Jimmy Thunder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids James Peau |
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| Real name | James Senio Peau | |||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Jimmy Thunder | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rated at | Heavyweight | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 188 cm | |||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 196 cm | |||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | New Zealander | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 3 February 1966 Apia, Samoa |
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| Died | 13 February 2020 (aged 54) Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Stance | Orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||
| Boxing record | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 49 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 35 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ti'a James Senio Peau (born February 3, 1966 – died February 13, 2020), known as Jimmy Thunder, was a professional boxer from New Zealand. He was born in Samoa. Jimmy Thunder was a heavyweight champion. He held the IBO heavyweight title from 1994 to 1995. He also won other important boxing titles, like the OPBF title and the Australian title.
Early Life and Amateur Boxing
Before he became a professional, James Peau was known as Jimmy Peau. He was born in Apia, Samoa, but grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. His mother was from Fasitoouta, and his father was from Falelatai. Jimmy was the third of six children in his family.
He went to Onehunga High School in Auckland. A friend introduced him to a boxing coach named Gerry Preston. Preston trained Jimmy at his boxing gym in Mangere Bridge. As a young amateur boxer, Jimmy made history. He became the first Samoan-born boxer to win a gold medal in the heavyweight division for New Zealand. This happened at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. He won against Dougie Young in Dougie's hometown. This was one of nine gold medals New Zealand won that year. As an amateur, Jimmy had 89 fights and won 83 of them.
Professional Boxing Career
Jimmy Thunder became a professional boxer in 1988. This was after he was not chosen for New Zealand's team for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. In 1989, his manager, Jack Rennie, suggested he change his last name from Peau to Thunder. Later in his career, he also fought as James Thunder.
He had many important wins against famous boxers. These included Tony Tubbs, Craig Peterson, Trevor Berbick, and Tim Witherspoon. One of his most famous moments happened on March 18, 1997. During a TV show called Tuesday Night Fights, he knocked out Crawford Grimsley with his very first punch. This knockout was incredibly fast, lasting only 13 seconds, including the referee's count. The actual punch took only about 3 seconds from when he left his corner!
Jimmy Thunder finished his professional career with 49 fights. He won 35 of those fights, and 28 of his wins were by knockout. Throughout his career, he won several regional titles. He was the Australian Heavyweight Champion twice. He also won the IBO and WBF Heavyweight titles.
Life After Boxing
After he stopped boxing in 2003, Jimmy faced some tough times. He later found work doing casual labor and became a personal trainer. He also worked part-time as a bodyguard. He was helped by a rehab center run by Native Americans.
Jimmy Peau married his second wife, Iris White magpie, in 2008. She was a Native American. They met in 2006 and had a cultural wedding ceremony in Arizona. Jimmy had three children from his first marriage in New Zealand. His oldest son, Louis, played rugby league for the Samoa national rugby league team in 2010.
Sadly, Jimmy Peau passed away in his sleep in Auckland on February 13, 2020. He died after having brain surgery.
