Tyrell Biggs Remembered

By Luca “MamaLuke” Balossino

Once upon the time, there was this 6’5 young talented prospect from Philadelphia who at the age of 24, won the Gold Medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in the super heavyweight against the Italian Francesco Damani. Conventional wisdom said that Biggs was just another over hyped amateur star who would never reach the top in the pros. “If I don’t stay straight, everything else is a failure’’ were Biggs words during his career which consisted of 30-10, 20 KO’s professional record. Biggs had a lot of struggles with drugs, and this was one of the biggest factors of why he never became championship material.

Earlier in his life when he already fought in the 1984 Olympic Games he entered drug rehab in California and everybody thought his career was over before it really started.
But Tyrell, kicked his cocaine habit like there was no tomorrow and kept fighting. He didn’t always look sharp in his fights but you could be sure that he gave all he had, still, he didn’t get the credit he deserved.

In his 14th fight against former world title challenger David Bay, Biggs picked up his 15th straight win, however a toll had to be paid which were 25 stitches. Following up, he had one tune up fight win over Oklahoman native and trial horse Lorenzo Boyd.His management which consisted of Lou Duva and Shelly Finkel had already giving up on Biggs, and decided to cash in on their investment before it was too late. On October 1987 a match was made to fight Mike Tyson where Biggs was stopped in the 7th round. Even Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton later on admitted that Duva and Finkel had already given up on their man.

After a wound licking layoff, Biggs accepted ‘’a rematch’’ with the silver medal Olympian Francesco Damiani in Italy. Biggs stated after the fight with Damiani, that 9 times out of 10 times he will whoop Damiani’s ass. Biggs ended up losing due the soft skin he had which had a tendency to cut. There was blood everywhere the in the ring that night and Damiani emerged a TKO winner.
After coming off his 2nd straight loss, Biggs finally split with the Duva’s and considered hanging up his gloves, but hired Leslie Roncari as his new manager. The start with Roncari didn’t perform as expected, instead of fighting a few tune up fights to build up confidence, they decided to fight in the UK against dangerous opposition in Gary Mason and lost via a 7th round knockout. He later on lost to Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe both via TKO.

Biggs never won a professional world title, but stalked the rankings of contendership in the late 80’s.Unfortunately the talented Biggs’ life has been a constant fight against drug and alcohol addiction. Without it, the outcome of his life and career could’ve had been made of success. But we will never know….

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