Jimmy Thunder

Jimmy Thunder
Statistics
Real name James Peau
Rated at Heavyweight
Nationality Samoa
Born (1966-02-03) 3 February 1966
Apia, Upolu, Samoa
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 49
Wins 35
Wins by KO 28
Losses 14
Jimmy Thunder
Medal record
Competitor for  New Zealand
Men's Boxing
Commonwealth Games
1986 Edinburgh Heavyweight

Jimmy Thunder (born 3 February 1966 in Apia, Western Samoa as James Peau), is a former Samoan boxer, 2 time Australia Heavyweight Champion as well as former IBO and World Boxing Federation World Heavyweight Champion.

Early life

During his early life and amateur career, Thunder was known as Jimmy Peau.[1] His mother is from the village of Fasitoouta, and his father is from the village of Falelatai. Thunder was born third out of six siblings. They all grew up in Auckland, New Zealand.

He went to school at Onehunga High School in Auckland. His friend introduced Thunder to Gerry Preston. Preston took on the young Samoan into his boxing gym in Mangere Bridge. In his early amateur days, Thunder became the first Samoan-born fighter to win a gold medal in the heavyweight division, representing New Zealand at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. He defeated Dougie Young in his hometown by unanimous decision. It was one of the nine gold medals won for New Zealand in that year.

Career

Thunder turned pro in 1988, after being omitted from New Zealand's Seoul Olympic Games team. He changed his surname from Peau to Thunder in 1989 at the suggestion of his manager at the time, Jack Rennie.[1] Later in his professional career he also fought under the name James Thunder.[2] Among his notable victories are wins over Tony Tubbs, Craig Peterson, Trevor Berbick, and Tim Witherspoon. On the 18 March 1997 edition of the USA Network's Tuesday Night Fights he knocked out Crawford Grimsley with his first punch, the fight lasting 1.5 seconds before the count; the record for the world's fastest knockout. He finished his 49 fight career with 35 victories, 28 by knockout. Throughout his Career he had won a number of regional titles, especially being a 2 time Australian Heavyweight Champion as well as winning the lesser IBO and WBF Heavyweight titles.

Professional boxing record

35 Wins (28 knockouts, 7 decisions), 14 Losses (7 knockouts, 7 decisions)[3]
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Loss 35-14 Australia Colin Wilson UD 10 6 December 2002 Australia Parkville, Victoria, Australia 92-98, 92-99, 93-97.
Loss 35-13 Guyana Andre Purlette TKO 2 6 July 2001 Nevada Reno, Nevada, United States Referee stopped the bout at 1:01 of the second round.
Loss 35-12 Tonga Paea Wolfgramm TD 7 1 April 2001 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Bout stopped due to cuts caused by accidental headbutts. 63-68, 64-67, 64-67.
Win 35-11 United States James Vernon Lester TKO 1 9 March 2001 Nevada Reno, Nevada, United States
Loss 34-11 United States Charles Shufford TKO 8 7 September 2000 Maryland Baltimore, Maryland, United States Referee stopped the bout at 3:00 of the eighth round.
Loss 34-10 United States Monte Barrett TKO 7 24 February 2000 New York New York City, United States Referee stopped the bout at 0:52 of the seventh round.
Win 34-9 United States Eli Dixon TKO 2 18 November 1999 California Coachella, California, United States
Win 33-9 United States Tim Witherspoon UD 10 7 April 1998 North Carolina Cherokee, North Carolina, United States 97-92, 97-92, 98-92.
Loss 32-9 United States Chris Byrd TKO 9 13 December 1997 Connecticut Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States Referee stopped the bout at 1:07 of the eighth round.
Loss 32-8 United States Maurice Harris KO 7 20 May 1997 New Jersey Lyndhurst, New Jersey, United States Thunder knocked out at 2:44 of the seventh round.
Win 32-7 United States Crawford Grimsley KO 1 18 March 1997 Michigan Flint, Michigan, United States Grimsley knocked out at 0:13 of the first round.
Loss 31-7 United States John Ruiz SD 12 14 January 1997 Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, United States NABF Heavyweight Title. 112-115, 111-116, 115-112.
Win 31-6 United States Quinn Navarre KO 4 8 October 1996 Michigan Flint, Michigan, United States
Win 30-6 United States William Morris TKO 10 6 August 1996 Michigan Flint, Michigan, United States
Win 29-6 United States Will Hinton KO 7 27 February 1996 Mississippi Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, United States
Win 28-6 United States Melvin Foster TKO 8 3 October 1995 Connecticut Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States Referee stopped the bout at 1:03 of the eighth round.
Win 27-6 Haiti Ray Anis TKO 7 8 August 1995 California Coachella, California, United States IBO World Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:56 of the seventh round.
Loss 26-6 Belgium Franco Wanyama PTS 10 16 July 1995 Michigan Detroit, Michigan, United States
Win 26-5 United States Bomani Parker KO 1 17 June 1995 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Parker knocked out at 2:36 of the first round.
Win 25-5 Romania Daniel Dăncuţă TKO 2 9 May 1995 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Referee stopped the bout at 2:52 of the second round.
Win 24-5 Canada Trevor Berbick UD 12 17 March 1995 Minnesota Mounds View, Minnesota, United States WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title. 118-110, 119-110, 117-111.
Win 23-5 United States Tony Tubbs MD 12 6 December 1994 Michigan Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States IBO World Heavyweight Title. 115-114, 114-113, 114-114.
Win 22-5 United States Richard Mason UD 12 29 October 1994 New Jersey Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States IBO World Heavyweight Title.
Win 21-5 United States Ed Donaldson TKO 2 27 September 1994 Mississippi Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, United States Referee stopped the bout at 2:52 of the second round.
Win 20-5 United States Marion Wilson UD 10 1 September 1994 New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States 100-90, 100-87, 100-89.
Win 19-5 Mexico Juan Ramon Perez TKO 2 3 August 1994 New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Win 18-5 Australia Don Mackay TKO 1 18 March 1994 Australia Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Australia Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:35 of the first round.
Loss 17-5 United Kingdom Johnny Nelson UD 12 19 November 1993 New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand WBF World Heavyweight Title. 114-115, 112-115, 111-119.
Win 17-4 Mitieli Navuilawa KO 1 9 October 1993 Fiji Suva, Fiji
Win 16-4 Jamaica Melton Bowen TKO 5 23 July 1993 Australia Townsville, Queensland, Australia WBF World Heavyweight Title.
Win 15-4 Fiji David Ravu Ravu KO 2 17 June 1993 Australia Gosford, New South Wales, Australia
Loss 14-4 United Kingdom Henry Akinwande PTS 12 18 March 1993 United Kingdom Lewisham, London, United Kingdom Commonwealth Heavyweight Title.
Win 14-3 Fiji Aisea Nama KO 2 30 June 1992 Samoa Apia, Samoa
Win 13-3 Australia Craig Petersen UD 12 14 June 1992 New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand Australia Heavyweight Title. 116-112, 117-113, 116-114.
Win 12-3 Tonga Young Haumona PTS 12 6 December 1991 New Zealand Otahuhu, New Zealand IBF Pan Pacific Heavyweight Title.
Loss 11-3 Australia Craig Petersen UD 12 14 November 1991 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Australia Heavyweight Title. 108-115, 111-115, 111-115.
Win 11-2 Fiji Aisea Nama KO 7 24 August 1991 Fiji Nadi, Fiji OPBF Heavyweight Title.
Loss 10-2 United Kingdom Derek Williams TKO 2 1 May 1991 United Kingdom Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom Commonwealth Heavyweight Title.
Win 10-1 New Zealand Rocky Salanoa KO 1 16 November 1990 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Salanoa knocked out at 2:45 of the first round.
Loss 9-1 United States Mike Hunter KO 4 14 August 1990 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Win 9-0 United States J.B. Williamson TKO 10 14 July 1990 Australia Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia Referee stopped the bout at 2:47 of the tenth round.
Win 8-0 New Zealand Mark Lee KO 1 1 May 1990 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Lee knocked out at 1:22 of the first round.
Win 7-0 Mexico Mauricio Villegas TKO 4 24 February 1990 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia WBC International Heavyweight Title.
Win 6-0 Colombia Bernardo Mercado TKO 1 8 December 1989 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Referee stopped the bout at 1:27 of the first round.
Win 5-0 New Zealand August Tanuvasa TKO 5 20 October 1989 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia OPBF Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 2:21 of the fifth round.
Win 4-0 Netherlands Andre van den Oetelaar TKO 3 1 September 1989 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Win 3-0 Fiji Mosese Vilia KO 1 14 July 1989 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Vilia knocked out at 1:18 of the first round.
Win 2-0 Australia Kevin Barry KO 2 13 May 1989 Australia Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Win 1-0 Fiji Niko Degai TKO 4 8 April 1989 Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Titles held

Las Vegas.[4] As of 2010, he was working as a personal trainer and part-time bodyguard.[5] Thunder's eldest son, Louis Peau, has played for the Samoa national rugby league team.[6] In April 2010, Thunder was arrested after police discovered he has not held an American green card since 2003. He had been detained in a Nevada immigration centre from August 2010 to August 2011, when he was released on bail.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Coffey, John (3 July 1998). "Trainer adamant Jimmy Thunder can go all the way". The Christchurch Press.
  2. Pascoe, Bruce (10 May 1995). "Thunder scores easy TKO". The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  3. "Jimmy Thunder". BoxRec.
  4. Kilgallon, Steve (21 March 2010). "'Thunder' Jimmy Peau on the canvas". The Sunday Star-Times. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  5. "Whatever happened to Jimmy?". Stuff.co.nz. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  6. Mackey, Turei (29 June 2010). "Tough son of 'Thunder'". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  7. Kilgallon, Steve (17 July 2011). "Former boxing champ held as US illegal alien". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 6 October 2011.

External links

Vacant
Title last held by
Danell Nicholson
IBO Heavyweight Champion
29 October 1994 July 1995
Stripped
Succeeded by
Brian Nielsen
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Craig Petersen
Australian heavyweight Championship Succeeded by
Vince Cervi
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