elgigante
07-06-2005, 05:46 AM
this is from an interview on doghouseboxing.com
"
SN: George, there was a recent report published quoting you as saying that Mike Tyson is not finished. Do you really feel that way, and if so, would you really be interested in training him?
GF: Yes, I really feel that way. The sad thing about it is that Mike Tyson has never gotten started since losing that title fight to Lennox Lewis. He hasn?t even had a chance to get started yet. He?s just been the most mismanaged commodity I?ve ever seen in my lifetime. The most mismanaged athlete and commodity, period. He doesn?t really need a lot of training, all he needs now is some confidence building. He has his trainers already, he just needs to get his confidence back, and I know how to get confidence back after a defeat.
SN: How can Mike Tyson reinvent himself the way that you did so successfully?
GF: First and foremost you have to understand that boxing is a sport, but it?s a lot of entertainment. Some of the greatest champions we?ve had in the past, they specialized in ballyhoo. Jack Dempsey. Joe Louis. It?s no fable that he fought Bums of the Month. Jack Dempsey would go all over to different places and even change names and fight. These guys were great American heroes and they understood the nature of boxing. Tyson got involved with some people after Jimmy Jacobs died, who didn?t even know anything about boxing, they just thought they?d wind him up and put him out there. Now, if he?s able to get out there and do this thing right, the whole world will give him respect again for getting off the canvas and coming back. Because you don?t want to leave saying ?I?m tired. I quit.? You want to come back. Even if you lose a boxing match, you want to lose it where the last man is standing, if you know what I mean. Then he could go on with his life. Because quitting follows you around. He didn?t really quit, but his legs weren?t even ready for that last fight he was in. That big guy just leaned on him and his legs just gave out.
I can show him how to come back. People reinvent themselves by gathering respect from their fellow man, and that?s what he needs. He can easily do that just by applying his craft. I don?t want to get into his personal life, that?s none of my business. But as a professional boxer, he?s got a great chance, a great opportunity. All he needs is someone with him who knows boxing.
SN: It was also reported recently that Mike Tyson might be considering a four round tourney with Holyfield and Bowe. Is this an ill-advised move, a sideshow, or do you think it is a good starting point for a Tyson comeback?
GF: No, he shouldn?t even be involved with those guys. Let those guys go on. They?ve made their name, and whatever is going to become of them, has already been done. He?s the only one who?s got a future. Mike Tyson?s got a future in boxing. I wouldn?t have said this about any other boxer, but I saw him in that last boxing match, and when he went down just from being pushed and leaned on, all of his problems just came down on him at one time. The other guys, they?ve had their chances. They?ve literally gotten beat up. Tyson is unique. He stands different, a class higher than those guys."
Thoughts on this?
"
SN: George, there was a recent report published quoting you as saying that Mike Tyson is not finished. Do you really feel that way, and if so, would you really be interested in training him?
GF: Yes, I really feel that way. The sad thing about it is that Mike Tyson has never gotten started since losing that title fight to Lennox Lewis. He hasn?t even had a chance to get started yet. He?s just been the most mismanaged commodity I?ve ever seen in my lifetime. The most mismanaged athlete and commodity, period. He doesn?t really need a lot of training, all he needs now is some confidence building. He has his trainers already, he just needs to get his confidence back, and I know how to get confidence back after a defeat.
SN: How can Mike Tyson reinvent himself the way that you did so successfully?
GF: First and foremost you have to understand that boxing is a sport, but it?s a lot of entertainment. Some of the greatest champions we?ve had in the past, they specialized in ballyhoo. Jack Dempsey. Joe Louis. It?s no fable that he fought Bums of the Month. Jack Dempsey would go all over to different places and even change names and fight. These guys were great American heroes and they understood the nature of boxing. Tyson got involved with some people after Jimmy Jacobs died, who didn?t even know anything about boxing, they just thought they?d wind him up and put him out there. Now, if he?s able to get out there and do this thing right, the whole world will give him respect again for getting off the canvas and coming back. Because you don?t want to leave saying ?I?m tired. I quit.? You want to come back. Even if you lose a boxing match, you want to lose it where the last man is standing, if you know what I mean. Then he could go on with his life. Because quitting follows you around. He didn?t really quit, but his legs weren?t even ready for that last fight he was in. That big guy just leaned on him and his legs just gave out.
I can show him how to come back. People reinvent themselves by gathering respect from their fellow man, and that?s what he needs. He can easily do that just by applying his craft. I don?t want to get into his personal life, that?s none of my business. But as a professional boxer, he?s got a great chance, a great opportunity. All he needs is someone with him who knows boxing.
SN: It was also reported recently that Mike Tyson might be considering a four round tourney with Holyfield and Bowe. Is this an ill-advised move, a sideshow, or do you think it is a good starting point for a Tyson comeback?
GF: No, he shouldn?t even be involved with those guys. Let those guys go on. They?ve made their name, and whatever is going to become of them, has already been done. He?s the only one who?s got a future. Mike Tyson?s got a future in boxing. I wouldn?t have said this about any other boxer, but I saw him in that last boxing match, and when he went down just from being pushed and leaned on, all of his problems just came down on him at one time. The other guys, they?ve had their chances. They?ve literally gotten beat up. Tyson is unique. He stands different, a class higher than those guys."
Thoughts on this?