A well-respected boxer was the tragic victim of gun violence during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed that Samuel ‘Tsunami’ Teah was shot and killed Friday in Philadelphia. Details of the situation remain unclear, though it was learned that the junior welterweight hopeful unexpectedly landed in a domestic dispute gone horribly wrong.
Teah was 36-years old at the time of his tragic passing.
“Sad news today, I lost a brother, a fighter, a friend, a whatever you could think of,” Rashiem Jefferson, Teah’s head trainer, said in a social media post on Friday. “This was a huge hurt piece. God’s time is the best timing. I don’t know why or where but I know God had another place for you and that’s the only thing that ease the pain.
“Angel Tsumani, my guy, my brother, my friend, my fighter. I know you watching over me now and will help direct my path. Thanks for being great while you was here.”
Teah saw his ten-year pro career transition from prospect to spoiler, all after having to overcome personal tragedy.
Born in Liberia, Teah and his family moved to Ghana when he was five, to escape the ongoing civil war in Liberia at the time. Another five years passed before they relocated to the United States. A pit stop in New York City preceded the permanent move to Philadelphia, where Teah lived for more than 25 years.
He was just 21 when he lost much of his family in a December 2008 fire which claimed the lives of seven people. Among those who died were Teah’s mother, his sisters and older brother, an 18-month nephew and two nieces along with a family friend.
Teah wore “12-26-08” on his trunks in remembrance of those he lost.
His career came with its share of ups and downs, including televised losses to Montana Love and Brandun Lee. He also owns wins over O’Shaquie Foster—who went on to win and still holds the WBC junior lightweight title—and Kenneth Sims Jr., now a junior welterweight contender.
A third-round knockout loss to Lee in March 2021 did not discourage Teah from moving forward with his career. He bounced back to score a first-round knockout of battle-tested Larry Fryers just seven months later.
An unwelcome ring absence followed before manager Sarah Fina positioned him for what would become the final win of his career. Teah upset then-unbeaten Enriko Gogobinka in an eight-round majority decision on the March 4 Brandon Figueroa-Mark Magsayo undercard in Ontario, California.
Teah suffered an upset eighth-round knockout at the hands of Indiana’s Andrew Rodgers on May 27 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Teah and Fina were working on a plan to get him back in the ring in the first quarter of 2024. The plan was to either rematch Rodgers or land on a show where he hoped to supplement his income through ticket sales in an effort to revive his career.
A senseless act over the holiday weekend cut short that dream and took Teah away from his loved ones, including a child he left behind. His career ended with a mark of 19-5-1 (8KOs).
“Say it ain’t so…. my family, my friend. Sam say it ain’t so,” said a distraught Fina. “You were one of the solid few. You gave me a hard time but I knew the love was real. My pain in my ass. But like that pain you feel after a long work out on the next day. The good pain. The pain of growth.
“What we gonna do now without you? Your smile was infectious. Who gonna call me sarah feeny? I’m broken.”
It is unclear if any arrests were made, though there seems to be awareness over who committed the senseless act. A message left with Philadelphia police officials was not immediately returned as this goes to publication.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox