The old-time friends are back! Mike Tyson has reunited with his former stablemate during the amateur circuit years, and former Golden Gloves Champion, Tom Patti. They both thrived under the mentorship of the late Cus D’Amato. Tyson is supporting Tom Patti in his race for mayor of Stockton. “I think he’s just a politician as he was a boxer and is willing to fight until the end,”  ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ told KCRA 3 while on his visit to Stockton to support Patti.

Lately, the former heavyweight champion and Mayoral candidate Patti sat down with FOX40’s Sean Cunningham to talk about their friendship and the relationship they had with legendary trainer Cus D’Aamato. Amidst the conversation, Patti also heaped praise on Mike Tyson for his growth as an individual from an insecure, uncouth, poor little kid living in Brooklyn, to a loving family man.

“I am exceptionally proud of Mike and his own journey. The trials, tribulations. I have seen a lot of people, lot of things happen in his life. And go through real testaments of his fortitude and his capacity to endure. And I wouldn’t wish it upon anybody.” Patti stated, highlighting the challenges Tyson faced as he grew up without even the basic necessities in Brownsville, and also during his stint as a professional boxer.

“To see Mike, prevail and reinvent himself, to be a family man. To prevail, and to be the father that he is, and a husband. Calling his wife and saying, ‘I love you.’ That warms my heart so much.” Patti further stated.

Further elaborating on his and Mike Tyson’s struggle growing up in New York, Patti said, “We were lonely once upon a time and nobody liked us.” However, he was deeply impressed with how Tyson turned out in life and how the 58-year-old still kept their former trainer Cus D’Amato’s legacy alive. “I am so proud of Mike, and more importantly Mike keeps Cus’ legacy alive. Continuing to do well as he does, I know thanks to the year that he spent under Cus’ tutelage that’s representative to me, my father, his success, and so many others,” he remarked.

From filing for bankruptcy to losing his daughter, Tyson has faced a lot of setbacks and traumas in his life. Moreover, Tyson’s late trainer D’Aamato couldn’t even witness him become a world champion as he passed away in 1985, a year before ‘Iron Mike’ won the heavyweight championship belt, beating Trevor Berbick. Thus, it is quite natural for Tyson to become emotional while talking about Cus D’Amato.

Remembering Cus D Mato makes Tyson a crying mess!

While talking about his relationship with his trainer and mentor, Cus D’Amato, in an ESPN interview, a long time back, Mike Tyson got emotional. Remembering Cus, Tyson tearfully said, “He just met me. I am a little kid, and he says ‘You are gonna be world champ'”.

Not able to contain his tears, ‘Iron Mike’ further stated, “How could I do an interview about him, I start crying? How’d this guy know? How did he know I was the one?”

Cus started mentoring and training Tyson in his early adolescence. Under his tutelage, Tyson learned the famed peek-a-boo style that helped him become a ferocious knockout artist, and eventually the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Tyson’s relationship with Cus was deeply personal as he also adopted ‘Iron Mike’ when his mother died.

What do you think about Mike Tyson’s relationship with Cus D’ Mato?  Let us know in the comment section below.