Source: The Ring Magazine / Getty
Rocky Lockridge, whose painful cry on A&E’s ‘Intervention’ went viral years ago after his TV appearance, died Thursday morning, TMZ reports.
A statement from Rocky’s son, Ricky, reads:
“It is with great pain but a whole heart that I tell you family and friends that my father Ricky Lockridge aka Rocky Lockridge has passed away.” Continuing, “All he wanted was to be in the comfort of his home with friends/ family. God has called him to walk through the gates of heaven.”
The former pro-boxer reportedly passed due to complications from a past stroke.
The late athlete was an accomplished fighter back in the 80s, squaring up against champs like Roger Mayweather and winning. Throughout his professional career, he won 44 matches and only lost nine, defeating Mayweather for the WBA junior lightweight title in 1984. He then went on to win the IBF Junior Lightweight belt against Barry Michael back in ’87.
But his success led him into the dark corners of addiction, struggling with a crack cocaine dependency for years.
His family appeared on ‘Intervention’ in a last ditch effort to seek help for Lockridge. During the viral moment, his family members started expressing their love for him, which triggered a deep, heart wrenching cry from the former boxing ring star.
“I waited over fifteen years for this moment,” his son Lamar told him. “Do you understand that?”
“Ain’t nothing slow about your daddy except how he moves,” Lockridge responded.
“..You left me and my siblings without a father. You’ve caused me to hate you with a passion so deep, it flows through my veins like the blood that flows through yours….and still, I am here because I know somewhere deep down in my heart, I still love you.”
His speech was the spark that led the former boxer to break down into tears and accept treatment.
You can watch below:
