Tyson Ordered To Pay Former Trainer $4.4 Million For Breach Of Contract

Jet, August 3, 1998

Mike Tyson has been ordered to pay his former trainer, Kevin Rooney, $4.4 million for breach of contract because Tyson failed to keep his verbal promise to employ Rooney for the rest of his career.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals based its ruling on the findings of a New York Court of Appeals' review of an oral contract in which Tyson agreed to keep Rooney as his trainer "for as long as the boxer fights professionally."

The federal court looked to the state court for guidance on state contract law.

Rooney trained the former heavy-weight boxing champion for the first 35 fights of his career, but he was fired in 1988. Tyson later said he was angered by the trainer's public comments about his then-marriage to actress Robin Givens and a contract dispute with ex-manager Bill Cayton.

Michael Coyle, Rooney's lawyer, said his client would be entitled to $7.6 million when interest is added to the reinstated jury award.

In addition, Rooney will seek another $20 million in post-trial motions that the federal appeals court said must now be considered in Albany by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas McAvoy.