Mitch was wearing wrap-around sunglasses, which broke, and it cut him. A I know how to weave and slip. Because Cus was in his 70s, he didn't have the energy to be Tyson's primary trainer in conducting sparring sessions and roadwork. Hes fighting this guy Willie Grubbs out of Philly. On the weekends, Saturday afternoon. So and so is fighting so and so for a title or title elimination, and this is what is hurting the game. He was just talking a lot and I really thought he was grabbing for my pockets, so I pulled my pockets out because if he ripped my pants all the money would fall and I wouldnt have a chance to get my money so Id have to fight this cat and then my money is to the wolves. The same opinion has been shared by Butch Lewis and Jerry Izenberg. (Laughs). Source: boxinginsider.com Author: Scoop Malinowski Date: 1 august 2011 It's always a pleasure to listen to Kevin Rooney talk about his old charge Mike Tyson, Read More. The former heavyweight champion is in Saudi Arabia to watch the grudge match. Thomas Hays is his name. Thats what the great Shelly Finkel negotiated with Don King. Lets just go back to the basics. When my fighters go out there, trust me, if someone knows were fighting Joey Smith, and who has been training him? Mike is now supposedly doing like an exhibition tour. The pair have been in negotiations to fight with April 29 being the target date and both sides had been . (Laughs). Kevin Rooney: 1966, 67, 68, in that time frame. Until 1988, Rooney continued to train Tyson and was paid for each of Tyson's professional fights. Q How did you get to be a trainer? Q How did you get to be a trainer? But, its Comedy Central, so I guess these guys are suppose to be telling jokes at each other or something. I had been working with Mike since 1982. He used to run numbers. They were tryin like hell to get him. But, being boxing maybe these guys will be swinging it out. Then he went with King and Kevin Rooney was out and then Mike Tyson took the downfall where he should have stayed with the people that Cus DAmato had put in placeBill Cayton, Jimmy Jacobs, Kevin Rooney and Steve Watt. Rooney who worked under DAmatos tutelage and began assisting him in his coaching duties when Tyson was still an amateur, took complete control over Tyson, when DAmato passed away in November of 1985. Q What happened to Boxing? Everybody in the room burst out laughing except for this one trainer, who punches Mitch right on the nose! Q Besides this Punch lines Show, what do you do with your time? Hes like a little on the green side but, hes a very, very tough kid and hes got a lot of heart. Answer (1 of 3): Mike Tyson had the perfect skill set for the style Cus D'Amato devised for Floyd Patterson, and Kevin Rooney, who trained Mike at his peak from 16 to being fired in 1988 when Mike was 22, was the perfect trainer to hone that style. Its like tap, tap, dont hurt me. Mike knocked a lot of guys out when he was sparring. But, he put Jimmy Jacobs and Bill Cayton in charge. Kevin didn't mess around, he had Tyson on a strict diet and a strict daily workout routine. Where, back in 1976, up in Montreal when Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Heerns and the other little kid who was a 112 pounds, I forgot his name. But Jimmy was more like a jock, an athlete cause he was a handball player, where Bill was like a businessman. Tickets are priced at $80, $50 and $35. I got another kid whos 7-1. Greens exact whereabouts are unknown although surely he remains in Harlem. Blood, when he wasnt a boxer, was a notorious figure for street gang The Black Spades and nobody came into Harlem without his say-so. He made that deal with Tyson when he had a $100 million dollar lawsuit and guess what? Hes 19-1, with 15 knock-outs. BoxingInsider: Didnt sparring guys come to the gym, see Mike punch, then leave the gym? But some dude who was a middleweight with the most perfect physique grabbed the trainer by his shoulders and lifts him to the side. Because I could see the frustration in their face. They were ripping ass. He knows what hes doing. He wasnt out and out robbin him. Q What did you have, a little over $1 million dollars? Youre talking about a kid, 20, 21, 22, against Ali who was 23, 24. I mean, he knocked him out. It was his money. on the weekend. Were you an ex-boxer? Photos taken by Star Boxing Photographer, Ed Diller, Star Boxing, Inc.
He punched harder than Muhammad. Hes living out in Phoenix or something. What did Kevin Rooney say when Mike Tyson got beaten by Buster Douglas? MikeI believe that Mike is one of the hardest punchers in history. (Laughs). On paper he made that moneybut did Mike Tyson really ever see any of that money? He was one of the closest disciples of Cus D'Amato. When he was with me there was no partying. He rushes to my car in my Rolls-Royce, he breaks the side mirror off., Green became more incoherent and two months after the brawl, he was arrested for screaming about Tyson in public. They took $1.9 million on the back-end, so I feel like I kind of got screwed. Tyson's trainer, Kevin Rooney - to whom the gesture of bemused surprise was directed - is . Ill never forget it. We knew we would great soundbites from Mitch.. Its always a pleasure to listen to Kevin Rooney talk about his old charge Mike Tyson, who in his prime years in the 1980s, was the most exciting, destructive heavyweight force in boxing history. Advertisement HIS TROUBLESOME MARRIAGE In the '80s, Tyson set his sights on actress Robin Givens. Its like giving away snow in the winter., Mitch Blood Green left the courthouse shouting: Im the winner, I whupped him.. The duo developed the unbreakable bond between an amateur and a professional boxer. Tim Tszyu has promised to drown his American rival in their world title bout, but Tony Harrison is just as confident. He punches harder than Rocky. He should really write a book about the inas and outs of peek a boo. Amanda Serrano vs Katie Taylor rematch in Dublin off as promoters release statement. Rooney actually said " the look in Tyson's eye" at the start of the fight indicated that he was not right mentally or physically. Once he went with Don King, then Don King took over and Don King was the boss and Mike became second-hand nothing. Kevin Lerena explains to Thomas Gerbasi how a call from Frank Warren convinced him to pack his bags Hes very smart when it comes to numbers. Im very excited about him turning pro, and watching him develop, stated Rooney Sr. (who calls Jr. We all go through money. Q Are you in contact with Mike Tyson today? That was funny. I believe that and I stand by that. Im like the guy in the middle. When Tyson was on there or Riddick Bowe, or Hopkins and Taylorbut now, everythings so spread out. Tyson believes Fury can continue to be champion for as long as he chooses to be. Hes still an attraction. You know, it all comes down to money. There was a guy who would stay in there and give Mike the work, but then took a beating. Tel: (718) 823-2000 | Fax: (718) 823-6330 | Email: [emailprotected], Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1 (800) 745-3000 or visiting, . A Well, he was very smart. If you follow what Im sayin, boxing is a hard game and its hard to get a young kid to stick with it is really what it comes down to. Mitch Green started pushing and shoving Kevin Rooney. Theyre both smart and theyre both honest people. Hows it going? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Then Mike left Bill Clayton and tried to fire Kevin Rooney. My kid hits hard. The whole 9 yards. Tickets are priced at $80, $50 and $35. Once Jimmy died, Robin Givens and her mother Ruth Roper stepped in and tried to grab all his money. Rooney participated in the 1975 New York Golden Gloves Championship. When he was with me there was no partying. So, Im going down tomorrow. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the Star Boxing office at (718) 823-2000 or visiting. It's only after he fired Rooney in 1988 that Tyson started to decline. When Mike went with Don King and then went with Shelly Finkel, at that point Mike was suing Don King for $125 million dollars. Hows it going? His job now has him working full-time in it, but this Friday night, Kevin Rooney Jr will experience a whole new side of professional boxing that he hasnt before. Were gonna have a Big Fight. Kevin Rooney (born May 4, 1956, in Staten Island, New York) is an American boxing trainer. The Outsider: Opportunity knocks for Kevin Lerena. You dont see that no more. Cus died and Tyson was 11-0. And then wed go to the gym. I was educated under Cus DAmato. He gets in the ring in Cuss old gym, my gym now. A lot of it revolved around Mike dodging the punches coming at him. That was funny. What Im saying, what is missing and hurting the boxing industry is that ABC, CBS, and NBC do not show live fights anymore. Any fighter in any divisionyou gotta be exciting. He got $21 million dollars to do that back in the 80s. The comedy sketch was due to be filmed at a genuine boxing event in Orlando, Florida. Youve got the boxers, hes got the business know-how. I just brought him down to Kingston last week to spar with these other kids and he sparred with em and right away he said now. So, thats that. But i have not found a single interview where he ever talks about Kevin Rooney who had a big part in his development as a fighter. He settles the case for $14 million dollars over a 3 year period. He hopped right over the rope and out of the door. He is 5-0 as a pro and had almost 100 amateur fights. He didnt even get paid. Answer the question. BoxingInsider: When do you believe Ali was at his prime and what would your strategy be for Mike vs. Ali? Hes 23-1. Roasts where famous people would get up and insult each other or poke fun at each other? A I own a gym. Marc tapped our cameraman on the shoulder and said: Are you rolling?. If you need me, Ill be outside!. (Laughs). But, they robbed us. I was educated under Cus DAmato. Kevin Rooney is pretty sure that Mike Tyson, for the first time in his life, gave in to those other voices during his stunning loss to Buster Douglas last Saturday night. But, Jimmy Jacobs and Bill Cayton had tied all that money up where nobody could touch it, nobody but Mike. Whoa! Roasts where famous people would get up and insult each other or poke fun at each other? But, Im not gonna cry about it. Once Cus died, then it was Bill Cayton, and Jimmy Jacobs. Remember, this was intended to be a comedy sketch for TV presenter Marc Middletons show. A Thats a good analogy, cause I really dont know. Do you ever speak to him? He was like Behind-the-scenes where Jimmy was like an Up-Front man. He had a son Brian who made his own millions, in computers, back in the early 80s or whenever it was. Tyson said on the IMPAULSIVE podcast in 2020 he had been arrested 40 times by the time he was 12 years old. Where was Kevin Rooney? The only person that could, take any money out of Mike Tysons accounts was Mike Tyson. Is it something like the old Dean Martin t.v. I run it. He wanted nothing to do with Mike. Mike Tyson vs. Kevin McBride was a professional boxing match contested on June 11, 2005. King was a bookmaker. (Laughs). Check this out When Tyson was a teenager, Atlas accused him of making advances on his niece. He was strong, determined, and he wanted to hurt you.. Answer the question. He shouted at Mitch: If you want your f***ing money, why dont you call Mike Tyson?. but Tyson himself barely talks about Rooney --Kevin Rooney WAS a "central figure of importance" in the Tyson saga. I had him in with my pro cruiserweight, Nasi Hani. Im watching it on HBO the next day! My kid hits hard. Willie Pep is a Q Kevin, whats this Punch line Show all about? But a trainer for one of the other fighters was getting really upset about this. If I land a shot theyll feel it and that should put them out. Once he went with Don King, then Don King took over and Don King was the boss and Mike became second-hand nothing. We got a title to defend and you gotta be in tip-top shape. Im living in the same house when I was with Mike back in the early 80s. They dont want to see this tap, tap and the referee jump in and break, break and give em all those hand signals. . A Im there in the corner, working the corner telling the fighter what hes doing wrong, what hes doing good and what he should be doing, (Laughs), if you know what Im saying. He got $21 million dollars to do that back in the 80s. ESPN does their Friday night shows but they do half a year and then they take off. THE DAY TYSON KNOCKED HIM OUT COLD ON A STREET CORNER. Thats one thing. Heybe quiet! He was a basketball player on the high school team, star guard. 4 West Red Oak Lane, Suite 312 - White Plains, NY 10604
Hes a thief, and he got away with it. The guy gets into the ring [laughs]. Greatest Fights: Tyson, Spinks, Trump and 91 seconds . Thats a problem. Then wed go do bed. Whoa! let me put it this way, here in Catskill, Ive had a couple of kids, this one kid that was and excellent, excellent athlete. And why? There was this one time that this kid came in and I dont really remember where he was from. 'Switch your f***ing minds on!': Wayne Rooney's DC United team-talks for MLS opener vs Toronto are revealed - and he predicted his team WOULD come back from behind before dramatic two-goal injury . But they do half a year and then they take off and its partners use cookies and similar technologies provide! Laughing except for this one trainer, Kevin Rooney say when Mike Tyson.! A lot of heart boxing office at ( 718 ) 823-2000 or visiting its Central. Million dollars over a 3 year period Mike dodging the punches coming at.. 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