Cus D'Amato
Encyclopedia
Constantine "Cus" D'Amato (January 17, 1908 – November 4, 1985) 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 known for developing a "peek-a-boo" style in which the fighter holds his hands high in front of his face.
, New York
on January 17, 1908.
, who signed with other trainers and managers and went on to become middleweight
champion of the world .
D'Amato also confronted the seamy side of boxing politics, and decided, along with his friend Howard Cosell
, to thwart the International Boxing Club of New York
(IBC). Suspicious to the point of paranoia, D'Amato refused to match his fighter in any bout promoted by the IBC. The IBC was eventually found to be in violation of anti-trust laws and was dissolved.
captured the Olympic
middleweight gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki
games. D'Amato then guided Patterson through the professional ranks, maneuvering Patterson into fighting for the title vacated by Rocky Marciano
. In an elimination bout against Archie Moore
, D'Amato's fighter won the heavyweight championship of the world.
D'Amato selected Patteson's opponents in order to earn the most money with the least risk. This resulted in title defenses against Roy "Cut N' Shoot" Harris
, Brian London
, Tom McNeeley
and Olympic champion Pete Rademacher
. Legitimate challengers, like Eddie Machen
, Zora Folley
, Cleveland Williams
were passed by. D'Amato also avoided matching Patterson with Sonny Liston
, citing Liston's underworld connections, until Patterson finally overruled him and accepted the match.
Patterson and D'Amato split after Patterson's second consecutive one round KO loss to Sonny Liston
, although his influence over the champion had already begun to diminish.
, who won the light heavyweight
championship of the world.
, New York
, where he opened a gym.
It was there that he met and began to work with the future heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson
, who was in a nearby reform school. He took Tyson under his wing and adopted him after Tyson's mother died. D'Amato trained him over the next few years, encouraging Tyson to use the peek-a-boo approach style of boxing, where the hands are placed in front of the boxers face for more protection. D'Amato was assisted by Teddy Atlas
, who later became a respected trainer himself, and later Kevin Rooney
, a protege of D'Amato, who emphasized elusiveness of movement and took Tyson to the heavyweight championship sixteen months after D'Amato's death. D'Amato died shortly before Tyson became the youngest world heavyweight titleholder in history at the age of 20.
Footage of D'Amato can be seen in Tyson, a documentary film released in 2008. Tyson credits D'Amato with building his confidence, turning his life around, and being the only father figure in his life.
Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
, José Torres
José Torres
José Torres , was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur boxer, he won a silver medal in the junior middleweight at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. In 1965, he defeated Willie Pastrano to win the WBC and WBA light heavyweight championships...
, Vinnie Ferguson, and 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...
. Several successful boxing trainers, including Teddy Atlas
Teddy Atlas
Theodore A. "Teddy" Atlas, Jr. is a well-known boxing trainer and fight commentator.-Personal life:...
, Kevin Rooney
Kevin Rooney
Kevin Rooney , is a former boxer and a current boxing trainer.-Amateur Boxing Career:Rooney won the 1975 147 lb Sub-Novice New York Golden Gloves Championship. Rooney defeated Kevin Higgins of West Point in the finals...
, and Joe Fariello, were tutored by D'Amato. He is known for developing a "peek-a-boo" style in which the fighter holds his hands high in front of his face.
Early life
D'Amato was born into an Italian family in the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on January 17, 1908.
Career
When he was 22, he opened the Empire Sporting Club with Jack Barrow at the Gramercy Gym. D'Amato lived in the gym for years, waiting for a champion to walk in. He came close several times, but would always lose his fighters to the "connected" managers. One fighter discovered by D'Amato was Rocky GrazianoRocky Graziano
Rocky Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella in New York City , was an Italian American boxer. Graziano was considered one of the greatest knockout artists in boxing history, often displaying the capacity to take his opponent out with a single punch...
, who signed with other trainers and managers and went on to become middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
champion of the world .
D'Amato also confronted the seamy side of boxing politics, and decided, along with his friend Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
, to thwart the International Boxing Club of New York
International Boxing Club of New York
The International Boxing Club of New York was a corporation formed by James D. Norris and Arthur M. Wirtz in 1949 to promote boxing bouts at Madison Square Garden, Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, St...
(IBC). Suspicious to the point of paranoia, D'Amato refused to match his fighter in any bout promoted by the IBC. The IBC was eventually found to be in violation of anti-trust laws and was dissolved.
Floyd Patterson
Under D'Amato's tutelage, Floyd PattersonFloyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
captured the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
middleweight gold medal in the 1952 Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
games. D'Amato then guided Patterson through the professional ranks, maneuvering Patterson into fighting for the title vacated by Rocky Marciano
Rocky Marciano
Rocky Marciano , born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano is the only champion to hold the heavyweight title and go undefeated throughout his career. Marciano defended his title six times...
. In an elimination bout against Archie Moore
Archie Moore
Archie Moore, born Archibald Lee Wright , was light heavyweight world boxing champion who had one of the longest professional careers in the history of that sport....
, D'Amato's fighter won the heavyweight championship of the world.
D'Amato selected Patteson's opponents in order to earn the most money with the least risk. This resulted in title defenses against Roy "Cut N' Shoot" Harris
Roy Harris (boxer)
Roy Harris is a retired American Heavyweight boxer, whose nickname derived from his town of his birth Cut and Shoot, Texas. Roy is a co-trainer of undefeated title contender Alfonso López III.-Amateur career:...
, Brian London
Brian London
Brian London, born Brian Sidney Harper, 19 June 1934, in West Hartlepool, is a retired English heavyweight boxer. He was British and Commonwealth Heavyweight champion from 1958 to 1959, and had two world heavyweight title fights...
, Tom McNeeley
Tom McNeeley
Thomas William McNeeley, Jr. was a heavyweight boxer in the 1950s and 1960s. He hailed from Arlington, Massachusetts, and played football for Michigan State University...
and Olympic champion Pete Rademacher
Pete Rademacher
Thomas Peter Rademacher is a former boxer who made boxing history by being the only man to fight for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional fight.-Amateur career:...
. Legitimate challengers, like Eddie Machen
Eddie Machen
Edward Mills Machen was born in Redding, California, on June 15, 1932. Machen was a convict turned boxer. His 64-bout career began on March 22, 1955, and he went on to win his first 24 bouts....
, Zora Folley
Zora Folley
Zora Folley was an American heavyweight boxer. He was well skilled with a good defence and also a punch to go with it....
, Cleveland Williams
Cleveland Williams
Cleveland "Big Cat" Williams was an American heavyweight boxer who fought in the 1950s through the 1970s. A Ring Magazine poll once rated him as one of the finest boxers who never won a title...
were passed by. D'Amato also avoided matching Patterson with Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
, citing Liston's underworld connections, until Patterson finally overruled him and accepted the match.
Patterson and D'Amato split after Patterson's second consecutive one round KO loss to Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
, although his influence over the champion had already begun to diminish.
José Torres
D'Amato also managed José TorresJosé Torres
José Torres , was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur boxer, he won a silver medal in the junior middleweight at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. In 1965, he defeated Willie Pastrano to win the WBC and WBA light heavyweight championships...
, who won the light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
championship of the world.
Mike Tyson
After Patterson's and Torres's careers had ended, D'Amato worked in relative obscurity. He eventually moved to CatskillCatskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he opened a gym.
It was there that he met and began to work with the future 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...
, who was in a nearby reform school. He took Tyson under his wing and adopted him after Tyson's mother died. D'Amato trained him over the next few years, encouraging Tyson to use the peek-a-boo approach style of boxing, where the hands are placed in front of the boxers face for more protection. D'Amato was assisted by Teddy Atlas
Teddy Atlas
Theodore A. "Teddy" Atlas, Jr. is a well-known boxing trainer and fight commentator.-Personal life:...
, who later became a respected trainer himself, and later Kevin Rooney
Kevin Rooney
Kevin Rooney , is a former boxer and a current boxing trainer.-Amateur Boxing Career:Rooney won the 1975 147 lb Sub-Novice New York Golden Gloves Championship. Rooney defeated Kevin Higgins of West Point in the finals...
, a protege of D'Amato, who emphasized elusiveness of movement and took Tyson to the heavyweight championship sixteen months after D'Amato's death. D'Amato died shortly before Tyson became the youngest world heavyweight titleholder in history at the age of 20.
Footage of D'Amato can be seen in Tyson, a documentary film released in 2008. Tyson credits D'Amato with building his confidence, turning his life around, and being the only father figure in his life.