The boxing world is in mourning after the death of legendary trainer Tommy Brooks, who passed away at 71 following a battle with aggressive cancer. Promoter Lou DiBella shared the news Monday night, remembering Brooks as more than a boxing mind-he was, in DiBella’s words, “a great man and even better person.”
Brooks was never loud, never flashy. But if you spent time around a boxing gym in the ’80s, ’90s, or early 2000s, his name carried weight. He was in the corner for some of the most memorable fights in recent history, from Evander Holyfield’s wars with Mike Tyson to the rise of the Klitschko brothers. He didn’t just build fighters-he rebuilt them.
From the Ring to the Corner
Before he was a world-class trainer, Brooks was a fighter himself. He came up through the amateur ranks, winning the 1975 National AAU Middleweight title by defeating both Tom Sullivan and a young Michael Spinks. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force-where he became a military boxing champ-he turned pro, but hung up the gloves in 1979 with a modest 7-3 record.
His true gift, it turned out, wasn’t in throwing punches. It was in teaching others how to throw them better.
Brooks’ big break as a trainer came in the mid-90s, guiding Holyfield to two stunning victories over Mike Tyson. That success eventually brought Tyson himself to Brooks during his early-2000s comeback. Under Brooks’ guidance, Tyson went on a six-fight undefeated streak-a rare calm in the stormy final chapters of his career.
A Teacher to the End
After his run with Tyson ended in 2002, Brooks wasn’t done. He worked with Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, helping both heavyweights sharpen their technique and discipline. His training roster reads like a Hall of Fame guest list: Meldrick Taylor, Mike McCallum, Vinny Pazienza, Charles Murray, and more.
Even after stepping back from the spotlight in the 2010s, he kept mentoring young fighters and coaches-passing on wisdom from his own mentors like Eddie Futch and Archie Moore. His influence seeped into the sport, whether or not his name was on the marquee.
Brooks never needed to be the center of attention. But without him, boxing wouldn’t look the same.
The Final Bell
Tommy Brooks’ passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy lives on in the champions he trained, the fighters he inspired, and the corners he stood in. As DiBella put it: “Too young. Great boxing man and even better person.”
He might be gone, but his fingerprints are all over the sport he loved-and made better.
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