Mi Vida Loca: The Crazy Life of Johnny Tapia

By: Johnny Tapia and Bettina Gilois

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Synopsis: My life's been pretty tragic, Tapia recollects. But in the ring, it's been a blessing. Mi Vida Loca is not just a nickname for Tapia, but a legendary tale of a life lived over the edge and back. There is only one winner in boxing. Fighting against your opponent and fighting against your own inner demons become one in the same. Those who survive both in and out of the ring are beloved worldwide. Those who do not, spiral downward into drugs, prison, and even murder. This is the true-life, stranger-than-fiction story of venerated boxing champion Johnny Tapia. With a global cult following, Tapia is well-known as a colorful figure in the boxing industry. His life and career glittered with championship belts and smudged by a dark past, Tapia recounts in Mi Vida Loca the tragic childhood events that led him to a lifelong battle with drugs, depression, and even attempted suicide. Through the flames of his raging internal struggle, a fierce warrior of the ring was born. He turned his life around with the help of his wife and manager, Teresa Tapia, kicking his habit for good. Today, he has fought harder than ever against some of boxing's greatest champs his triumph over himself being his greatest victory of all.