Jimmy Thunder, a Samoa-born heavyweight from New Zealand who became a title contender in the 1990s, has died, according to multiple reports. He was 54.

Thunder, whose birth name was Ti’a James Senio Peau, reportedly died in his sleep at a hospital in Auckland after undergoing surgery to treat a brain tumor.

Thunder (35-14, 28 KOs) recorded victories over former titleholders Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick and Tim Witherspoon and won a few minor belts but he never fought for a major title.

His most notable accomplishment as a professional might have been his first-punch, 13-second knockout of Crawford Grimsley in 1997. He landed the knockout shot in the first few seconds of the fight.

“I was hungry,” Peau said at the time of the quick KO, according to The Associated Press. “I missed out on my lunch, and I missed out on dinner, and I was getting ready for the fight, and I walked past the buffet, and I said, ‘Damn man, I wanna go eat.’”

Thunder was a successful amateur, winning the super heavyweight gold medal in the 1986 Commonwealth Games, but was passed over when New Zealand selected its 1988 Olympic team.

He turned pro the following year and won consistently, at least until the latter part of his career. He went 4-8 – including losses to John Ruiz, Chris Byrd and Monte Barrett – in his last 12 fights before retiring in 2002.

Former heavyweight titleholder and current contender Joseph Parker, also a Samoan-Kiwi, thanked his predecessor on social media.

“Thank you for your service to our countries, both Samoa and New Zealand,” Parker said. “You, along with many other greats, some passed and some who are still with us today, paved the way for us up and coming fighters to be seen and heard on an international scale.”