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by David P. Greisman - It was long known how the story of Johnny Tapia would likely end.
So many fighters turn to the boxing gym to get away from trouble. So many of them subsequently stay out of trouble thanks to the level of discipline it takes to succeed in the ring.
Not Tapia. He was among those whose demons were never wholly driven away. The benefits of self-discipline were all too often broken up by bouts of self-sabotage. His struggles with ******* addiction were particularly worrisome. He would rehab and then relapse. He spent time in jail. And throughout it all, he looked toward the two things that had saved him — the sport and the woman he loved.
Tapia’s story ended in May 2012 at the age of 45, not from an overdose but rather from heart disease and high blood pressure. Some who read the autopsy report said the life Tapia lived contributed to the manner in which he died.
His story was told in “Tapia,” a documentary that aired last week on HBO. It’s been known for more than two years now how any such film would end. That doesn’t diminish the final product. “Tapia” stands as a final salute to a flawed figure, a man we loved because of the talent and passion he brought to the ring, love that made our heartbreak and disappointment even more painful. With his lifelong fight, as with his 66 boxing matches, there were many who wished for Johnny Lee Tapia to prevail.
The hope had once been that his 2006 autobiography, “Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia,” would close the book on those worst chapters of his life. But because of what unfortunately followed, and because of the medium of the documentary itself, “Tapia” carries a captivating narrative. [Click Here To Read More]
So many fighters turn to the boxing gym to get away from trouble. So many of them subsequently stay out of trouble thanks to the level of discipline it takes to succeed in the ring.
Not Tapia. He was among those whose demons were never wholly driven away. The benefits of self-discipline were all too often broken up by bouts of self-sabotage. His struggles with ******* addiction were particularly worrisome. He would rehab and then relapse. He spent time in jail. And throughout it all, he looked toward the two things that had saved him — the sport and the woman he loved.
Tapia’s story ended in May 2012 at the age of 45, not from an overdose but rather from heart disease and high blood pressure. Some who read the autopsy report said the life Tapia lived contributed to the manner in which he died.
His story was told in “Tapia,” a documentary that aired last week on HBO. It’s been known for more than two years now how any such film would end. That doesn’t diminish the final product. “Tapia” stands as a final salute to a flawed figure, a man we loved because of the talent and passion he brought to the ring, love that made our heartbreak and disappointment even more painful. With his lifelong fight, as with his 66 boxing matches, there were many who wished for Johnny Lee Tapia to prevail.
The hope had once been that his 2006 autobiography, “Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia,” would close the book on those worst chapters of his life. But because of what unfortunately followed, and because of the medium of the documentary itself, “Tapia” carries a captivating narrative. [Click Here To Read More]
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