Trevor Berbick -- RIP!

My condolences to the family of former WBC Heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick, who was murdered in in his native Jamaica last night.

According to various wire service reports, the 52-year-old Berbick was killed in a church courtyard after attending a party by an assailant wielding a hatchet or machete and died from a wound to the head. The incident occured in Norwich village, 146 miles east of Kingston.

Berbick had a career record of 50-11-1 with 33 knockouts. He defeated the great Muhammad Ali in Ali's last fight and later won the WBC heavyweight title against Pinklon Thomas before being dethroned by a 20-year-old Mike Tyson.

Berbick fought two Beltway Boxers during his career. He surprised many by winning a 10-round split decision over DC's Melvin "Top Gun" Foster on September 13, 1994 in Westbury, NY. This bout was eight years after Berbick dropped the WBC title to Tyson and Foster was undefeated at the time of the bout.

Two years later -- October 15, 1996 -- Berbick lost a 10-round unanimous decision to future world champion Hasim Rahman at Caesars in Atlantic City.