card in history.

That’s up for debate.

And there was some debate as Dmitry Bivol avenged his loss to Artur Beterbiev to become the new undisputed light heavyweight world champion on Saturday by majority decision in a tactical battle.

“He gave me this chance and I appreciate it,” said Bivol of Beterbiev.

Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) rallied from behind to give Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) his first pro loss in their rematch at a sold out crowd in the Venue Riyadh Season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Like their first encounter the rematch was also very close.

Four months ago, these two faced each other as undefeated light heavyweights. Now, after two furious engagements, both have losses.

Beterbiev was making his first defense as undisputed light heavyweight champion and made adjustments from their first match. This time the Russian fighter who trains in Canada concentrated on a body attack and immediately saw dividends.

For most of the first six rounds it seemed Beterbiev would slowly grind down Bivol until he reached an unsurmountable lead. But despite the momentum he never could truly hurt Bivol or gain separation.

Things turned around in the seventh round as Bivol opened up with combinations to the head and body while slipping Beterbiev’s blows. It was a sudden swing of momentum. But how long could it last?

“It was hard to keep him at the distance. I had to be smarter and punch more clean punches,” said Bivol.

Beterbiev attempted to regain the momentum but Bivol was not allowing it to happen. In the final 10 seconds he opened up with a machine gun combination. Though few of the punches connected it became clear he was not going to allow unclarity.

Using strategic movement Bivol laced quick combinations and immediately departed. Betebiev seemed determined to counter the fleet fighter but was unsuccessful for much of the second half of the fight.

Around the 10^th round Beterbiev stepped on the gas with the same formula of working the body and head. It gave Bivol pause but he still unleashed quick combos to keep from being overrun.

Bivol connected with combinations and Beterbiev connected with single body and head shots. It was going to be tough for the referees to decide which attack they preferred. After 12 rounds with no knockdowns one judge saw it a draw at 114-114. But two others saw Bivol the winner 116-112, 115-113.

“I was better. I was pushing myself more, I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today,” said Bivol.

Beterbiev was gracious in defeat.

“Congratulations to Bivol’s team” said Beterbiev. “I think this fight was better than the first fight.”

After the match it was discussed that an effort to make a third fight is a strong possibility.

Heavyweight KO by Parker

Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) once again proved he could be the best heavyweight without a world title in knocking out the feared Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) to retain his WBO interim title. It was quick and decisive.

“Catch him when he is coming in,” said Parker, 33, about his plan.

After original foe IBF heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw due to illness, Bakole willingly accepted the match with only two days’ notice. Many experts and fans around the world were surprised and excited Parker accepted the match.

Ever since Parker lost to Joe Joyce in 2022, the New Zealander has proven to be vastly improved with wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Now you can add Bakole to the list of conquests.

Bakole, 33, was coming off an impressive knockout win last July and posed a serious threat if he connected with a punch. The quick-handed Bakole at 310 pounds and a two-inch height advantage is always dangerous.

In the first round Parker was wary of the fighter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He kept his range and moved around the ring looking to poke a jab and move. Bakole caught him twice with blows and Parker retaliated.

It proved to be a very important test.

Parker refrained from moving and instead moved inside range of the big African fighter. Both exchanged liberally with Bakole connecting with an uppercut and Parker an overhand right.

Bakole shook his head at the blow he absorbed.

Both re-engaged and fired simultaneously. Parker’s right connected to the top of the head of Bakole who shuddered and stumbled and down he went and could not beat the count. The referee stopped the heavyweight fight at 2:17 of the second round. Parker retains his interim title by knockout.

“I’m strong, I’m healthy, I’m sharp,” said Parker. “I had to be patient.”

Shakur Wins

Despite an injured left hand southpaw WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) won by stoppage over late replacement Josh Padley (15-1, 6 KOs). It was an impressive accomplishment.

Often criticized for his lack of action and safety-first style, Stevenson was supposed to fight undefeated Floyd Schofield who pulled out due to illness. In stepped British lightweight Padley who had nothing to lose.

Padley was never hesitant to engage with the super-quick Stevenson and despite the lightning-quick combos by the champion, the British challenger exchanged liberally. It just wasn’t enough.

Even when Stevenson injured his left hand during an exchange in the sixth round, Padley just couldn’t take advantage. The speedy southpaw kept shooting the right jabs and ripping off right hooks. At the end of the sixth Stevenson briefly switched to a right-handed fighting style.

Stevenson used his right jabs and hooks to perfection. Double right hooks to the head and body seemed to affect the British challenger. A clean left to the body of Padley sent him to the floor for the count in the ninth round. It was a surprising knockdown due to his injured left. Padley got up and the fight resumed. Stevenson unloaded with right hooks to the body and down went the British fighter once again. He got up and tried to fight his way out but was met with another left to the body and down he went a third time. Padley’s corner tossed in a white towel to signify surrender. The referee stopped the fight at the end of the round. Stevenson scored his 11^th knockout win.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Early Results from Riyadh where Hamzah Sheeraz was Awarded a Gift Draw

Published

4 hours ago

February 22, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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After two 6-round appetizers, British light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith got the show rolling with a lusty 12-round skirmish. Things went south in the middle of the seven-fight main card when WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames locked horns with challenger Hamzah Sheeraz. This was a drab fight owing to a milquetoast performance by the favored Sheeraz.

Heading in, the lanky six-foot-three Sheeraz, whose physique is mindful of a young Thomas Hearns, was undefeated in 21 fights. Having stopped five of his last six opponents in two rounds or less, the 25-year-old Englishman was touted as the next big thing in the middleweight division. However, he fought off his back foot the entire contest, reluctant to let his hands go, and Adames kept his title when the bout was scored a draw.

Sheeraz had the crowd in his corner and two of the judges scored the match with their ears. Their tallies were 115-114 for Sheeraz and 114-114. The third judge had it 118-110 for Adames, the 30-year old Dominican, now 24-1-1, who had Ismael Salas in his corner.

Ortiz-Madrimov

Super welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr, knocked out his first 21 opponents, begging the question of how he would react when he finally faced adversity. He showed his mettle in August of last year when he went a sizzling 12 rounds with fellow knockout artist Serhii Bohachuk, winning a hard-fought decision. Tonight he added another feather in his cap with a 12-round unanimous decision over Ismail Madrimov, prevailing on scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice.

Ortiz won by adhering tight to Robert Garcia’s game plan. The elusive Madrimov, who bounces around the ring like the energizer bunny, won the early rounds. But eventually Ortiz was able to cut the ring off and turned the tide in his favor by landing the harder punches. It was the second straight loss for Madrimov (10-2-1), a decorated amateur who had lost a close but unanimous decision to Terence Crawford in his previous bout.

Kabayel-Zhang

No heavyweight has made greater gains in the last 15 months than Agit Kabayel. The German of Kurdish descent, whose specialty is body punching, made his third straight appearance in Riyadh tonight and, like in the previous two, fashioned a knockout. Today, although out-weighed by more than 40 pounds, he did away with Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang in the sixth round.

It didn’t start out well for Kabayel. The New Jersey-based, six-foot-six Zhang, a two-time Olympian for China, started fast and plainly won the opening round. Kabayel beat him to the punch from that point on, save for one moment when Zhang put him on the canvas with a straight left hand.

That happened in the fifth round, but by the end of the frame, the 41-year-old Zhang was conspicuously gassed. The end for the big fellow came at the 2:29 mark of round six when he couldn’t beat the count after crumbling to the canvas in a delayed reaction after taking a hard punch to his flabby midsection.

Kabayel remains undefeated at 26-0 (18 KOs). Zhang (27-3-1) hadn’t previously been stopped.

Smith-Buatsi

The all-British showdown between light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith was a grueling, fan-friendly affair. A former 168-pound world title-holder, Smith, 34, won hard-earned unanimous decision, prevailing on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and a ludicrous 119-110.

There were no knockdowns, but Liverpool’s Smith, who advanced to 31-2 (22) finished the contest with a bad gash in the corner of his right eye. It was the first pro loss for Buatsi (19-1), an Olympic bronze medalist who entered the contest a small favorite and was the defending “interim” title-holder.

This contest was also a battle of wits between two of America’s most prominent trainers, Buddy McGirt (Smith) and Virgil Hunter (Buatsi).

Check back shortly for David Avila’s wrap-up of the last three fights.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Cain Sandoval KOs Mark Bernaldez in the Featured Bout at Santa Ynez

Published

20 hours ago

February 21, 2025

David A. Avila

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Northern California’s Cain Sandoval remained undefeated with a knockout win over Mark Bernaldez in a super lightweight battle on Friday on a 360 Promotions card.

Sandoval (15-0, 13 KOs) of Sacramento needed four rounds to figure out tough Filipino fighter Bernaldez (25-7, 14 KOs) in front of a packed crowd at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez.

Bernaldez had gone eight rounds against Mexico’s very tough Oscar Duarte. He showed no fear for Sandoval’s reputed power and both fired bombs at each other from the second round on.

Things turned in favor of Sandoval when he targeted the body and soon had Bernaldez in retreat. It was apparent Sandoval had discovered a weakness.

In the beginning of the fourth Sandoval fired a stiff jab to the body that buckled Bernaldez but he did not go down. And when both resumed in firing position Sandoval connected with an overhand right and down went the Filipino fighter. He was counted out by referee Rudy Barragan at 34 seconds of the round.

“I’m surprised he took my jab to the body. I respect that. I have a knockout and I’m happy about that,” Sandoval said.

Other Bouts

Popular female fighter Lupe Medina (9-0) remained undefeated with a solid victory over the determined Agustina Vazquez (4-3-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds in a minimumweight fight between Southern Californians.

Early on Vazquez gave Medina trouble disrupting her patter with solid jabs. And when Medina overloaded with combination punches, she was laced with counters from Vazquez during the first four rounds.

Things turned around in the fifth round as Medina used a jab to keep Vazquez at a preferred distance. And when she attacked it was no more than two-punch combination and maintaining a distance.

Vazquez proved determined but discovered clinching was not a good idea as Medina took advantage and overran her with blows. Still, Vazquez looked solid. All three judges saw it 79-73 for Medina.

A battle between Southern Californian’s saw Compton’s Christopher Rios (11-2) put on the pressure all eight rounds against Eastvale’s Daniel Barrera (8-1-1) and emerged the winner by majority decision in a flyweight battle.

It was Barrera’s first loss as a pro. He never could discover how to stay off the ropes and that proved his downfall. Neither fighter was knocked down but one judge saw it 76-76, and two others 79-73 for Rios.

In a welterweight fight Gor Yeritsyan (20-1,16 KOs) scorched Luis Ramos (23-7) with a 12-punch combination the sent him to the mat in the second round. After Ramos beat the count he was met with an eight punch volley and the fight was stopped at 2:11 of the second round by knockout.

Super feather prospect Abel Mejia (7-0, 5 KOs) floored Alfredo Diaz (9-12) in the fifth round but found the Mexican fighter to be very durable in their six-round fight. Mejia caught Diaz with a left hook in the fifth round for a knockdown. But the fight resumed with all three judges scoring it 60-53 for Mejia who fights out of El Modena, Calif.

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