Mike Tyson’s Trainer Has Tragically Died
Mike Tyson (Photo By Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)
This one stings. Real ones in boxing? They’re getting fewer by the day. Tommy Brooks, the trainer who stood in the corner for some of the biggest names in the sport like Mike Tyson, has died at 71. He wasn’t just part of boxing history, he helped write it.
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The heartbreaking news came Tuesday night. Promoter Lou DiBella broke the news to the world, sharing on social media that Brooks passed away after battling a “very aggressive” form of cancer. “Too young,” DiBella wrote.
“Great boxing man and even better person. He was just a solid dude.” And that’s exactly how people in the fight game remember him.
From Mike Tyson’s Corner To Boxing Glory
Tommy Brooks and Mike Tyson (Photo Via X)
Tommy Brooks didn’t just train champions. He molded them. Along with Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Vitali Klitschko, all spent time under his guidance. Brooks was right there in Holyfield’s corner when he stunned Tyson in 1996. He stayed there for the infamous 1997 rematch, too, yes, the one with that hurts.
Then came a twist. Brooks eventually joined Tyson’s team, working with him through the hard years until his loss to Lennox Lewis in 2002. That’s just who Tommy was, he trained fighters, but avoided the limelight.
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The World Boxing Council called Brooks “undoubtedly one of the greatest boxing trainers of all time.” And they weren’t just being polite. The man knew how to get results. He also worked with Michael Grant and Larry Donald and helped shape former WBO heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko’s rise.
But long before the big names and title fights, Brooks was a fighter himself. He won a U.S. amateur title and went 7-3 as a pro.
DiBella shared one more memory that cut deep. “Shared many memorable nights with Tommy and his wife, Donna Duva, during the glory days of Main Events,” he wrote. “This is now a real tough stretch of losing real boxing people. It’s getting to me.”
Losing a legend doesn’t come with big moments, just quiet. Tommy Brooks didn’t need to shout to earn respect, his work and his fighters said it all.
Rest easy, coach. The fight world won’t forget you.
