Kevin Rooney - The Tale of Tyson's Trainer
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- Опубліковано 3 бер 2024
- Born in Staten Island, New York, Rooney faced early challenges with alcoholic parents and a turbulent home life. However, he found solace in boxing, quickly rising through the ranks to become a promising amateur fighter. Under the guidance of legendary trainer Cus D'Amato, Rooney turned pro and embarked on a career that would see him face off against champions like Davey Moore and Alexis Arguello.
Rooney's career reached its pinnacle when he became the head trainer for Mike Tyson, guiding him to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history. However, Rooney's battles outside the ring, particularly with alcohol, would ultimately lead to the downfall of his marriage and his career as a trainer. - Спорт
I lived with Kevin in Catskill. Atlas too. Rooney was a GREAT GUY and tough as nails. He is the living embodiment of Cus who used to yell out "Hey Irish!" when he would see Kevin in the morning. He LOVED Kevin and Kevin was his favorite. Me...not so much lolololol
Course you did ..
That’s a great story, it’s an achievement in itself to train and live with these dudes !
Thanks Yes it was.
@@frenchgoldenboyfan
Must have some more stories 👍
LOL Yeah, I got a few. I was up there with Kevin before Teddy got there. One night he and I go into town to hang out. Since we were on Low Carb diets we were craving ice cream and soda. So we hit the ice cream shop and each bought a half gallon of ice cream and a quart of coke and we sat in an alleyway and polished them off. Now with that diet, if you cheat, everything you ate that day stays. Now every morning Cus would weigh us. We agreed to deny cheating on the diet. I get on the scale and I am 5 pounds over. I swear to Cus up and down that I didn't cheat! lol. Rooney gets on the scale and he too is 5 lbs over. Cus says "Irishe, tell me the truth. What did you do?" Kevin looks at me and says. "Cus we ate ice cream and soda" He couldn't lie to Cus. He was Cus's boy and his loyalty was to Cus. I wasn't mad. I admired him for it. Just a great loyal guy.@@bradleyclutton4564
Iron Mike's worse decision was listening to Don King and firing Rooney, Tyson's boxing and career deuterated drastically after that!!!
king fired rooney
And it was right away to the very next fight frank Bruno he showed signs of decline. Didn't have that guy making him throw combos he started looking for one shot.
@@iawy8264 no he didnt lol...reporters did ...King used the blaxk card on tyson
i really can't blame someone like tyson with well documented mental disorders for getting manipulated by one of the most prolific gangster pimps of all time while he was riding so fucking high. king knew what to say to him.
Facts , Tyson did whoop kings fat ass in the end though .
No one’s got this joint except the fight Historian!
Thank you, LetitGoIazziter
It seems like Mike Tyson was not the only person lost after Cus passed away. Cus seemed concerned about the person not just the fighter. Thanks for putting up another fine video.
Sure thing, Zippy.
Well said. I was thinking the same thing myself. I wonder how effective Rooney would've been dealing with his own demons while training Tyson.
@@michaelhubbard4023 i would think training someone like tyson would demand all the time and atention in the world, enough to take your mind out of whatever.
Jim Jacobs also died not long after Cus, leaving nobody to prevent King from filling Tyson's insecure head w/ lies. Rooney was only 10 years older, also idolized Cus and said he was more of a brother than mentor.
@@threerings1345That explains a lot. Cus must have had a strong influence on Mike and Kevin. Unfortunately Mikes story will be repeated down the line in boxing.
Kevin Rooney was as tough as they come. He always gave 100% effort, either in the ring, or as a trainer. It's very unfortunate that alcohol dealt him his worst loss.
Dude, I have been waiting for this documentary for 15 years! I have left so many comments on Teddy Atlas podcast on UA-cam. Whatever it’s called, asking him where is Kevin Rooney! No one ever talks about him he was the bomb!
Yeah I keep begging teddy’s podcast to have Teddy speak at length on Rooney-after all it’s Rooney who saved Teddy’s life and brought him to Cus-yet Teddy has always been silent on Rooney other than saying his friend Rooney brought him to Cus
@@Infinite0396that sounds right for TA .
I see Teddy was at Rooneys side in the interview after he was ko’d by Arguello? Did you notice Teddy there? Much younger!👍🇬🇧
@@BottleBri Yep one heck of a trainer, read his biography book he wrote I think like 10 years ago it’s pretty damn epic. He had a very crazy life in the streets similar to Mike Tyson.
@@BottleBri yeah definitely noticed Teddy-crazy thing was that if you read his book he was still going back to his hometown and pulling petty crimes and fights and getting arrested during those times
When Tyson had Rooney in his corner, he was unbeatable. Rooneys experience as a fighter helped him become a top level trainer.
Everyone is beatable.
Once his youth left him he wasn't the same.... regardless who trained him.
After watching and hearing Iron Mike say that he would still be champ if he didn't fire Kevin Rooney as his trainer... that he would still be Champ!
Thanks Mike! I needed to hear that! 🥊🥊👍
Thanks for the memories Champ!🏆 ❤️ 🥊 🥊 Das 😎 all!
Where did Mike say that? It is 100 percent true though.
@@SgtKnievel
I saw him say it in one of the clips. Some people really can't handle that truth. Mike would not have deteritiorateted professionally as a boxer the way he did if he stayed with Kevin Rooney and thoes who loved him.
That's the way I saw it. I was there for the whole ride. Das 😎 all!
Thanks for the memories Champ...Kevin...Cus! 🏆 🏆🥊🥊😎
This bio of Kevin Rooney is LOOONG over do! This is the real man behind Mike Tyson at his prime.
💯 THOUSAND %! Das 😎 all! 👍🥊🥊👏👏👏👏
Prime Tyson was probably 1996. Rooney was already gone.
Not a chance
@@justmythoughts2962
Who then Cuss? 🤔
I'm so glad this channel exists.
The ring that Rooney-Montalvo fought in is the largest boxing ring I’ve ever seen.
An amazing tale of a boxer & trainer. Tyson's movements in his prime parallel Rooney.
Stay the hell away from alcohol and gambling. So many problems are avoided.
Amen to that - seen alcohol ruin peoples lives … ugly ☹️
Great documentary, I knew he was a good trainer but never seen him fight. He was good.
Damn right!
@@b1slee267Don King is still alive…
@@Alderak1 idk why but I thought his ass dun died already.. my mistake.. stand corrected “Also Don king”
I never knew he was a fighter. Another masterpiece, Rich. Thank you.
Sure thing, nyquil.
Early on, Rooney would often fight the undercard in Tyson's fights.
Men I didn’t know he struggled with alcohol men boxing is brutal I hope he is been taking good care off
he is suffering from dementia now.
nothing to do with boxing, if any the sport kept him out of trouble. you can blame that on his upbringing, his father and his poor quality of life as a child did a number on him.
Once Tyson got rid of Rooney Tyson's skills declined.
No, not true. Tyson fought better talent after 1989.
You’re correct, they declined IMMEDIATELY. It was hard to watch at the time, understanding what young Mike didn’t. Worst mistake of Mike’s life, hands down.
Who says you can’t use the peek a boo system or it’s just for a heavyweights, Rooney has no naturally big or strong genes and he in there going at it with pros and working them at times great solid fundamentals RIP Cus a true boxing master 💯
Absolutely love Kevin,never get tired of listening to his wisdom 😊
A damn shame that alcohol wrecked the Rooney's families, both father, and son.
It seems like many people who have an abnormally high level of adrenaline, oftentimes, go for the drink, and the self-destructive stuff. Tyson, has talked about the beast that is inside him, in many conversations. They excel at sports where it takes an abnormally high level of adrenaline, or the extra fight that they have in their heart. But outside the ring, I wonder if that is the same that leads to those behaviors, which can end up self-destructing. When the boxing match is over, or whatever outlet they are using to tame that beast, inside the heart, the same beast that fights with the man, in the ring, ends up fighting the man, outside the ring.
@@Inertia888 well point. And very true.
Rooney and Mike were magic
Interesting how often the best teachers/trainers were not necessarily great fighters.....while some great fighters are not good at teaching/training.
He was good enough to get in the ring with champions he earned those,Nature often pick who can take that last step.
That's because they're aware of their limitations, but they see things clearly.
@@kdlofty it's not a matter of just seeing, a judge can see clearly but he can't teach box for shit. rooney managed to pick up d'amato's style of pedagogy, how you engage with your student is what makes the information stick, and everyone is different. he must have had great communication skills if he managed to get a problematic kid like tyson to undisputed status.
You know I always wonder if him and tyson were close or not really
Rich, thanks for filling in the blanks for me on Rooney's career and life. I had questions regarding his activities post Tyson. In several of the fights you showed, I could see some of Tyson in Rooney's combinations and head movement. One quibble, if I may. You mentioned Rooney's boxing career as cause for his early onset dementia, but I would suggest his alcohol addiction to be the larger contributor. Thanks again for this presentation.
Always a pleasure, Charles. Fair enough about your quibble.
Great vid man! You can see where Tyson's style came from.
Thanks, Patrick.
Kevin was a great trainer! F Don King 👊
Thanks Rich! I only ever saw the Arguello fight. I will always remember the SOUND of that right hand! Really cool seeing the Moore fight and others as well!
You're spot on. I was at that fight, close enough to the ring to hear that right hand. If you listen close enough in the video, you can pick it up. It was an absolutely vicious shot. The crowd got real quiet for a minute, but then thankfully, Rooney was able to get up.
Sure thing, Brian. Arguello had one smooth right cross.
@@RichtheFightHistorian He was just smooth the whole fight. One punch after the other, just flowed with accurate punches.
Arguello was one of the greats.
Kevin Rooney hailing from Shaolin.
Good video on Kevin Rooney's boxing career as a fighter and trainer. Had Tyson ignored Don King's advice and kept Rooney as his trainer, not just Tyson would hold his World Heavyweight Championship longer and greater in legacy wise. Keep it up Rich.
I really enjoyed this one Rich. What the heck, I enjoy everything you put out. But the ones that interest me most besides the OLD, old timers, are the stories of the NYC based fighters. Thanks again Rich!
Thanks, testcyp.
Wow! You never cease to amaze me Mr Fight Historian
Rooney was a decent fighter but a much better trainer.
He was a great trainer
Who did he train apart from Tyson and Jeremy Williams? Just curious
PAZ ! SHEIKA@@compactcasette
@@compactcasettevinny pazienza after his broken neck
it’s not terribly uncommon for average boxers to be good trainers. they understand the hard work it takes and if they’re given a talented fighter, they get results. Emmanuel Steward ( hope i spelt that right ) ray arcel, freddie roach… none were stars
Keep these coming I love them
Thanks, Max.
@@RichtheFightHistorian no thank you for these great videos. I love them
Thanks again Rich for the tremendous work.
Thanks, Mario.
As usual another GREAT one ! My requests are for a Michael ( the Silk ) Olajide Jr & Livingstone Bramble to be done 👍🙏🙏🥊🥊🥊🙏🙏
I never liked Livingstone Bull Bramble. I loved Ray 💥 Boom 💥 Boom Mancini! They had a riveralry...I was with Ray! It also was sad to see Duc Ku Kim get killed in the ring by Ray Mancini. 😭 Das 😎 all! 🥊🥊
My god the announcer in the Orlando fight was clearly cheering against Rooney and wasn't even hiding it.
Perfect timing I was just starting wonder how was Rooney when he was a boxer
Great Vid Rich-- Didn't know much about Rooney's Boxing Career before this..
Thanks, John.
I’ve been searching for Rooneys fights for a long time… it’s finally great to see some of them.
Great video!! 🏆
Thank you, Oldskoolhunting.
Thanks for the amazing video Rich
My pleasure, John.
Rich! Nobody on your channel needs to be told who Kevin trained. I know you did it for the algorithm. Well done. You deserve channel growth!!!
Thank you, Brandon.
Thanks Rich for another great job, great fight footage, the best part of this for me is seeing Kevin in such great shape. You forget he was a small fighter. I was just use to seeing him as Tysons trainer . Great job!!😊
Hey thanks, Jesse.
Great video! Its great to see Kevin Rooney get some love after all hard work, championship boxers trained and all struggles on life!
Love the finishing touch !!!!
Sone live from where .. Rich ? Where else ie in his life ?
Thank you, WarioSaysSo.
Kevin a good Courages fighter, Respect ! Always thought Teddy Atlas, loved himself, aren't you supposed to have the name of the fighter on the back of your jacket, not your own ? Also, was that Ray that yelled out holly shit ! when the outstanding ring card girl, did her thing ?
What a beautifull fighter Arguello was ! So complete it’s amazing !
Sweet footage of the Davey Moore fight.
love this Rich ! keep them coming please.cheers buddy.
Thanks, Kim. More to come.
a wonderful video, thank you for posting it
Sure thing, Mishu.
Nice to see some footage of Rooney.
Great subject for fighter. Nice to see his history!
Can see a lot of how Mike Tyson got his style in the way Kevin Rooney fights.
Thanks for this one Rich💥🔥💢💯
Sure thing, Outie.
thanks very much for uploading
Sure thing, Gavin.
Great video , great work , thanx Rich
M pleasure, Franco.
Peek-a-boo - what a trainer too.
Rich, you make great videos, I watch you with pleasure. thanks!
Thank you, Serge.
I have said it on SO many videos in the comment section about Tysons leaving Rooney. Being a boxing ONLY fan from the late 60s on I saw in real time. Iron Mike Tyson's boxing style change progressively as his career went on. I saw Mikes aditude change from..."I'm just a fighter and whoever my managers put in front of me I'll fight". To I'm the BMOTP...no one can beat me! He diverted from his Peek A Boo...Bob And Weave to looking for the knock out punch. Yes he was great but I could see it...his fighting style deteriorate. I knew pride goes before a fall. I'm not knocking Mike because I can't imagine what that kind of money and fame would do to a kid who came from where he did. Mike and Kevin gave me a excitement in the heavyweight division so much so I waited with anticipation for Mikes next fight. However I knew it was going to end and it did. My view is Iron Mike Tyson was not defeted by another boxer in the ring...Iron Mike Tyson was defeted by himself through a bad decision to leave Kevin and the people who loved him and get in bed with people and devils that just used him. 🤔 What if he stayed?🤔
Thanks for this GREAT video on a great boxer and trainer! Kevin Rooney!!
Kevin...Iron Mike Tyson...Cuss...
Thanks for the memories!!! Das 😎 all! 🏆 ❤
🥊🥊👏👏👏👏
Another great job Rich
I've only seen short clips, never this length or quality
Kevin was a technically very sound and smart fighter, alot more conventional than Tyson but you see that sharp weaving from side to side and dipping then rolling low from the open footed stance
Like Patterson and Tyson which is why Tyson was mediocre without Rooney. He had so much more to learn and most importantly needed that Damato camp discipline
Kevin was always the more likable and humble between him and Atlas, deserves all the credit for the Pazmanian Devils championship
Thank you, The Gadfly Gang.
Have not followed his & Tyson's story since the early 2000's. They were a wonderful duo & looks like they brought out the best in each other. Sad the way things work out in life. 😢 Thanks for the doc
My pleasure, Chris.
Great insight
Top content as always.
Thanks, G R
17:20 I like when Rooney lands that nice body shot and you can hear someone in the crowd go “ooooooooo” 😂 they knew that hurt.
seemed like that body shot is what floored him, but the commentating kept repeating "that right hand"
Outstanding episode 🤙🥊
Thanks, Central Park Joe.
Great watch
So, Cus basically taught Kevin the Peekaboo, but couldn't win. Tyson perfected the Peekaboo and won with it.
Exactly.. Rooney was a poser and thats that. Mike couldn't recover after Cus passed. That was what led him to King. He needed to try and reinvent himself. Rooney came with the package and ALSO used Mike which everyone in Catskill knew. Rooney was not well liked or respected at ALL. We all hated him. And yes, this comes from someone that knew them ALL. in fact Mike and I were classmates and I tutored him in Math.
That Argueyo right cross at 30:29 was a rifle shot.
Thank you for this
My pleasure, paleo.
Interesting documentary, I often wondered about Rooney when I saw him in Tyson`s corner all those years ago.
He had a boxers face and I assumed there would be an interesting history to this man, there was.
Wowww this was very interesting, never knew Kevin Rooney had his own personal demons to overcome. I really have even more respect for him now after knowing this information about him. He became a pretty decent boxer and a fantastic trainer. This also gives me a uniquely different view on his chemistry with Mike Tyson. Both men had their own personal demons to overcome while being on top of the world in the 1980s. In a way both were able to keep each other grounded, once the team permanently separated thinks to that devilish Don king, neither Tyson nor Kevin were ever the same after that and would both have numerous problems down the road. Man the more I learn something new about their stories the more I feel if Kevin was with Mike throughout his career without Don King as his promoter he would of had a record of 60- 2-55KOs.
Great stuff keep up the excellent passing of knowledge Rich can't say enough how these boxing historical articles mean to the Art of Boxing. 👊👊
Thanks for the support, Prodigy.
I spent time in Catskill, NY with Kevin Rooney when he trained Buster Mathis Jr. for an HBO bout vs Obed Sullivan. Kevin was very professional throughout the camp with no signs of drinking. He mentioned his falling-out with Teddy Atlas and said it had something to do with Teddy refusing to work his corner for a fight, but who knows? From what I understand, Kevin now lives in an Assisted Living or Nursing Home facility near Albany. I wish him the best.
Great comment - Thanks. Seems to me Rooney had his head on straight at that point in time. I gotta think his personal decline resulted directly from early symptoms of boxing related dementia.
Thanks Rich. I remember like it was yesterday when he fought Alexis. Alexis was an artist
The Cus style did not suit Rooney. He was a big target. No angles. Stood flat footed in front of the opponent like a statue. The Cus style does not suit every fighter.
Sure thing, James. I agree on the peek-a-boo style...I really don't think it fit too many fighters other than Tyson and Torres. Patterson is debatable.
KEVIN WHAT A GREAT TRAINER... MIKE TYSON WENT DOWNHILL IN HIS BOXING CARRER WHEN HE LEFT KEVIN. THAT WAS THE DECLINE.. KEVIN .ROONEY BILL CAYTON. MIKE JACOBS. YOUNG MIKE GREAT HEAVYWEIGHT .. BIG RESPECT TO KEVIN ROONEY...
Jim Jacobs
@stephend7679•110% Correct.Don king effed a lot of Boxer's careers and life's up let's be HONEST 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
Why all caps?
Grand show Rich Blessings from a boxing fan and two world champions and other family members who did well Within the art of boxing 🥊🥊 Grand content 🍀
Hey thanks, Michael.
Rich can you please do a documentary of Buster Mathis I think he’s a very underrated fighter and he needs a documentary. Can you also do a documentary on Bob Foster? There’s no documentaries Bob Foster and it’s a shame.
Yes, I'll probably get to Foster before Mathis.
You nailed this vid Rich , Argello was magnificent , that right hand was picture perfect.
Thanks, Paul.
Brilliant!!
Great video Rich 👍
Thanks, Mark.
Watch how Rooney slips in the pocket , throws body hooks , then hooks up ,,hmmm , Look at that head movement , watch his feet when he spins a new position to Moores right from the right hand ducking his head away hmmm ,, looks very familiar , Tyson was a little more slippery as Cus wanted those movements perfected , then add the big power upper cut / from the hook ,, it’s good night Las Vegas . Rooney is a slippery guy in the pocket , I’m shocked I never saw these 4 fights . Sweet !!
You can definitely see Tyson’s style in Rooney
Yup. But I guess it would be more correct to call it Cus’ style.
Beat me to the punch man! Just left a comment saying the same thing😂
Listen to the shots of Alexis Arguello when they land. They sound different!!!! Arguello making Rooney miss by small head movements and pivoting his body.... 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
A true artist. Such consummate skill , such confidence and authority- deservedly do ⭐️
Great great documentary I knew somthings said but not all I learn from you so much your such a golden part of boxing history your so on point love your knowledge of boxing 🥊
Always appreciated, Petie, thank you.
@@RichtheFightHistorian your welcome..my professor yes that what you are to all of us your site is impeccable hands 👐 down 👇💯🥊💯🥊👌🏼💪👍👑💯🥊
Wow. A very sad tale. He made the most of what he was given physically as a fighter and successfully transferred that knowledge to being a trainer. Balding at a young age can give the impression of accelerated aging, but he looked old beyond his years by even the late 80's. Thanks Rich.
Sure thing, James.
Great job on the video 👏
Thanks, John.
That right from Arguello was nasty.
Seeing Rooney on the ground and I instantly knew he wasn’t getting up seeing his eyes + the heavy breathing. I’ve been KO’d a handful of times and seeing that made me feel it a little bit again. You realize what happened, you want to get up, but it’s as if you weigh 5,000 pounds. You’re just stuck. Nothing will function right. Not a pleasant thing.
Thank You, Rich !!! ❤
Sure thing, Joe.
Fantastic Rich! Don king has a lot to answer for!!...
Thanks, Steven.
At work, but I gotta get a ham and cheese for this one.
Thanks for the video, RICH THE FIGHT HISTORIAN
My pleasure, abudujana13
Mr Rooney is great guy and great boxing trainer.👊👊👍👍
Nice video
The only Rooney fight I have seen is the Arguello one thanks for posting!
Sure thing, wlphantom.
Remember Rooney like yesterday. I will give him credit he did go down swinging against our Goyo even though he was totally overmatched but he kept swinging on the way down
This is a great video. I personally believe that Tyson’s downfall would come one way or another even with Kevin as a trainer as it is well known that he lost his interest for boxing after a certain point.
Considering this, i think in the end it will prove to be a blessing in disguise for Kevin that they were separated , because Tyson’s reputation and legacy as a boxer took massive hits afterwards but Kevin’s reputation as a trainer will remain immaculate forever.
Out of curiosity, where did you find so much infoand video?
The only fight i knew to exist was vs Arguello.
Anyway, great job.
Thank you, Stelios. I use old newspapers and boxing magazines. The videos come from my ccollection.
Man, that Alexis Arguello punch was beautiful
Excellent
Alcohol is just as bad as drugs if not worse...if he wasnt such a bad alcoholic his life would have been so much different living with millions to this day..i truly feel for kevin
I think Tyson doesn’t speak about him because Rooney sued Tyson for 3 million. And I think he got it. I think that left Tyson holding a grudge. As Cus wasn’t really about Money. And Tyson as much money as he made, he spunked it just as fast. I don’t know. I think it’s strange how no one not atlas or Tyson speak on Rooney.
Yeah that's strange, especially if you think that now Tyson and Atlas talk to each other.
Good story.
11:30 He was dodging the worst of it and still going, this stoppage was one of the worst I've ever seen.
Former boxer here: that stoppage with Moore was premature. Rooney simply got stunned and went into survival mode - and was surviving best I’d ever seen a fighter in that position. I think he would’ve survived and pulled out a win had the fight gone on.
Rooney was tough. Wow.
Addiction is a sad thing