Questions for Kevin Rooney

[Shirow]

I may be meeting Kevin Rooney on Monday so i thought i might as well take the opportunity to do an interview with him if i can. I don't know what i'll do with it, probably offer it to the boys at BritishBoxing.net.

Anyway I'm thinking up my list of questions. Any of you got any you'd like me to ask?

[sweetscience]

is he related to Wayne ?

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

1. Was he ever asked back to train Tyson
2. Has he had much contact with Mike since the split
3. His thoughts on today's HW division
4. His current fave fighters, and why
5. Who he training now
6. What des he think changed in Tyson's game that saw him decline
7. What weights Tyson used to use in different exercises
8. What Tysons best mile or 3mile time was and what roadwork routines they did
9. Tyson's training regimes, and stats of what and how he did it
10. Did Tyson use or offered performance enhancing drugs or supplements

Cheers

[Gray-Fox]

Anyway I'm thinking up my list of questions. Any of you got any you'd like me to ask?

Who are you, and what do you want to be when you grow up?

[Poncey]

1 - How did he feel about the treatment of Atlas by D'Amato after what Tyson did to Atlas's wife's sister.

2 - What were his memories from the 1975 NY Golden Gloves championship he won (I think he fought Iceman on the way to the finals, and Atlas was also in his corner, but not 100% sure).

[Dirk Kelly]

1 - How did he feel about the treatment of Atlas by D'Amato after what Tyson did to Atlas's wife's sister.

My question relates to Emerson's question 1 - Did the incident ever take place or is it a bit of fiction by Atlas?

[TheGoods]

Ask him if he thinks Alexis Arguello's power was somewhat over-rated? Would be an excellent start question that.

[the patriot]

1 - How did he feel about the treatment of Atlas by D'Amato after what Tyson did to Atlas's wife's sister.

My question relates to Emerson's question 1 - Did the incident ever take place or is it a bit of fiction by Atlas?

Fact or fiction, what is the story fellas?????

[Dirk Kelly]

1 - How did he feel about the treatment of Atlas by D'Amato after what Tyson did to Atlas's wife's sister.

My question relates to Emerson's question 1 - Did the incident ever take place or is it a bit of fiction by Atlas?

Fact or fiction, what is the story fellas?????

Allegedly Tyson tried to molest or even rape the under sister of Atlas's wife, who was around 13 or 14 at the time (I think). This was when the Tyson/Atlas relationship was breaking down (hence why I think it may be fiction, just another reason for Teddy to say why he left Tyson). Teddy got a gun and put it to Mike's head warning him off. Next thing he's off the Tyson gravy train, being offered 5% of all Tyson's future earnings if he left quietly. Atlas turned it down as a matter of principle allegedly.

I think that was the jist of it without reviewing the book again.

[the patriot]

I think that was the jist of it without reviewing the book again.

Cheers for the explanation Dirk

And I take it thats the Teddy Atlas bio ???

I was looking at buying it the other week but decided to get "Four Kings" instead. Is it any good??

[Carbo]

Allegedly Tyson tried to molest or even rape the under sister of Atlas's wife, who was around 13 or 14 at the time (I think). This was when the Tyson/Atlas relationship was breaking down (hence why I think it may be fiction, just another reason for Teddy to say why he left Tyson). Teddy got a gun and put it to Mike's head warning him off. Next thing he's off the Tyson gravy train, being offered 5% of all Tyson's future earnings if he left quietly. Atlas turned it down as a matter of principle allegedly.

I think that was the jist of it without reviewing the book again.

Bugger. You know, I got Atlas's book, but I loaned it to somebody before I moved to Moscow and never got it back. That's reminded me how much I wanted to read it. I even pre-ordered the thing on Amazon.

[Poncey]

I think that was the jist of it without reviewing the book again.

Cheers for the explanation Dirk

And I take it thats the Teddy Atlas bio ???

I was looking at buying it the other week but decided to get "Four Kings" instead. Is it any good??

For shock value, yes. It's the best Boxer biog I've read, but 4 Kings may well be the best Boxing book I've ever read, period.

There's some brilliant stories.

I try and take books with a pinch of salt, but after what Atlas did on ESPN FNF earlier this year it might just be true as he has a short temper. His stories about Moorer were pure comedy.

[the patriot]

For shock value, yes. It's the best Boxer biog I've read, but 4 Kings may well be the best Boxing book I've ever read, period.

There's some brilliant stories.

I try and take books with a pinch of salt, but after what Atlas did on ESPN FNF earlier this year it might just be true as he has a short temper. His stories about Moorer were pure comedy.

Cheers mate

I'll put it on my Christmas list

[Dirk Kelly]

Four Kings and Benny by John Buchanan (bio of Benny Lynch) are the best boxing books I've ever read with mentions to Teddy Altas and Johnny Tapia autobio's.

[Poncey]

We need to do another Xmas book thread soon. Spread the knowledge.

[Dirk Kelly]

Just picked up The Big IG, The Life and Death of Johnny Owen from Oxfam. Can't wait to start it, will let you all know what its like.

[TerribleTerry]

Ask him if he thinks Alexis Arguello's power was somewhat over-rated? Would be an excellent start question that.

Ouch!

That is just cruel TheGoods!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGIUQ1mcZ_U

[E]

Ask him what his favourite drink is. Then ask him if it wasn't for Tyson whether he'd just be some drunken bum on the street corners of Jersey slurring about his glory days.

Then ask him why he though he should train every fighter in the tYson mold. I remember Vinny Paz trying with little success to box like Tyson.

[Gray-Fox]

That right hand from Arguello is probably the best right hand I've ever seen thrown.

Absolutely perfect KO.

[Dirk Kelly]

How did the interview go Jon?

[Shirow]

Thanks for (most) of those questions. Kevin doesn't have a mobile so it's a nightmare trying to arrange things with him. Turns out that he was out of town at a training camp & i was only in Catskill for the afternoon. So i just had a nose around the gym. I'll do the interview when i actually get to meet up with him or maybe even next time i get him on the phone.

[sweetscience]

doesnt have a mobile???

find that a bit hard to believe, even my neice has one and she is 6

[jamesmcdonnell]

Ask him what his favourite drink is. Then ask him if it wasn't for Tyson whether he'd just be some drunken bum on the street corners of Jersey slurring about his glory days.

Then ask him why he though he should train every fighter in the tYson mold. I remember Vinny Paz trying with little success to box like Tyson.

To be fair to Rooney, that was the system he was taugh by Cus. The problem is, that system relied on a fighter having blinding speed, power and brilliant balance and timing. Very few fighters are blessed with that combination. Floyd Patterson was almost the right mold, but lacked Tyson's phenomenal strength.