Rocky Lockridge: World champion boxer, who became internet’s ‘Best Cry Ever’ meme, dies at 60

The news of Lockridge’s death was announced by his son, who tweeted: “It is with great pain but a whole heart that I tell you family and friends that my father Ricky Lockridge aka Rocky Lockridge has passed away. All he wanted was to be in the comfort of his home with friends/family. God has called him to walk through the gates of heaven.”

American Lockridge had a hugely successful boxing career and held the lineal super-featherweight world title after knocking out Roger Mayweather – uncle of Floyd Mayweather Jr. – in 98 seconds to hand the big-name world champion his first career loss. He also captured the IBF super-featherweight world title.

During his 53-fight professional career, Lockridge shared the ring with a host of boxing greats.

He knocked out Mayweather in 1984 to capture his first world title, and went the distance in losing efforts against Eusebio Pedrosa, Wilfredo Gomez and Julio Cesar Chavez in world title fights. He eventually retired with a record of 44 wins, nine losses.

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But to a different generation, Lockridge was famous for his appearance on A&E television show ‘Intervention’, where his on-screen breakdown was cruelly dubbed the “Best Cry Ever” and led to countless memes across social media.

At that time, Lockridge was battling alcohol and drug addiction, and had spent some time homeless on the streets of Camden, New Jersey.

His television appearance on ‘Intervention’, where he was confronted by members of his family to try to get him the help he needed, eventually helped him to live out the last 10 years of his life sober before he passed away at the home of his carer.