The Tragic Fate of Big John Tate

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Chuck Norris, Jul 28, 2021.



  1. Chuck Norris

    Chuck Norris Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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  2. Lenny

    Lenny Member Full Member

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    wow-----have not seen this documentary. I was 14 watching that fight. Had a baseball practice early so i went to bed thinking he won . 12-13 round. God I was stunned when my coach said he lost. Still remember like yesterday. Was there other big names on that card? That I forget. Great post----but so sad
     
  3. Cecil

    Cecil Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Very very sad.
    He was a good fighter and seemed essentially a good man.
     
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  4. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    I can remember an article about him, can't recall which mag.
    It was around the time of Tysons peak, 1988.
    He was actually saying he wanted a shot at him and he was confident he'd beat him.
    Even then it came across as a little sad and the dreams of yesterday's man.
     
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  5. Reinhardt

    Reinhardt Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    After the Weaver fight Tate told people later that he thought he'd lost by decision because he didn't remember anything after getting nailed in the 13th round. John simply could not handle the success of being the heavyweight champ in Knoxville Tennessee, he was adored and leeches came out of the woodwork with bags cocaine which was a drug that was really ramping up in the country at that time. He needed to move and get away from his ,,so called buddies. Couple the drug use with a manager who put him back into the ring so quickly after that fight he was set up to fail. John was never going to be great, but he was far better than he ended up
     
  6. ronnyrains

    ronnyrains Active Member Full Member

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    Being a Californian, and knowing much of Weaver and his career (thrown to the wolves early on ) Sparring with Quarry, I was elated Weaver won and pulled it out, WITH THAT BEING SAID, "BIG" JOHN TATE was no joke, excellant jab, excellant skills, beat Bobick, Knoetze, and Coetzee in successsion, was undefeated and on his way.
     
  7. Lenny

    Lenny Member Full Member

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    Jesus he did some guys. Forget the Coetzee fight. That was no joke. Could he have beaten Holmes in 80-81? Larry was no great puncher what was Tate's downfall. ...But Larry was tougher in the tough fights...
     
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  8. FrankinDallas

    FrankinDallas Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Sad story. That KO by Berbick was bogus. Two clear shots to the back of his head.

    Big John kept fighting and never quit, unlike certain Olympic athletes who shall not be named. Drugs did him in, like a lot of other men and women.
     
  9. steve21

    steve21 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    That was when boxing was running hot on network TV - this was part of a FOUR FIGHT card on MONDAY night on ABC:

    Eddie Gregory vs Marvin Johnson
    Sugar Ray Leonard vs Dave "Boy" Green
    Tate/Weaver
    Larry Holmes vs Leroy Jones

    All that for free? The 80s were a dream ...
     
  10. The Funny Man 7

    The Funny Man 7 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Wish the guy could have fought Holmes. He was really good when he was at his peak.
     
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  11. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    And to think that there was a potential title unification with WBC Champion Larry Holmes in the near future for Big John Tate.
     
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  12. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    I don’t know why a Holmes vs Tate unification was more probable than Holmes vs Weaver rematch unification?

    wasnt it just like now? Governing bodies not wanting to share a percentage with another governing body for unified title bouts, and therefore preferring to recognising seperate claimants in order to each get a bigger share of a “title fight” recognised only by them?

    Let’s face it, only the HBO tournament forced unifications to happen. And that never happened until many years later.

    The story of Tate is still sad. Because unlike 99% of fighters, Tate got to make money yet still wound up as broke as he would have been without a successful boxing career. Probably worse.

    There was a time when Tate was a good wholesome kid with a lot going for him. a lot of people were looking after him.

    We like to think that Most fighters in that get into that rare position get to turn their life around permanently. In truth, the sacrifices made to become successful takes up more time than it does to ever fully develop into a person equipped to deal with life outside of boxing. All the help in the world can’t change the disproportionate focus a successful athlete needs to put into their career. It’s hard not to pay a price for that.
     
  13. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Sometimes rematches are like reruns on television. They hold up progress, unless they are held in a year or two. It is kind of like Muhammad Ali in his first title reign from 1964-1967, he used to state that none of his contracts never included a return bout clause, in order to give everyone an opportunity. A rematch with Mike Weaver would only produce the same results. It would have made more sense to have John Tate unify the belt with Larry Holmes, at that time there were no added alphabet soup champions like today. Only the WBA and the WBC.
     
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  14. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    We're about the same age. I remember that Weaver fight like yesterday, Tate won damn near every round until he was K'oed. He had a lot of talent. Sometimes guys just don't comeback from brutal ko's.
     
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  15. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Especially with something like 15 seconds left, look what happened to Meldrick Taylor against Julio Caesar Chavez Sr on March 17 1990, he never recovered either.
     
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