Mark 'Spiritbear' Tucker, Father of 'TNT' Tucker, Passes!

Very sad news to report.  Mark "Spiritbear" Tucker, Sr. (right) who promoted boxing cards at the Carroll County's AG Center's Shipley Arena in Westminster, MD for his son, Mark "TNT" Tucker, passed away on June 3.  He was 54.

Mr. Tucker, Sr. had been battling a heart ailment for about two years. Under the banner of the Maryland Boxing Club, he promoted exciting cards headlined by his son, a light heavyweight and former NABO Youth and USBO Light Heavyweight champion.  Tucker also trained his son and worked his corner in his bouts except for Tucker's last contest in February of this year. Brother Nazeem Richardson came from Philadelphia, PA and worked Tucker, Jr.'s corner on that evening.

Mark Tucker, Sr. and I had a wonderful working relationship and I considered him a good friend in this business.  My email address is full of not only updates on those cards but some very inspirational messages he would send to me and others.  When Mark returned to promoting his son in November of 2013 after an almost two year absence, it was a great joy to see.  It had been a tough time for the family because his other son was in a car accident.  Fortunately he has recovered.   So to see him back in action was great.

I will definitely miss driving up to Westminister to see him and the cards he put on.  More than that, however, I will miss a man who was as nice a person to me as anyone has been in this business.  My deepest condolences to the Tucker Family.