FORMER PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Boxing Board (JBB) C. Lloyd Allen yesterday paid tribute to Trevor Berbick.

Berbick, who defeated Pinklon Thomas to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship, was found dead near his doorstep in Portland yesterday morning.

A saddened Allen told The Sunday Gleaner that a true athlete had lost his life.

"I would like to pay tribute to Trevor, a fine athlete and human being. One, who in his way, made a difference," Allen said.

Always Thankful

"He was always thankful of others, never forget his early beginnings and those who helped him along the way," Allen said.

Berbick, who worked as a forklift handler at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, returned to Jamaica in 1974 and started to take boxing seriously.

He made Jamaica's Commonwealth Games team to Canada two years later and remained in that country where he twice won the Canadian heavyweight title.

His big break, however, came when he beat Thomas for the world heavyweight title in 1986, but after losing to Mike Tyson, his career hit a slump.

Berbick, who was invited as a special guest at ringside for the return of Sunday Nite fights at Jus' Cheers in St. Ann's Bay tonight, was the last man to beat the legendary Muhammad Ali, in 1981.

Meanwhile, tonight's card will continue and feature eight fights with some of Jamaica's top young boxers making their debuts in St. Ann.