Kevin Rooney

Kevin Rooney, born on May 4, 1956, began his career as a talented amateur boxer, winning the 1975 New York Golden Gloves Championship. Training at the Police Athletic Leagues 120th Precinct in Staten Island, New York, he demonstrated early promise in the sport. He then transitioned to a professional boxing career in 1979, accumulating a record of 21 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw. Notable professional bouts included a loss to three-division world champion Alexis Argüello in 1982 and a knockout loss to future WBA world Junior Middleweight champion Davey Moore in 1981.

Rooney’s career took a significant turn when he became a boxing trainer. He gained prominence as the head trainer for Mike Tyson in the early 1980s. Under Rooney’s guidance, Tyson achieved a professional record of 35 wins, with 31 by knockout, without any losses. Rooney’s expertise in the “Peek-a-Boo” boxing style, learned from Cus D’Amato, was instrumental in Tyson’s development and rise to world championship status. His tenure with Tyson concluded in 1988 after Tyson’s bout with Michael Spinks, when Tyson fired him, a decision that various boxing analysts attribute to a decline in Tyson’s boxing technique.

Following his time with Tyson, Rooney continued his training career, most notably working with Vinny Paz, who subsequently won the light middleweight title. He has remained active in the boxing community, training young boxers in Catskill, New York, at the same gym where he himself trained under Cus D’Amato. Rooney was also involved in media, including an appearance on Comedy Central’s “Punch Line” and a consultative role for a stage play and screenplay about Cus D’Amato. He successfully sued Mike Tyson for over $4 million for breach of contract after his firing in 1988.