Mike Tyson is coming home. On Saturday, November 1, the former heavyweight champion and one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet will return to Catskill to honor his late trainer and mentor Cus D’Amato (1908-1945), who died 40 years ago this fall. Tyson and his wife Kiki will host a free “Celebration of Cus” event on Main Street featuring speakers, special guests, and tributes to the man who shaped Tyson’s life and boxing career.
The day will begin with a private gathering inside the historic Cus D’Amato KO Boxing Gym from 1 to 2:30pm. The public ceremony will follow from 3 to 5pm on Main Street in front of the Catskill Police Station, with the street closed from Cook Street to Thompson Street. Vendors and entertainment will accompany a slate of speakers that reflects the breadth of D’Amato’s legacy—former fighters he trained, authors who chronicled boxing’s golden eras, and those who knew Tyson before he became a global phenomenon.
Among the announced speakers are former boxer Mickey Ward, remembered for his epic trilogy with Arturo Gatti—two of which earned Ring Magazine’s “Fight of the Year” honors—and bestselling author Mark Kriegel, whose new book Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson traces Tyson’s ascent from troubled kid to heavyweight champion. Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino will present the Cus D’Amato Gym with a sustaining donation, and Bobby Stewart, the former state corrections officer and boxer who first recognized Tyson’s talent as a teen, will also attend along with other members of D’Amato’s circle.
Tyson’s return also arrives against the backdrop of a complicated public legacy. After his meteoric rise in the late 1980s, Tyson’s career was derailed in 1992 when he was convicted of rape and served three years in prison. He returned to boxing in 1995 and reclaimed the heavyweight title, but the later years of his career were marked by volatility, including the infamous 1997 incident in which he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear during a title bout, resulting in a disqualification and loss of his boxing license. Tyson has since spoken openly about past violence, addiction, and mental-health struggles, presenting a more reflective public persona in recent years through memoirs, film projects, and live shows.
For Catskill, the event is both tribute and homecoming. Tyson arrived in the village as a 13-year-old kid from Brownsville, Brooklyn, placed under the guardianship of D’Amato after a stint at Tryon School for Boys. In the Catskill gym, D’Amato—already a revered boxing mind who helped build champions Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres—developed Tyson’s power, discipline, and famously aggressive peek-a-boo fighting style. Under the trainer’s tutelage, Tyson transformed from a shy, volatile teenager into one of the most feared heavyweights in history. Tyson remained in Catskill through his early professional career and won the heavyweight title less than a year after D’Amato’s death.
“This is where it all started,” says former sportswriter and event organizer Paul Antonelli, who covered Tyson during his championship run. Antonelli’s connection to the D’Amato circle goes back decades. “My father-in-law, Dr. Joseph Cally, was the doctor for Cus, he took care of all of Cus’s fighters,” Antonelli says. “As a result, my wife’s family established a close relationship with Mike Tyson.”
Antonelli joined the Catskill Daily Mail in 1986, the same year Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history by defeating Trevor Berbick. “I was at that fight and covered him for many years,” Antonelli recalls. “It was very exciting. At the time, he was one of the most recognizable faces in the world. From ’86 to ’88 he was a tabloid stream, featured on the sports pages and the front pages.”
Tyson’s visit to Catskill comes just ahead of his “Return of the Mike” tour, which begins next week at the Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois, before stops in Cincinnati, Hollywood, Florida, and Atlantic City. Tyson also has a scheduled exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather in 2026 and recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to meet with President Felix Tshisekedi during commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the “Rumble in the Jungle,” where Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman.
For Catskill, Saturday’s celebration underscores the enduring influence of D’Amato’s mentorship and the complicated, mythic story that connects a quiet Hudson Valley village to one of the most dramatic arcs in sports history. Tyson’s return marks a rare moment when that legacy steps back into the spotlight—this time not in the roar of the ring, but in the place where the fighter first learned how to stand, strike, and believe in his future.
Tyson & D’Amato: A Catskill Timeline
1979
Troubled Brooklyn teen Mike Tyson is sent to the Tryon School for Boys in Fulton County. There, boxing counselor and former fighter Bobby Stewart recognizes Tyson’s talent.
1980
Stewart introduces Tyson to legendary trainer Cus D’Amato at his gym in Catskill. D’Amato, then in his early 70s, begins training Tyson and eventually becomes his legal guardian. Tyson moves permanently to Catskill, living and training under D’Amato’s roof and philosophy.
1981–1983
Under D’Amato’s discipline and the “peek-a-boo” style honed by assistant trainer Kevin Rooney, Tyson sharpens his skills. He builds an imposing amateur record and becomes a Junior Olympic champion, recording knockouts in seconds-long bursts that draw national attention.
1985
Tyson turns professional at age 18. Fighting out of Catskill, he launches one of the most dominant early-career streaks in boxing history, knocking out 26 of his first 28 opponents.
November 4, 1985
Cus D’Amato dies at age 77. Tyson continues training with Rooney but often speaks about the emotional and psychological blow of losing his mentor, saying later: “Without Cus, I’m nothing.”
1986
Tyson becomes the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20, defeating Trevor Berbick in Las Vegas. Catskill is thrust into the international spotlight as the small town that built a boxing phenomenon.
Late 1980s
As Tyson’s fame climbs, the Catskill gym remains a pilgrimage site for boxing fans. Tyson’s connection to the town endures even as he relocates and his life accelerates into the global media spotlight.
Mike Tyson, the convicted rapist, ear biter. Seriously?
Mike Tyson, the convicted rapist, ear biter? Seriously?
Will he be doing autographs?
Get a life son.