Jump to content

Jimmy Thunder RIP


selij
 Share

Recommended Posts

Jimmy Thunder RIP

 

eight-col-jimmy.jpg

 

Wiki Page

 

Samoa-born Jimmy Peau, who as Jimmy Thunder recorded one of the fastest knockouts in the history of professional boxing with a first-punch victory over American Crawford Grimley, has died. He was 54.

 

Peau, who was born Ti'a James Senio Peau in Apia, Samoa and grew up in New Zealand had recently undergone surgery in Auckland for a brain tumor friends said.

 

His career was one of boxing's great rags to riches to rags stories.

 

As an amateur he won the gold medal in the super-heavyweight class at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. in the United States.

 

Peau turned professional in 1989, changing his name to Jimmy Thunder and later to Jimmy "The Thunder" Peau. He won a host of minor titles, including the WBC international heavyweight and the IBO and WBF heavyweight titles and was the Australian and Australasian heavyweight champion before moving to the United States in 1994.

 

Although he compiled a respectable record of 35 wins, including 28 by knockout in 49 professional fights and had wins over Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick and Tim Witherspoon, his career gradually declined and fought for the last time in 2002.

 

Peau may always be remembered for his win over Grimley at Flint, Michigan in 1997. He flawed Grimley with his first punch, in 1.5 seconds; with the count the entire fight lasted 13 seconds.

 

"I was hungry," Peau said at the time. "I missed out on my lunch and I missed out on dinner and I was getting ready for the fight and I walked past the buffet and I said 'damn man, I wanna go eat'."

 

When his career ended, Peau remained in the United States but fell out of the public eye. A New Zealand reporter sought him out in 2010 and found at times he had been living rough on the street in Las Vegas.

 

He married his second wife, American Iris Whitemagpie, in 2008.

 

Current New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker was among those who paid tributes to Peau on Thursday.

 

"Thank you for your service to our countries, both Samoa and New Zealand," Parker said in a social media post. "You, along with many other greats, some passed and some who are still with us today, paved the way for us up and coming fighters to be seen an heard on an international scale."

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

--- Great name, but all thru the 90s I was working my tail off while trying to raise 2 highly active civilized boys, so only able to get in a few gvt title bouts.

 

record here shows a great start 9-0, 9 KOs before running into The Bounty Hunter whose son is currently ranked boxrec 12th.

 

https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/5029

 

by 1997, his chin suffered permanent cracks to become the typical stepping stone scalp for the Young guns.

 

*** Pic not associated with thread***

736a0f3e2a2c2ddff7d0d57c72de13fb.jpg.afb384cf4c8c93475d92e165aa688964.jpg

Edited by LondonRingRules
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a hard start of the year for Dwayne Johnson-first he lost his dad in January, now his cousin.

 

Waaah?

 

James Thunder was The Rock's cousin? I never knew that.

 

Then again, I never knew that "Thunder" wasn't his real last name, either.

 

Well, RIP. He was a lot of fun to follow, back in the day. Always came to win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Waaah?

 

James Thunder was The Rock's cousin? I never knew that.

 

Then again, I never knew that "Thunder" wasn't his real last name, either.

 

Well, RIP. He was a lot of fun to follow, back in the day. Always came to win.

Yep. On The Rock's mother's side, his mom is Samoan. Not sure if they were first or second cousins tho...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...