Cus D'Amato

Cus D'Amato

Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	January 17, 1908(1908-01-17) The Bronx
Died	November 4, 1985(1985-11-04) (aged 77)
Sport
Sport	Boxing

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

Early life

D'Amato was born in the Bronx, New York 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 Graziano, who signed with other trainers and managers and went on to become middleweight champion of the world .^[2]

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.^{[3][dead link][4]}

Floyd Patterson

Under D'Amato's tutelage, Floyd Patterson 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.^{[citation needed]} This resulted in title defenses against Roy "Cut N' Shoot" Harris, Brian London, Tom McNeeley and Olympic champion Pete Rademacher.^[5] Legitimate challengers, like Eddie Machen, Zora Folley, Cleveland Williams were passed by.^{[citation needed]} D'Amato also avoided matching Patterson with Sonny Liston, citing Liston's underworld connections, until Patterson finally overruled him and accepted the match.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

José Torres

D'Amato also managed José Torres, who won the light heavyweight championship of the world.^[4]

Mike Tyson

After Patterson's and Torres's careers had ended, D'Amato worked in relative obscurity. He eventually moved to Catskill, 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.^[2] 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.^[6] 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.

Legacy

In 1993, the 14th Street Union Square Local Development Corporation named part of 14th street, where D'Amato's Gramercy Gym was located, "Cus D'Amato Way"^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Brozan, Nadine (10-29-1993). "CHRONICLE". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/29/style/chronicle-162193.html?src=pm. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Heller, Peter (1995). Bad Intentions: The Mike Tyson Story. Da Capo Press. pp. 17–20, 26, 51. ISBN 030680669X. http://books.google.com/books?id=zQeJ5T9cGoAC. 
3. ^ http://www.ibhof.com/d'amato.htm
4. ^ ^{a b} "D'Amato Misses on Long Shot". The New York Times. 08-01-1982. http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/01/sports/d-amato-misses-on-long-shot.html. 
5. ^ "Odd High On Patterson As Bell Time Nears". Ellensburg Daily Record (AP). 08-15-1997. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EgVPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7UsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7131,1722863&dq=cus+d-amato&hl=en. 
6. ^ Anderson, Dave (03-08-1987). "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; 'TIME FOR THE NEW TRAINERS'". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/08/sports/sports-of-the-times-time-for-the-new-trainers.html. 

External links

Biography portal

• Cus D'Amato at Find a Grave

Persondata
Name	Damato, Cus
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 17, 1908
Place of birth	The Bronx
Date of death	November 4, 1985
Place of death