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Showtime salutes Tapia

Fighters Network
01
Jun

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Showtime has issued a formal statement regarding the recent death of former five-belt, three-division titlewinner Johnny Tapia, who was employed by the network as an interviewer earlier this year.

Click here for a Johnny Tapia Showtime interview

“We want to send our thoughts and prayers to the Tapia family in this time of loss,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager of Showtime sports.



“A man small in stature, but gigantic in heart and personality, Johnny’s memory will remain with all that knew him and keep us smiling for years to come– just as he did in person.”

Tapia, 45, fought on Showtime nine times over a career during which he compiled a mark of 59-5-2, with 30 knockouts, earned major world titles in the junior bantamweight, bantamweight and featherweight divisions, and won his last four fights — two of them by knockout — culminating with an eight-round decision over Mauricio Pastrana in June of 2011.

The Tapia family has announced a public memorial service in honor to be held on Sunday at the University of New Mexico’s The Pit, located on the school’s South Campus on University Boulevard and Cesar Chavez in southeast Albuquerque. The viewing begins at 6:30 p.m., with the funeral service to begin at 8 p.m.

Photo by Chris Cozzone, Fightwireimages.com

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]

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