Johnny Tate

As an amateur, Johnny Tate never quite seemed able to win the big title, although he was always close. He was runner-up in the 1975 Golden Gloves and the 1975 Pan-American Games. At the Olympics in 1976, he fought Teófilo Stevenson in the semi-finals and the great Cuban heavyweight knocked him out. Johnny Tate had a very mixed career as a professional. In 1979, by defeating Ken Norton, he laid claim to the WBA heavyweight title after Muhammad Ali retired. But Tate held the title only one year before losing to Mike Weaver in a 15th-round knockout. In addition, Larry Holmes was the WBC champion at the time and considered by everybody as the real heavyweight champion. Tate never again had a title fight after losing his championship. He fought professionally thru 1988, finishing his career with a record of 34 wins and 3 losses.

An addiction to cocaine contributed to serious financial problems and, after convictions for assault and theft, he resorted to begging on the streets of Knoxville.

In 1998 he suffered a massive stroke, caused by a brain tumour, whilst driving his pickup truck. The truck crashed into a utility pole, killing Tate and seriously injuring two passengers. The Knox County medical examiner stated that Tate "had been using cocaine regularly in the last 24 hours of his life."