Kevin Rooney
Encyclopedia
Kevin Rooney is a former boxer and a current boxing trainer.
Championship. Rooney defeated Kevin Higgins of West Point in the finals. Rooney trained at the Police Athletic Leagues 120th Precinct in Staten Island, New York.
, who was making his first fight in the Junior Welterweight division, by a second round knockout. He also lost to future WBA world Junior Middleweight champion Davey Moore, who avenged an amateur loss to Rooney, by a knockout in seven rounds, on June 21, 1981 http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=9529&cat=boxer. Kevin Rooney was the trainer of world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
from the start of his professional career in 1985, up until Tyson's bout
with Michael Spinks
in 1988. After he was fired by Tyson (who had been persuaded by Don King to do so), Tyson's boxing skills declined noticeably. Tyson's first loss
came shortly after Rooney's departure.
Rooney was the second closest trainer to young Mike Tyson, followed by Teddy Atlas
, and is most familiar with Cus D'Amato
's famed "Peek-a-Boo" boxing style. Rooney has continued to train fighters, working most notably with Vinny Paz
who after hooking up with Rooney, won the 154 pound title.
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/01/sports/sports-people-boxing-rooney-faces-intoxication-charge.html
. He is involved on a Comedy Central
comedy show, "Punch Line", alongside Bert Randolph Sugar
, former world Middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo
and former world Middleweight and Super Middleweight champion Iran Barkley
http://www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/kevin_rooney.htm.
As of 2010, Kevin is acting in a consultative capacity on a play written by Dianna Lefas about the life of Cus D'Amato, entitled Knockout.
Amateur Boxing Career
Rooney won the 1975 147 lb Sub-Novice New York Golden GlovesNew York Golden Gloves
The New York Golden Gloves is a boxing tournament considered by many boxing aficionados as one of the three most elite Golden Gloves titles, along with the Chicago Golden Gloves....
Championship. Rooney defeated Kevin Higgins of West Point in the finals. Rooney trained at the Police Athletic Leagues 120th Precinct in Staten Island, New York.
Professional Boxing Career
Rooney began professionally boxing in 1979 and acquired a record of twenty-one wins, four losses, and one draw. In his most important fight as a professional, on July 31, 1982, Rooney lost to three division world champion Alexis ArgüelloAlexis Argüello
Alexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
, who was making his first fight in the Junior Welterweight division, by a second round knockout. He also lost to future WBA world Junior Middleweight champion Davey Moore, who avenged an amateur loss to Rooney, by a knockout in seven rounds, on June 21, 1981 http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=9529&cat=boxer. Kevin Rooney was the trainer of world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
from the start of his professional career in 1985, up until Tyson's bout
Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks
Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks was a boxing match which took place on 27 June 1988. Both men were undefeated and each had a claim to being the legitimate heavyweight champion; Tyson held the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, while Spinks held the Ring Magazine belt and was considered the lineal champion.Held...
with Michael Spinks
Michael Spinks
Michael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
in 1988. After he was fired by Tyson (who had been persuaded by Don King to do so), Tyson's boxing skills declined noticeably. Tyson's first loss
Tyson vs. Douglas
Tyson vs. Douglas was a historic boxing match that occurred at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on February 11, 1990, in which then undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson lost via knockout to the 42–1 underdog Buster Douglas...
came shortly after Rooney's departure.
Rooney was the second closest trainer to young Mike Tyson, followed by Teddy Atlas
Teddy Atlas
Theodore A. "Teddy" Atlas, Jr. is a well-known boxing trainer and fight commentator.-Personal life:...
, and is most familiar with Cus D'Amato
Cus D'Amato
Constantine "Cus" D'Amato was an American boxing manager and trainer who handled the careers of Floyd Patterson, José Torres, Vinnie Ferguson, and Mike Tyson. Several successful boxing trainers, including Teddy Atlas, Kevin Rooney, and Joe Fariello, were tutored by D'Amato...
's famed "Peek-a-Boo" boxing style. Rooney has continued to train fighters, working most notably with Vinny Paz
Vinny Paz
Vinny Paz, formerly Vinny Pazienza is an Italian-American former boxer and world champion in the lightweight and light middleweight weight classes...
who after hooking up with Rooney, won the 154 pound title.
Criminal Arrest
November 1994, after being stopped by State Police in Connecticut for erratic driving, Rooney refused to take sobriety tests and assaulted a State Trooper. Rooney was subsequently taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence along with assaulting a police officer and interfering.http://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/01/sports/sports-people-boxing-rooney-faces-intoxication-charge.html
Currently
Kevin Rooney continues to train young boxers in Catskill, New York, at the same gym that he trained under Cus D'AmatoCus D'Amato
Constantine "Cus" D'Amato was an American boxing manager and trainer who handled the careers of Floyd Patterson, José Torres, Vinnie Ferguson, and Mike Tyson. Several successful boxing trainers, including Teddy Atlas, Kevin Rooney, and Joe Fariello, were tutored by D'Amato...
. He is involved on a Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
comedy show, "Punch Line", alongside Bert Randolph Sugar
Bert Randolph Sugar
Bert Randolph Sugar is a boxing writer/sports historian. He currently resides in Chappaqua, New York.-Education:...
, former world Middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo
Vito Antuofermo
Vito Antuofermo is an Italian-American actor who is also a former world Middleweight boxing champion.-Background:Antuofermo was born in Italy, in the town of Palo del Colle, which is located about 15 km inland from the city of Bari. but his family moved to the United States when he was 17...
and former world Middleweight and Super Middleweight champion Iran Barkley
Iran Barkley
Iran Barkley is a retired American professional boxer who held world titles at three different weights—middleweight , super middleweight and light heavyweight .- Professional career :...
http://www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/kevin_rooney.htm.
As of 2010, Kevin is acting in a consultative capacity on a play written by Dianna Lefas about the life of Cus D'Amato, entitled Knockout.