The Man From Down Under, IBO Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Thunder, Dies at 54, Held Record For World’s Fastest KO
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Auckland, New Zealand (February 13, 2020)–The ‘Man From Down Under’, former International Boxing Organization and World Boxing Federation World Heavyweight champion James ‘Jimmy Thunder’ Peau, a super heavyweight gold medalist at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, has died in his sleep in his hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, following an operation for a brain tumor, on February 13, 2020. He was 54 years old, and originally from Apia, Samoa.
Jimmy Thunder, who compiled a professional record as a heavyweight of 35-14 with 28 knockouts between 1989 and 2002, became famous by virtue of a bout at IMA Sports Arena in Flint, Michigan at the IMA Arena against 20-1 Crawford Grimsley, who had just gone 12 rounds in a world title bout against George Foreman. Thunder landed a heavyweight bomb of thunder, taking Grimsley out with one overhand right hand at 1.5 seconds. Grimsley, who got knocked counted out at 13 seconds of the first, continued punching while on the floor, in obvious confusion after getting counted out too soon.
Besides Crawford Grimsley, Jimmy Thunder fought the likes of heavyweights Monte Barrett, John Ruiz, Tim Witherspoon, Rays Ani, Melvin Foster, Maurice Harris, Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick, Henry Akinwande, and Johnny Nelson.
Thunder held the OPBF and Australian heavyweight titles, and was the first person ever to win the inaugural World Boxing Council Heavyweight title.
Thunder served several years of a sentence for assault, battery and substantial bodily harm after an altercation at a Las Vegas street party, and was deported from the United States after it was discovered he did not have a green card. Thunder also suffered from memory issues after the end of his boxing career.
Thunder worked as a boxing trainer and bodyguard after retirement, and is survived by his Native American common law wife Iris, and three children from his first marriage.
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