Najai Turpin
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| Najai Turpin | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Profile | ||
| Born | December 19, 1981 | |
| Birthplace | Philadelphia, USA | |
| Nationality | American | |
| Died | February 14, 2005 (aged 23) | |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | |
| Nickname | Nitro | |
| Classification | Light/Middleweight | |
| Boxing Record | ||
| Fights | 13 | |
| Wins (KOs) | 11 (8) | |
| Losses | 2 | |
| Draws | 0 | |
| Contender Results | ||
| First Round | Lost to Mora on points | |
Najai Turpin (December 19, 1981 – February 14, 2005) was a professional boxer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
He was a contestant on reality TV show The Contender. On the show, he was placed on the East Coast team and pitted himself against Sergio Mora, a man seven inches taller than him, in the first round. Mora would go on to become The Contender.
He committed suicide on February 14, 2005, while sitting in a car with his girlfriend and 2-year-old daughter. The motive for his suicide was not entirely clear. However, the fact that he had not been allowed to fight between the time of his elimination from the Contender and the show's finale, along with the low self-esteem that may have resulted from his defeat on the show may have contributed to his suicide. Another contributing factor is considered to be the ongoing custody battle for his daughter.
Turpin was the first American reality show contestant to take his own life, but there have been examples elsewhere in the world. In 1997, Sinisa Savija, the first person voted off the island on Expedition Robinson (the Swedish predecessor to Survivor) killed himself immediately after he was voted off. Najai Turpin's initials were imprinted on Ishe Oluwa Ali Smith's shorts during a match. Sergio Mora thanked him for getting the chance to win a million dollars.
