The life of a boxer is undoubtedly dangerous and violent in the ring. However, these men’s personal lives can be just as dynamic and treacherous.
The latest evidence comes in the forms of breaking news surrounding Boxer Paul “The Punisher” Williams, 30, who recently suffered a career ending injury, and became paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a motorcycle accident.
STORY: Oh No! Former Boxing Champ Paralyzed After Motorcycle Crash
Williams crashed while trying to dodge an oncoming car after trying to motion away from another car in a lane next to him. Williams, of Aiken, S.C., was in the area to attend his brother’s wedding on Sunday afternoon.
Williams was a WBO welterweight, middleweight, and light middleweight champion. During his prestigious career, Williams recorded 41 wins, including 27 knockouts, and only 2 losses. His reputation and performance made the ever-smiling Williams one of the most avoided opponents in the sport, and it is so sad to see the likely end of his career come so soon.
Williams’ accident signifies a trend of tragic instances surrounding prominent boxers in recent years.
Here are a few famed fighters whose lives or careers were cut short due to tragic circumstances.
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Johnny “Mi Vida Loca” Tapia
Tapia’s nickname translates to “My Crazy Life,” and that’s exactly the type of life he led. On top of being an ageless wonder fighting into his 40s and sporting a record of 59-5-2 with 30 knockouts; Tapia constantly battled drug addition, depression and jail.
His crazy life finally caught up with him as he was found dead in his Albuquerque home as a result of a drug overdose on Sunday May 27, 2012. He was 45 years old.
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Edwin “El Terminator” Valero
Valero was a Venezuelan undefeated southpaw boxer. He is a former WBA Super Featherweight champion and former WBC Lightweight champion.
Valero was known for his aggressive punching style and power, which accounted for his 27 wins, all being knockouts, 19 coming in the first round.
He is the only WBC boxer to have won every fight in his career by knockout.
In April 2010, Valero was found dead hanging in his jail cell as a result of suicide. Valero was a suspect in the murder of his wife, and his suicide came the day after his confession to the crime. He was 28 years old.
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- Arturo “Thunder” Gatti
- Gatti was an Italian-Canadian champion boxer, a former IBF Super Featherweight champion and WBC Light Welterweight champion sustaining a career record of 40-9 with 31 knockouts.
Gatti’s death in July 2009 was declared a homicide. Gatti is believed to have been strangled by his Brazilian wife with her purse strap. He was 37 years old.
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Vernon “The Viper” Forrest
Former world champion in the welterweight and light middleweight divisions, Forrest sported a career record of 41-3 with 29 knockouts.
Forrest is noted for his two monumental victories over “Sugar” Shane Mosley. He was shot and killed in July 2009, during an attempted robbery of his Jaguar. He was 38 years old.
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Diego “Chico” Corrales
WBC and WBO lightweight champion, Corrales was also the WBO and IBF super featherweight champion. Corrales’ career ended with a 40-5 record, including 33 knockouts.
Sadly in May 2007, Corrales was killed in a three-vehicle accident near his Las Vegas home, where Corrales was driving drunk on his Suzuki GSXR 1000 motorcycle. He was 29 years old.
