Comments Thread For: Olympic champion Henry Tillman, conqueror of a teenage Mike Tyson, reveals the secrets of his success

[BoxingUpdates]

Henry Tillman won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics and went on to contend in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions as a professional. He was outpointed by Evander Holyfield in a cruiserweight title bid and saw an amateur victory over Mike Tyson avenged in the paid ranks.
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[CubanGuyNYC]

I was expecting to read a little more than that. Henry had some worthwhile things to say, but I also wanted to see what he thought of some of the fighters he fought — in particular, Mike Tyson.

[Flex Chizzy]

To be a tough fighter, you have to almost be a hermit that everybody wants to be around. You can't want to be around everybody all the time.

honestly that is a brilliant line.

[Bennyleonard99]

I always remember what Tyson said about Henry Tillman in his excellent book "Undisputed Truth"... Tyson said Tillman was a great fighter with great talent but he lacked confidence and belief. Awesome analysis by the ring genius Mike Tyson.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I always remember what Tyson said about Henry Tillman in his excellent book "Undisputed Truth"... Tyson said Tillman was a great fighter with great talent but he lacked confidence and belief. Awesome analysis by the ring genius Mike Tyson.

Really enjoyed that book. I’m now into his book on Cus.

[Bennyleonard99]

Really enjoyed that book. I’m now into his book on Cus.

How is the Cus book? Undisputed Truth is probably the best sports book ever written. And the best sports book that ever will be written.

[CubanGuyNYC]

How is the Cus book? Undisputed Truth is probably the best sports book ever written. And the best sports book that ever will be written.

The book started well; I was really enjoying all the anecdotes about Cus, his philosophies, training methods and his interactions with Tyson. But it soon got into D’Amato’s efforts to get Floyd Patterson (whom he managed and trained) championship fights, his struggles versus the Mob and the corrupt commissions. I wouldn’t mind some of that, but it’s been going on for about 100 pages with no end in sight. I had to take a break and put the book down at page 166. Someone on Amazon had a similar view, but he had finished the book and gave me the impression that this sort of thing happens a few times before the end. Mike dictates his thoughts to the actual writer of the book, Larry “Ra tso” Sloman (as with Iron Ambition). It’s clear that most of the stories and insight about Patterson were heavily researched by Sloman. No way Mike knew or remembered so much detail about those events that happened well before he was even born. It feels a little off to me, going from the feeling that you’re reading Tyson’s actual memories of Cus, to well-researched material that obviously doesn’t all come from Mike’s mind. So I can’t recommend the book yet, and I don’t know if I ever will. I’m reading several books at once; don’t know when I’ll be finished with this one.

[Bennyleonard99]

The book started well; I was really enjoying all the anecdotes about Cus, his philosophies, training methods and his interactions with Tyson. But it soon got into D’Amato’s efforts to get Floyd Patterson (whom he managed and trained) championship fights, his struggles versus the Mob and the corrupt commissions. I wouldn’t mind some of that, but it’s been going on for about 100 pages with no end in sight. I had to take a break and put the book down at page 166. Someone on Amazon had a similar view, but he had finished the book and gave me the impression that this sort of thing happens a few times before the end. Mike dictates his thoughts to the actual writer of the book, Larry “Ra tso” Sloman (as with Iron Ambition). It’s clear that most of the stories and insight about Patterson were heavily researched by Sloman. No way Mike knew or remembered so much detail about those events that happened well before he was even born. It feels a little off to me, going from the feeling that you’re reading Tyson’s actual memories of Cus, to well-researched material that obviously doesn’t all come from Mike’s mind. So I can’t recommend the book yet, and I don’t know if I ever will. I’m reading several books at once; don’t know when I’ll be finished with this one.

Thanks for this. It has to be very hard to do a book on Cus decades after he passed. He was a very private and secretive person, nobody really knew him outside of Camille. And surely no boxing figures knew him or his true story. I doubt Cus had any allies. His closest allies Jimmy Jacobs, Billy Cayton, Floyd Patterson, are long gone. Cus is an impossible subject to accurately document. No wonder ****o ran into roadblocks. ****o is a great writer but Cus is just out of anybody's reach. https://mrbiofile.com/2020/12/10/bio...man-interview/