Ti'a James Senio Peau (3 February 1966 – 13 February 2020), known professionally as Jimmy Thunder, was a Samoan-born New Zealand professional boxer who held the IBO heavyweight title from 1994 to 1995. He held multiple regional heavyweight titles, including the OPBF title from 1989 to 1991 and the Australian title twice between 1992 and 1994.

Early life During his early life and amateur career, Thunder was known as Jimmy Peau. 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. While born in Apia, he 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. As an amateur he had 89 fights, finishing his amateur career with 83–6 record.

Career Thunder turned pro in 1988, after being left off 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. Later in his professional career he also fought under the name James Thunder. 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, scoring the fastest knockout in history at 13 seconds, including the count of 10, which was not even begun, so it lasted 3 seconds, during the quick walk from his corner to the ring centre, immediately throwing the first and only punch with his last step. He finished his 49 fight career with 35 victories, 28 by knockout. Throughout his career he won regional titles including the Australian Heavyweight Champion twice as well as winning the lesser IBO and WBF Heavyweight titles.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes49Loss35–14Colin WilsonUD106 Dec 200248Loss35–13Andre PurletteTKO2 (10), 6 Jul 200147Loss35–12Paea Wolfgramm7 (10), 1 Apr 200146Win35–11James LesterTKO1 (8), 9 Mar 200145Loss34–11Charles Shufford8 (10), 7 Sep 200044Loss34–10Monte BarrettTKO7 (10), 24 Feb 200043Win34–9Eli DixonTKO2 (10), 18 Nov 199942Win33–9Tim WitherspoonUD107 Apr 199841Loss32–9Chris ByrdTKO9 (10), 13 Dec 199740Loss32–8Maurice HarrisKO7 (10), 20 May 199739Win32–7Crawford GrimsleyKO1 (10), 18 Mar 199738Loss31–7John RuizSD1214 Jan 199737Win31–6Quinn NavarreKO4 (10), 8 Oct 199636Win30–6William MorrisTKO10 (10), 8 Oct 199635Win29–6Will HintonKO7 (10), 27 Feb 199634Win28–6Melvin FosterTKO8 (10), 3 Oct 199533Win27–6Ray AnisTKO7 (12), 8 Aug 199532Loss26–6Franco Wanyama1016 Jul 199531Win26–5Bomani ParkerTKO1 (10), 17 Jun 199530Win25–5Daniel DăncuțăTKO2 (10), 9 May 199529Win24–5Trevor BerbickUD1215 Mar 199528Win23–5Tony Tubbs126 Dec 199427Win22–5Richard MasonUD1229 Oct 199426Win21–5Ed DonaldsonTKO2 (10), 27 Sep 199425Win20–5Marion WilsonUD101 Sep 199424Win19–5Juan Ramón PerezTKO2 (10)3 Aug 199423Win18–5Don MackayTKO1 (12), 18 Mar 199422Loss17–5Johnny NelsonUD1219 Nov 199321Win17–4Mitieli NavuilawaKO1 (10)9 Oct 199320Win16–4Melton BowenTKO5 (12)23 Jul 199319Win15–4David Ravu RavuKO2 (10)17 Jun 199318Loss14–4Henry AkinwandePTS1218 Mar 199317Win14–3Aisea NamaKO2 (10)30 Jun 199216Win13–3Craig PetersenUD1214 Jun 199215Win12–3Young Haumona126 Dec 199114Loss11–3Craig Petersen124 Nov 199113Win11–2Aisea NamaKO7 (10)24 Aug 199112Loss10–2Derek WilliamsTKO2 (12)1 May 199111Win10–1Rocky SalanoaKO1 (10), 16 Nov 199010Loss9–1Mike HunterKO4 (10)14 Aug 19909Win9–0J. B. WilliamsonTKO10 (10), 14 Jul 19908Win8–0Mark LeeKO1 (10), 1 May 19907Win7–0Mauricio VillegasTKO4 (12)24 Feb 19906Win6–0 Bernardo MercadoTKO1 (10), 8 Dec 19895Win5–0August TanuvasaTKO5 (12), 20 Oct 19894Win4–0 Andre Van den OetelaarTKO3 (10)1 Sep 19893Win3–0Mosese ViliaKO1 (10), 14 Jul 19892Win2–0Kevin Barry2 (10)13 May 19891Win1–0Niko Degei4 (6)8 Apr 1989

Personal life After retirement in 2003, it was reported Peau was in financial debt. The Sunday Star-Times discovered he had been living homeless in Sunset Park near Las Vegas. World Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Thell Torrance reported Peau would ask for handouts and turn up to boxing gyms, offering himself for sparring work and was often turned down due to poor conditioning. It was later revealed by close family that he did casual labor at a rehab centre run by Native Americans, and became a personal trainer and part-time bodyguard.

Peau married his second wife, Iris Whitemagpie, a Native American in 2008. The two met in 2006 and were married at Whitemagpie's reservation in Arizona in a cultural ceremony. He had three children in New Zealand, from his first marriage. His eldest son, Louis, was selected for the Samoa national rugby league team to play an Australian selection side in 2010. He also represented the Mt Albert Lions at domestic level, playing at .

Peau was arrested and charged for battery and substantial bodily harm after an altercation at a Las Vegas street party. He was released from the Southern Desert Correctional Center, north of Las Vegas, to US immigration, after his case was considered by an Immigration Court, seeing Peau in threat of being deported to New Zealand. Peau also had previous immigration issues, after being held by US immigration authorities three years prior until Whitemagpie paid a bond for his release after it was discovered he did not hold a US green card.

Peau died in his sleep in Auckland on 13 February 2020, following brain surgery.

References

External links

BoxingRecords