Garwin Davis, Sunday Gleaner Writer

"I still have nightmares about that fight ... when I think about what they did to me ... my manager, my doctor. I could have beaten Tyson. My manager told me I had to lose, and to make sure the instruction was carried out, the doctor drugged me. From the beginning of the fight, I knew something was wrong ... I had no legs to stand on."

That was Trevor Berbick two weeks ago speaking to The Sunday Gleaner at the First and Last Bar and Restaurant in Bryan's Bay, Port Antonio, in what may well turn out to be one of his final one-on-one interviews. Berbick was reminiscing about his 1986 loss to Mike Tyson when he suffered a second-round knockout to end his seven-month reign as World Boxing Council Heavyweight Champion.

Berbick, who lived in his hometown of Norwich, Port Antonio, since his deportation from the United States nearly five years ago, said he was duped into thinking, "my manager Don King had my best interest at heart," and that the plan all along was to "make Tyson the youngest heavyweight champion ever at my expense."

Pressed on why it would have been in Don King's interest to see him lose, considering that the flamboyant promoter did not, at the time, have any contractual arrangement with the Tyson camp, Berbick as ever, was ready with an answer.

brutal murder

"You have to understand how this game works," he said. "Tyson was the young up-and-coming guy, that everybody wanted to see as champion. I was viewed as being in his way. Don King had his eyes set on Tyson and I had to be the fall guy."

There will, in all probability, never be any way of verifying Berbick's claims, especially following his brutal murder early yesterday morning. What was obvious, though, was that he was still being haunted by the past, believing that a terrible wrong had been done to him and that he had been denied the opportunity for one big last payday.

"Tyson could have given me a rematch, knowing fully well that I wasn't at my best when we fought," he said. "He could have given me that chance to earn a big payday. Can you blame me for still having nightmares about what happened on that night in 1986?"

Asked about his current plans and what his life was like away from the boxing ring, Berbick, his giant frame leaning back against the bar stool while taking a sip from his Red Stripe beer, said he had taken up fishing as a hobby and was looking for a good screenwriter to tell his story. He also said that he still kept himself up to date with boxing news from all over the world.

"Every opportunity I get, I go fishing," he said. "It is a great way to relax and something I enjoy doing ... I just love the sea. "I still keep in touch with my handlers overseas, knowing that I have a story to tell and that eventually somebody will be interested." Asked about the rumours that he had been having talks with former heavyweight champion George Foreman for "a battle of the grandfathers" bout in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Berbick, while confirming that there had been "discussions with the Foreman people, said "George wanted to do it but he just couldn't get himself into the proper shape to meet this engagement and we had to respect that."

Born on August 1, 1955, Berbick, at the age of 21 and against all odds, represented Jamaica in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, despite having only had 11 amateur contests. He performed creditably, losing to the eventual silver medallist, Mercilius Simon. The legendary Cuban heavyweight Teofilo Stevenson was the gold medal winner.

Berbick did not return to Jamaica, opting to remain in Canada where he began his professional boxing career. In 1980, he fought his first real noteworthy opponent, former world heavyweight champion John Tate. In the undercard of the Roberto Duran vs Sugar Ray Leonard fight in Montreal, Berbick shocked all the boxing pundits by stopping the heavily favoured Tate in round nine.

In 1981 he got the break he was looking for when he challenged the then unbeaten Larry Holmes for the world title. Holmes won on a unanimous decision but Berbick had emerged from the fight as a bona fide threat in the heavyweight division. Later that year, Berbick defeated the great Muhammad Ali in a 10 round fight in the Bahamas, earning the distinction of being the last man to fight and beat Ali. Ali is widely considered the greatest athlete of the 20th century.

Berbick would get another title shot in 1986 when he scored a stunning victory over then heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas. Against the wishes of many of his handlers, Berbick would later that year go up against Tyson who gave him the beating of his life in a dramatic second round loss.

Things would only get worse from there. In 1992 he was convicted of forcing himself on a family baby-sitter and spent 15 months of a four year sentence in a Miami jail. He fought his final fight in 2000, when he out-pointed Shane Sutcliffe over 12 rounds. His dreams of fighting again for a world title was shattered when a CAT scan revealed a small blood clot on his brain. He was later deported to Jamaica.

Asked if he had any regrets, Berbick said his problem has always been "trusting the wrong people." "People have used me ... borrowed my money without ever having any plans to pay me back," he said. "That's life though. I am still in good health, I am happy and I do have a lot of plans. I have identified a property on the beach which I am going to develop and turn into a real attraction. Port Antonio is growing and now is the right time to invest."

And on his place in history as the last man to fight and beat Ali? "Ali was my idol," he said. "That was probably the most difficult fight I have ever fought. It was like not wanting to hurt my idol but at the same time knowing I had to win. It was very difficult I tell you." And about the state of local boxing? "It needs a lot of help," he said. "I have always volunteered my service to assist and they know where to find me. I have never had a problem in giving back to my country."