Blade
Juniors
- Messages
- 2,325
Q&A: Jeff Fenech!
Mike Tyson's new trainer speaks out
May 10, 2005 -- By Lisa Scott
Last month, Fenech began working with Tyson in Phoenix Arizona in preparation for his fight against Kevin McBride (32-4-1; 27 KO's) on June 11th in Washington, DC. This will be Tyson's first bout in 11 months, since his shocking 4th round knockout defeat to journeyman Danny Williams. After that fight, it was discovered that Tyson (50-5; 44 KO's) injured his knee in the first round and sustained four tears to the meniscus in his left knee which ultimately required surgery.
Fightnews spoke to Fenech:
FN. Many consider Kevin McBride to be a slow and plodding fighter and don't expect him to last one round against Mike. Is McBride a wise choice for an opponent?
JF. It's my job to get Mike ready... for whoever they dole out as an opponent. So, whether it's Kevin McBride or a world champion, it's important to me that when Mike gets in the ring, he knows he can fight for 10 rounds if he has to. Obviously, I've watched McBride's fight tapes (with Mike) and I'm confident that we can get the job done. Whether it goes one round, or six or eight, Mike will be physically ready to do what he has to do.
FN. Besides the physical aspect, Cus D'Amato and Kevin Rooney worked on the 'mental' side of Tyson - ultimately giving him tremendous confidence against his opponents. Is that also a focal point of yours?
JF. Absolutely! I'm working very hard on getting Mike to believe in himself and what he's been doing in training. At the start of our preparation for this fight, Mike wasn't confident. But he's beginning to believe in himself more and more and we're starting to reap the benefits from that.
FN. Tyson has stated publicly that he went into a deep depression while recuperating from knee surgery. After such and injury, many athletes become gun shy and overly cautious about giving 100% - for fear of re-injuring themselves. Is this a concern for you?
JF. Yeah. It is. Even though his knee has healed completely, I'm trying to get Mike fit enough and confident enough to know that he can do whatever he has to do in the ring. His confidence is a key.
FN. The D'Amato style of bobbing and weaving fit perfectly for Tyson. Has he been sharpening those skills or do you have him working on something else?
JF.Obviously, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Mike was at his best, when he was doing what Cus taught him. So, when Mike has his fitness level and confidence back, all of those skills will come naturally to him. Other than that, we've been working on slowing down Mike's pace. I want him to calm down and realize 'we're not 19 years old anymore... we're 39 and we have to conserve energy.' I want Mike to believe that he doesn't have to go out there and look for a quick knockout... that he doesn't have to rush anymore and that he can wait for the opening rather than try to create the opening. If Mike just takes his time, a knockout will happen.
FN. What is Tyson's training regimen like?
JF. Of course, he does his road work and we do a lot of walking. In the morning, Mike has a conditioning coach who also does rehabilitation on his knee. He has a weight lifting routine that he does for a couple of hours, then in the afternoon he comes to the gym and we do all of our boxing work... which is pretty intense. I'm a real believer in 'quality' not 'quantity.' I'd rather Mike give me one good hour of hard gym work than two average hours. Like I said, Mike isn't 19 anymore and the things we're working on are for a reason.
FN. Who is Tyson sparring with and how is he looking in those sessions?
JF. Mike is sparring with Corey Sanders ('T-Rex' from Washington DC) and a couple of local guys that he's used in the past. Corey is 6'6" and his style is similar to McBride's. But, Mike is looking great and he's right where I'd like him to be. For instance, Mike has not sparred for six rounds... in years! They say they couldn't get him past three or four rounds. And at the moment, we're sparring six rounds everyday. Come next week, we'll spar eight and ten rounds with no problem. Also, next week... I'd like to get rid of those cell phones of his so I can get Mike to relax and concentrate more as the fight approaches.
FN. Mike has long had a penchant for... the 'nightlife'. Has there been any trouble keeping him on the straight and narrow during training?
JF. No. No trouble at all. In fact, we've gone out together and maybe gotten home before midnight - but there's been no drinking. Mike's been use to sleeping in the daytime, so he finds it hard to sleep at night. Because of that, I'm trying to incorporate everything and make Mike happy. It's no use telling him 'you can't do this... you can't do that,' because obviously... he would rebel. But if you play the game and let him do little things to enjoy himself, he'll be fine. It seems to be working out because his training has been great and he shows up at the gym everyday. There hasn't been one day where Mike hasn't shown up to the gym. Not one.
FN. You were in the Tyson camp for his bout against Clifford Etienne in 2003. Yet, a couple of weeks before that fight, you left abruptly and flew back to Australia. What happened?
JF. Mike had gotten a tattoo on his face, and as far as I'm concerned that's not part of the preparation before a big fight. Also, Mike was being driven mad by the people around him. There was a lot of pressure on him and I could see that he didn't want to fight. So, I went home.
FN. Prior to yourself, many of Tyson's trainers have publicly stated: 'Mike is serious this time and he's in tremendous shape... Mike looks great in sparring... Mike looks like he did in the 80's...!' But afterwards, reports always seem to surface that Tyson hasn't show up to the gym for days, the trainer hasn't heard from him and has no idea where Mike is. What's different this time around?
JF. I think Mike has finally grown up. He's a different person now. I think he's learned form the mistakes he's made in the past and he knows it's time to do things the right way. He's surrounded by good people now and his relationship with his ex-wife (Monica) is brilliant. They're great friends and they help each other tremendously. Also, If I didn't believe Mike was fit enough to fight, I'd go home because I'm not here for the financial rewards. I wouldn't waste my time and I wouldn't put Mike in the ring knowing he's not ready. Mike is my friend and I don't want to see him get hurt.
FN. A match up between Mike and James Toney would be very interesting. What do you think?
JF. I would LOVE that fight. James Toney was a great fighter in the lower weight divisions. But I don't give him a chance in hell against Mike! There would be absolutely no contest at all. No disrespect to John Ruiz, be he was the weakest heavyweight champion in the history of the sport. James Toney had the skill and the finesse to beat Ruiz... but Mike Tyson is not Ruiz. Mike has speed and power and he'll break James' body down like it's never been broken before. It'll be a great payday for James Toney, but it would be the last fight of his career.
FN. How about Vitali Klitschko?
JF. He's a very European fighter... stands up tall. He'd be perfect for Mike! I respect Vitali. He's done a great job... but against mediocre opponents. Overall, I don't believe there's much there.
FN. There are critics who say that Mike Tyson is 'finished.' Yet there are many others who believe he can become champ again. Your thoughts?
JF. Mike can definitely regain his title if he wants it badly enough. And right now, Mike wants to pull them socks up... roll up his sleeves and go back out there and do it again. Even if we have 50 or 60% of the old Mike Tyson, it's still good enough for him to become heavyweight champion again. Mike has more speed and power than anyone else in the division right now. Besides, boxing needs Mike Tyson. Look at James Toney and John Ruiz... between them they didn't get paid HALF of what Mike is getting to fight Kevin McBride. So it just goes to show you who Mike Tyson is and what he represents to the sport. Everyday, we walk down the street and he gets mobbed by fans. They have so much love for him. He talks to people, signs autographs and never says 'no' to anyone. I've never seen anything like it! It's the same kind of reaction that The Beatles and Elvis Presley got. It's amazing and it's non stop. Mike Tyson finished? Nah! Not by a long shot.
Mike Tyson's new trainer speaks out
May 10, 2005 -- By Lisa Scott
Last month, Fenech began working with Tyson in Phoenix Arizona in preparation for his fight against Kevin McBride (32-4-1; 27 KO's) on June 11th in Washington, DC. This will be Tyson's first bout in 11 months, since his shocking 4th round knockout defeat to journeyman Danny Williams. After that fight, it was discovered that Tyson (50-5; 44 KO's) injured his knee in the first round and sustained four tears to the meniscus in his left knee which ultimately required surgery.
Fightnews spoke to Fenech:
FN. Many consider Kevin McBride to be a slow and plodding fighter and don't expect him to last one round against Mike. Is McBride a wise choice for an opponent?
JF. It's my job to get Mike ready... for whoever they dole out as an opponent. So, whether it's Kevin McBride or a world champion, it's important to me that when Mike gets in the ring, he knows he can fight for 10 rounds if he has to. Obviously, I've watched McBride's fight tapes (with Mike) and I'm confident that we can get the job done. Whether it goes one round, or six or eight, Mike will be physically ready to do what he has to do.
FN. Besides the physical aspect, Cus D'Amato and Kevin Rooney worked on the 'mental' side of Tyson - ultimately giving him tremendous confidence against his opponents. Is that also a focal point of yours?
JF. Absolutely! I'm working very hard on getting Mike to believe in himself and what he's been doing in training. At the start of our preparation for this fight, Mike wasn't confident. But he's beginning to believe in himself more and more and we're starting to reap the benefits from that.
FN. Tyson has stated publicly that he went into a deep depression while recuperating from knee surgery. After such and injury, many athletes become gun shy and overly cautious about giving 100% - for fear of re-injuring themselves. Is this a concern for you?
JF. Yeah. It is. Even though his knee has healed completely, I'm trying to get Mike fit enough and confident enough to know that he can do whatever he has to do in the ring. His confidence is a key.
FN. The D'Amato style of bobbing and weaving fit perfectly for Tyson. Has he been sharpening those skills or do you have him working on something else?
JF.Obviously, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Mike was at his best, when he was doing what Cus taught him. So, when Mike has his fitness level and confidence back, all of those skills will come naturally to him. Other than that, we've been working on slowing down Mike's pace. I want him to calm down and realize 'we're not 19 years old anymore... we're 39 and we have to conserve energy.' I want Mike to believe that he doesn't have to go out there and look for a quick knockout... that he doesn't have to rush anymore and that he can wait for the opening rather than try to create the opening. If Mike just takes his time, a knockout will happen.
FN. What is Tyson's training regimen like?
JF. Of course, he does his road work and we do a lot of walking. In the morning, Mike has a conditioning coach who also does rehabilitation on his knee. He has a weight lifting routine that he does for a couple of hours, then in the afternoon he comes to the gym and we do all of our boxing work... which is pretty intense. I'm a real believer in 'quality' not 'quantity.' I'd rather Mike give me one good hour of hard gym work than two average hours. Like I said, Mike isn't 19 anymore and the things we're working on are for a reason.
FN. Who is Tyson sparring with and how is he looking in those sessions?
JF. Mike is sparring with Corey Sanders ('T-Rex' from Washington DC) and a couple of local guys that he's used in the past. Corey is 6'6" and his style is similar to McBride's. But, Mike is looking great and he's right where I'd like him to be. For instance, Mike has not sparred for six rounds... in years! They say they couldn't get him past three or four rounds. And at the moment, we're sparring six rounds everyday. Come next week, we'll spar eight and ten rounds with no problem. Also, next week... I'd like to get rid of those cell phones of his so I can get Mike to relax and concentrate more as the fight approaches.
FN. Mike has long had a penchant for... the 'nightlife'. Has there been any trouble keeping him on the straight and narrow during training?
JF. No. No trouble at all. In fact, we've gone out together and maybe gotten home before midnight - but there's been no drinking. Mike's been use to sleeping in the daytime, so he finds it hard to sleep at night. Because of that, I'm trying to incorporate everything and make Mike happy. It's no use telling him 'you can't do this... you can't do that,' because obviously... he would rebel. But if you play the game and let him do little things to enjoy himself, he'll be fine. It seems to be working out because his training has been great and he shows up at the gym everyday. There hasn't been one day where Mike hasn't shown up to the gym. Not one.
FN. You were in the Tyson camp for his bout against Clifford Etienne in 2003. Yet, a couple of weeks before that fight, you left abruptly and flew back to Australia. What happened?
JF. Mike had gotten a tattoo on his face, and as far as I'm concerned that's not part of the preparation before a big fight. Also, Mike was being driven mad by the people around him. There was a lot of pressure on him and I could see that he didn't want to fight. So, I went home.
FN. Prior to yourself, many of Tyson's trainers have publicly stated: 'Mike is serious this time and he's in tremendous shape... Mike looks great in sparring... Mike looks like he did in the 80's...!' But afterwards, reports always seem to surface that Tyson hasn't show up to the gym for days, the trainer hasn't heard from him and has no idea where Mike is. What's different this time around?
JF. I think Mike has finally grown up. He's a different person now. I think he's learned form the mistakes he's made in the past and he knows it's time to do things the right way. He's surrounded by good people now and his relationship with his ex-wife (Monica) is brilliant. They're great friends and they help each other tremendously. Also, If I didn't believe Mike was fit enough to fight, I'd go home because I'm not here for the financial rewards. I wouldn't waste my time and I wouldn't put Mike in the ring knowing he's not ready. Mike is my friend and I don't want to see him get hurt.
FN. A match up between Mike and James Toney would be very interesting. What do you think?
JF. I would LOVE that fight. James Toney was a great fighter in the lower weight divisions. But I don't give him a chance in hell against Mike! There would be absolutely no contest at all. No disrespect to John Ruiz, be he was the weakest heavyweight champion in the history of the sport. James Toney had the skill and the finesse to beat Ruiz... but Mike Tyson is not Ruiz. Mike has speed and power and he'll break James' body down like it's never been broken before. It'll be a great payday for James Toney, but it would be the last fight of his career.
FN. How about Vitali Klitschko?
JF. He's a very European fighter... stands up tall. He'd be perfect for Mike! I respect Vitali. He's done a great job... but against mediocre opponents. Overall, I don't believe there's much there.
FN. There are critics who say that Mike Tyson is 'finished.' Yet there are many others who believe he can become champ again. Your thoughts?
JF. Mike can definitely regain his title if he wants it badly enough. And right now, Mike wants to pull them socks up... roll up his sleeves and go back out there and do it again. Even if we have 50 or 60% of the old Mike Tyson, it's still good enough for him to become heavyweight champion again. Mike has more speed and power than anyone else in the division right now. Besides, boxing needs Mike Tyson. Look at James Toney and John Ruiz... between them they didn't get paid HALF of what Mike is getting to fight Kevin McBride. So it just goes to show you who Mike Tyson is and what he represents to the sport. Everyday, we walk down the street and he gets mobbed by fans. They have so much love for him. He talks to people, signs autographs and never says 'no' to anyone. I've never seen anything like it! It's the same kind of reaction that The Beatles and Elvis Presley got. It's amazing and it's non stop. Mike Tyson finished? Nah! Not by a long shot.
