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SAMUEL TEAH TRAGICALLY KILLED |
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Junior welterweight boxer Samuel “Tsunami” Teah was shot and killed on Friday, November 24, 2023, the day after Thanksgiving. “Tsunami Sam” was 36 years old and still an active Philadelphia fighter. Teah was born on June 17, 1987, in Monrovia, Liberia. His family escaped their war-torn home country, moving to Ghana when Teah was six years old. Five years later, they came to the United States, living first in New York before finally settling in Philadelphia. Teah lived in the city, working as a SEPTA bus driver and a professional boxer until his death.
In 2008, Teah suffered a great tragedy when seven family members (his mother, brother, two sisters, two nephews, and one niece) and one close friend were killed in a house fire when he was 21 years old. Teah began his professional boxing career in 2013 and often wore trunks emblazoned with the date 12-26-08 to remember the tragic date of the fire. Teah turned pro with a third-round TKO of Larry Yanez at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey. In his eighth bout, Teah defeated O’Shaquie Foster (W8) in Las Vegas. Foster went on to win the WBC junior lightweight world title earlier in 2023. Teah ran his record to 12-1-1 (5 KOs) before losing a nationally televised bout on Showtime with Montana Love. Love won the fight by eight-round majority decision.
Teah rebounded with three straight victories, two quick knockouts at Philadelphia’s Fillmore and 2300 Arena, and an upset eight-round unanimous decision over heavily favored Kenneth Sims Jr. at the 2300 Arena. The surprise win was televised by Showtime and earned Teah the 2018 Briscoe Award for the “Upset of the Year.”
Teah followed with a loss to Tre’Sean Wiggins at the Met for the Pennsylvania junior welterweight championship but defeated Sonny Fredrickson (W10) in his next bout to claim the USBA 140-pound regional title. After another decision win (W6 Dieumerci Nzau), Teah lost by knockout to rising contender Brandun Lee in fight for another regional title belt. In his next bout, Teah shocked Larry Fryers with a first-round TKO and followed it with an eight-round decision victory over Enriko Gogokhia. Teah fought what turned out to be his final fight on May 27, 2023, at the Newtown Athletic Center, losing to Andrew Rogers by TKO in the eighth and final round. The surprise defeat was a shock, but at the time of his death, Teah was planning a return to the ring in 2024. His final professional record was 19-5-1, 8 KOs.
Details of the incident that claimed Teah’s life remain unreported. However. it appears that while visiting his child in Wilmington, Delaware, Teah was shot by the boyfriend of the child’s mother. Teah was taken to the hospital where he died from gunshot injuries. It appears no arrests were made in the incident. The death of Teah shocked our local boxing community who remembered Sam not only as a good boxer, but an extremely likeable member of the Philly boxing fraternity. He was always a pleasant and happy guy, very respectful and clearly determined inside the ring and out. The tragedy he suffered on the day after Christmas when he was still an amateur boxer did not derail his dream of being a success in the ring. He kept at it with good results until his passing on the day after Thanksgiving. Teah had a fine pro career and will be missed by all of us. |
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