Jack Welsh
www.ringsports.com

Mike Tyson may not know it now, but the moment may not be far off when Freddie Roach emerges as the trainer who brought him all the way
back to prominence as a world-class fist fighter.

Not since the glory days when Tyson first won the world heavyweight championship with Kevin Rooney has there been a trainer who has held his attention in the gym like Roach, himself a student of dedication when fighting as a bantamweight in the mid-80s.

The first moment of truth for the recycled Tyson arrives Saturday, Feb.22 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tenn., where he faces Clifford “The Black Rhino” Etienne in a 10-round main event co-promoted by Gary Shaw Promotions, LLC, and Bill Kozerski’s Fight Night, Inc.

It’s much more than another stop on Show-time’s TV schedule with large ramifications where the national audience will include WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis watching.

Lewis, who promoter Don King likes to call “The Emperor”, will be Tyson’s biggest critic. Britain’s super star is holding a June 21 defense open and Tyson might get the call if he can dispose of Etienne in an
explosive fashion.

Tyson and Roach both know just winning won’t be enough. Fight fans, who spend on pay-per-view TV, haven’t forgotten last June 9 when Lewis humbled Tyson in eight rounds in this same venue. However, the public’s interest might be aroused if the erstwhile Iron Mike can reach back for some of that awesome power that chilled 43 of his 49 victims in the halcyon days of two championships.

If Roach, trained by Eddie Futch in building a 41-13, 17 KOs record and assisting him for five years, was skeptical how tough it might be to train Tyson, such thoughts were a fallacy.

Freddie is the boss when they lock the doors at the Golden Gloves gym in Las Vegas. Yet, overall, they have merged as a solid team with a common goal.

“There were people who told me Mike was hard to work for but I learned just the opposite is true. Mike and me get along very well. Sometimes there are words but we like each other. He knows I’m here to
help him,” Roach explained in a recent teleconference.

“This is a crucial fight for Mike. If he doesn’t win this fight I believe his career could be over. He’s got to be a realist and realize that.

If he can’t beat a guy (Etienne) at this level, he’s never going to be champion again. He wants that very much and he knows who has the belt.”

Roach feels Tyson has trained harder now than the last time he was champion before losing the WBA crown to Evander Holyfield in 1996 on an 11th round TKO at the MGM Grand Garden.

“When we started the day after Christmas, Mike told me this is the first time in a long time that he’s really wanted to fight and his work ethic in the gym has showed me that’s true, he just wasn’t making conversation. I always thought I could help Mike if he was still trainable.It wasn’t long in the gym when I knew he was.” Roach reflected.

“Mike is 36 and, naturally, he’s not going to have the speed he once had but I’m confident he still has enough speed and power to beat a lot of heavyweights out there. Tyson knows he has to look highly impressive in this fight. Explosive! Going right out and making a statement in the first round. I’m confident he can do that. Mike has to look sensational, that’s the only way the people are going to buy a Lewis fight.
After talking with Mike, I took the job because I was assured he was accepting the challenge. I also reminded him I wasn’t just coming from Los Angeles for a paycheck and he understood.”

Roach said he had no idea about trying to change Tyson’s approach to his craft other than having him in super condition.

“When Mike was younger he blew a lot of guys away because he wasn’t afraid of getting tired.

We’ve been working on stamina and not much about one-punch knockouts although the last thing a fighter loses is the power of the punch.” the trainer said.

“When I trained Michael Moorer, it was different because he really didn’t like boxing. Mike really loves to be in there. I believe in hard work but I don’t have to make Tyson work hard because he loves it. Besides, I couldn’t make him do it if he didn’t want to. It was different with Moorer.”

Roach is a native of Dedham, Ma.,who came west in 1978 and considers himself “lucky” to have the legendary Futch as his mentor both as a boxer and trainer.

“I’ve learned so much from Eddie, it was almost like having a second father. He had 19 world champions. He thought heavyweights had so much wear and tear on their bodies that he didn’t believe in too much sparring in training.That’s why Mike won’t have more than 40 rounds when he’s finished sparring. We’ve
used about six sparring partners, several with the Black Rhino’s style,” said Roach.

“Etienne likes to put the pressure early and throwing lots of punches.We’re not concerned about The Rhino because if he elects to come straight at Mike it will be Tyson firing those sharp combinations he has been showing in workouts.I know he will be alright if he stays with our game plan. I want Mike to stay loose in there because his combinations have been perfect. Boxing is 90 perfect in a fighter’s head and that‘s where I try to be with Tyson. I’d say Mike will come in at 225 with Etienne may be 10 pounds heavier.”

Etienne, trained by Buddy McGirt and managed by Les Bonano of New Orleans, is a product of Baton Rouge, La., coming in with a 24-1-1, 17 KOs log since turning pro in 1998.

The 33-year-old Etienne, who had a teleconference last week before leaving for Memphis, makes his first start since July 27 when he finished in a 10-round draw with Frans Botha, the biggest name on his record as a former IBF heavyweight champion.

Much of the media wanted to know if The Black Rhino felt “like you are still under cloud” since losing to Fres Oquendo on an eight-round TKO Mar.23, 2001 in Las Vegas. As a true warrior, Etienne got off the canvas seven times and has since fashioned a 5-0 record.

“I do not feel like I’m under any cloud. Everybody has their own things they have to get past. and I was past it after my next fight. The only people bringing it up was the media,” Etienne countered.

“The fans might be looking at this fight as a make-or-break-fight.It is a make-or-break fight for Tyson, and for me, if I lose this fight, I could be out of contention. You all know how I fight. I love to rumble.

That‘s my thing. It should be an interesting fight. I’m going to shock a lot
of people.”

Nevada’s licensed bookmakers have Tyson a minus $6.50 favorite with Etienne at plus $4.50.

PREDICTION:....It’s all on the line for yson career-wise and that should be enough for an eighth-round TKO victory.

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in
Las Vegas.)