By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—Greg Page was remembered by family and friends as a champion inside and outside the ring, who saw the devastating injury that cut his life short as a chance to save other boxers.
The former heavyweight champion suffered a severe brain injury during a 2001 fight that left him partially paralyzed, but he never complained. Instead, he and wife Patricia used his experience to campaign for stronger safety rules.
Page, 50, died April 27 of complications from the brain injury.
“He said, `This happened for a reason, Teish, this happened for a reason,”’ stepdaughter Teisha Page said Monday. “He was a fighter in so many other ways, and I wish everyone else in this room could know him the way I did and take a little bit of him with you every day.”
A Louisville native who grew up in a family of boxers, Page was sparring with Muhammad Ali by the time he was 15. He became the National Golden Gloves heavyweight champion in 1978 at age 20. He lost his first shot at the WBA heavyweight championship in 1984 to Tim Witherspoon.
In December 1984, Page knocked out Gerrie Coetzee in the eighth round of their bout in South Africa to claim the title. Five months later, he lost on points to Tony Tubbs. Tubbs was among the 100-plus family and friends at Our Lady of Mount Carmel for Page’s two-hour funeral.
“It shows right here what Greg is all about,” high school friend Stephen Peoples, looking out at the crowd that filled the church. “Greg stood out. He was a star, and he shined. He’s going to be missed, but he’s not going to be forgotten.”
Page was 42 and had a 58-16-1 career record going into the $1,500 fight against Dale Crowe at Peels Palace on March 9, 2001, in Erlanger, Ky., near Cincinnati. Page went down after 10 rounds and didn’t get up. There was no oxygen at the ring or ambulance on standby.
He finally was taken to a hospital but had a massive stroke, and was in a coma for nearly a week. He remained paralyzed on his left side and had problems with his vision and memory.
Page eventually won a $1.2 million settlement in 2007 with Kentucky boxing officials, who also agreed to establish a medical review panel for the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority.
“Greg had the spirit of joy. Even in his suffering, he endured with joy,” the Rev. William Farris said. “He always demonstrated courage.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—Greg Page was remembered by family and friends as a champion inside and outside the ring, who saw the devastating injury that cut his life short as a chance to save other boxers.
The former heavyweight champion suffered a severe brain injury during a 2001 fight that left him partially paralyzed, but he never complained. Instead, he and wife Patricia used his experience to campaign for stronger safety rules.
Page, 50, died April 27 of complications from the brain injury.
“He said, `This happened for a reason, Teish, this happened for a reason,”’ stepdaughter Teisha Page said Monday. “He was a fighter in so many other ways, and I wish everyone else in this room could know him the way I did and take a little bit of him with you every day.”
A Louisville native who grew up in a family of boxers, Page was sparring with Muhammad Ali by the time he was 15. He became the National Golden Gloves heavyweight champion in 1978 at age 20. He lost his first shot at the WBA heavyweight championship in 1984 to Tim Witherspoon.
In December 1984, Page knocked out Gerrie Coetzee in the eighth round of their bout in South Africa to claim the title. Five months later, he lost on points to Tony Tubbs. Tubbs was among the 100-plus family and friends at Our Lady of Mount Carmel for Page’s two-hour funeral.
“It shows right here what Greg is all about,” high school friend Stephen Peoples, looking out at the crowd that filled the church. “Greg stood out. He was a star, and he shined. He’s going to be missed, but he’s not going to be forgotten.”
Page was 42 and had a 58-16-1 career record going into the $1,500 fight against Dale Crowe at Peels Palace on March 9, 2001, in Erlanger, Ky., near Cincinnati. Page went down after 10 rounds and didn’t get up. There was no oxygen at the ring or ambulance on standby.
He finally was taken to a hospital but had a massive stroke, and was in a coma for nearly a week. He remained paralyzed on his left side and had problems with his vision and memory.
Page eventually won a $1.2 million settlement in 2007 with Kentucky boxing officials, who also agreed to establish a medical review panel for the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority.
“Greg had the spirit of joy. Even in his suffering, he endured with joy,” the Rev. William Farris said. “He always demonstrated courage.”
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