Respected trainer Tommy Brooks was notified by
representatives of Mike Tyson on Sunday night that his
services were no longer needed by the former
undisputed heavyweight champion.
"They called me last night and said that they didn't
want to pay the money," Brooks told MaxBoxing.com from
his home in Wayne, New Jersey.
Not that Tyson stiffed Brooks or anything.
"I was squared up as of Friday," explained Brooks,
clearing up the notion that he is owed any money by
Tyson. No, unlike others who have severed their
associations with 'Iron Mike', Brooks leaves with his
dignity,
self-respect and no money owed to him. Not everyone
that has dealt with Tyson can say that -- just ask
Frank Warren.
It seems Brooks is a victim of some cost-cutting
downsizing of Team Tyson. When asked whom he thought
would replace him in the corner when Tyson takes on
Lennox Lewis April 6th, Brooks simply stated, "I would
assume that they would probably just stick with Jay
Bright and Stacy McKinley, since they're claiming that
there in need of money."
For Tyson's sake, let's hope some outside help is
going to be brought in. We all saw what happened in
Tokyo back in February of 1990.
Brooks almost sounded relieved that he wouldn't be
part of the circus that was Tyson career the past few
years. But he does have the feeling that there was
some unfinished business.
"It's a business deal, I feel bad for the guy," he
said. "I think he can win the fight (versus Lewis), if
he's fed the right information. We had something
clicking there. In his last bout, he's looked the best
he's looked in 10 years. I walk away with the feeling
that I helped the guy. I got him back to where he was
on the right path. I got him back to where Cus
[D'Amato] left his mark on him."
But the fact that he was facing Brian Nielsen doesn't
say much. The question is, does Mike still want to
fight?
"I don't know," said Brooks, laughing as he
contemplated the question. "I really don't. I think at
times he does and at times he doesn't."
While the timing of this announcement is peculiar,
seeing that the official press conference to kick off
Lewis-Tyson is Tuesday afternoon, it didn't take
Brooks by surprise.
"I saw the writing on the wall, because I hadn't heard
from Shawn Sims, who's supposed to be running his
business and I hadn't heard from Mike himself," Brooks
said. "I spoke to Mike like two weeks after the fight
in
Denmark and told them that they were in breach of the
contract and he said that he'd take care of it. I
hadn't heard from him since then."
Sources have told MaxBoxing that Tyson had actually
begun training last week in the Spartan atmosphere of
Hawaii without Brooks. And no, it wasn't Tyson who
told Brooks that it was over.
"That's his M.O.," explained Brooks. "He doesn't like
confrontations, especially with people I assume, that
he likes."
Tommy, in that case you're lucky he likes you, because
there are a couple of elderly motorists in D.C. that
would disagree with that statement. But in all
seriousness, Brooks was one of the few calming
influences in that camp that could massage the fragile
personality of Tyson.
"I saw a different side of the guy," Brooks told
MaxBoxing. "I never saw the violent, vile-type guy.
There was only a couple of instances where I spoke to
him, it was like that person would disappear. But for
the most part, it was a good working relationship, I
thought."
But Brooks, a long-time veteran of the game will be
back at the job tomorrow, it just won't be with Tyson.
Among his current fighters are: Omar Shieka, Dante
Craig, Troy Ross, Oscar Diaz and Carl Daniels, who on
February 2nd takes on middleweight king Bernard
Hopkins.
"I'm at no shortage of work," stated Brooks.
And it's all a part of the job, stick around long
enough, you'll get fighters and you'll lose them.
"That's all it is," said Brooks. "Everybody knows
that's been in this business anytime, that this is a
roller-coaster ride. I'm disappointed I didn't get to
see Mike to the title, but hey, that's business."
Brooks, received some sage advice from his famous
father-in-law.
"I live with a Hall-of-Famer in Lou Duva and he tells
me all the time," Fighters come and go, trainers are
always going to be there. "As long as you can have
dignity and ethics, you'll get more fighters."
|
|
|
ALSO SEE
Wojnarowski: The tease of Tyson
|
