Without him, Mike Tyson would never have existed. Cus D’Amato moulded some of the greatest boxers of his era and became more than just a coach to many of his protégés. Forty-one years ago today, the boxing icon died at the age of 77.
As the young Mike Tyson grew up in difficult circumstances in Brooklyn in the late 1970s, a future as a global star seemed almost unimaginable. But then Cus D’Amato came into his life.
The legendary trainer recognised the young man’s extraordinary talent early on. When Tyson repeatedly came into conflict with the law, D’Amato not only took him into his training programme, but also into his family.
The man who believed in Mike Tyson
For Tyson, the coach of Italian descent became a father figure. Following the early death of his mother, Tyson was even adopted by D’Amato.
Years later, the future world heavyweight champion repeatedly said that no one had had a greater influence on his life than D’Amato. It was all the more tragic that D’Amato died of pneumonia on 4 November 1985 and did not live to see his protégé crowned world champion.
From the Bronx to the top of the boxing world
Cus D’Amato was born in New York on 17 January 1908, the son of Italian immigrants.
He discovered his passion for boxing at an early age. An eye injury prevented him from pursuing a career as a boxer himself. Instead, he devoted his life to training young talent.
His training philosophy was extraordinary. D’Amato did not merely teach his boxers punches and technique. He studied psychology in depth and sought to systematically build mental strength.
His maxim on fear became famous: courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to control it.
D’Amato trained several world champions
Long before Tyson, D’Amato had already made boxing history. In 1956, he guided one of his most famous pupils, Floyd Patterson, to victory in the heavyweight world championship. At the time, Patterson became the youngest world champion in the heavyweight division.
Later, D’Amato also guided José Torres to the light-heavyweight world title. His reputation as a talent scout was already legendary by the time he discovered Tyson.
Many experts were convinced that D’Amato possessed a special instinct for identifying exceptional boxers. He recognised not only their physical abilities but also their mental fortitude.
Death came shortly before Tyson’s breakthrough
In 1985, Tyson seemed ready for his big breakthrough. The then 19-year-old was winning fight after fight and was already regarded as the next big sensation on the heavyweight scene.
But on 4 November of that same year, he suffered a severe blow. D’Amato died of pneumonia at the age of 77. Tyson lost his most important mentor just a few months before the greatest success of his career.
The trainer was not to live to see his protégé’s crowning moment. By the time Tyson became the youngest heavyweight world champion in history in November 1986, aged just 20, D’Amato had already been dead for a year.
Tyson carried on his legacy
Even decades later, Tyson spoke with great reverence about his former mentor. Time and again, he emphasised that D’Amato had taught him not only how to box, but also how to live.
Even the famous ‘Peek-a-Boo’ fighting style, which made Tyson one of the most feared heavyweights of all time, can be traced largely back to D’Amato’s training philosophy.
His methods, his psychological concepts and his ability to mould young talent continue to influence coaches and boxers around the world to this day.