Recently, GulfCoastBoxing.com had the great pleasure of talking with world renown boxing trainer, Aaron Snowell. Snowell appeared on the boxing scene at a very early age. At just 23 years of age, he became the youngest trainer to ever train a world champion. Aaron has trained great fighters like “Iron” Mike Tyson, “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon, Julian “The Hawk” Jackson, and “The Cincinnati Kid” Tim Austin; all of whom are former World Champions. Snowell was also in the corner of Frankie Randall, when Randall stopped Julio Caesar Chavez’s bid his 100th career victory.
Well, first thing is first, this has to be the biggest news in boxing, and everyone is talking about it. Mike, What are your comments on Tyson getting knocked out by Danny Williams? Were you surprised by the result?
Aaron: It’s a sad moment for Mike, it’s a sad moment for boxing. I am not surprised from reading from what Mike was saying in the newspapers. He wasn’t focused, it’s a different time in his life. Finances and personal issues affected his outcome in the ring. The only person that could help him get back to where he needs to go is Don King. Don King has the avenues to bring him out of financial debt and to once again make him the most dominant figure in boxing.
Do you think Mike’s career is over after his loss last night?
Aaron: His career is not over. He will have to soul search to see if he still wants to do it. Don King is the only person that can get him back to where he needs to be. This was Mike’s first non-title loss in his career. I think this was the wrong opponent for Mike at this time. Mike is 38, you do not put a fighter like Mike at this point in his career with a fighter like Danny Williams. You need to pick the right opponents to gradually get Mike’s confidence up and his timing right. It was just the wrong fight at the wrong time.
Where can Tyson go from here?
Aaron: Tyson needs to go back to Don King. King has the experience, the training facilities and the “know how”, to get a fighter going. King can help him get “the finance with the romance”. King did it for Holyfield; he gave Holyfield the opportunity to fight Tyson at the end of his career and he made more money in those two fights than he did over his entire career. Don King is directly responsible for revitalizing Holyfield’s career.
Don King brought Tyson out of prison, wisely picked fights for him, starting out with Pete McNeeley and eventually winning a title against Frank Bruno.
Mike is 38, he needs to realize that he cannot fight like he is 19 years old again. Foreman is a prime example of how an older fighter is supposed to fight. If Mike is to continue, he will have to learn how to get motivated for his fights, he will need to pace himself and not run out of steam so early in the fight.
If you were in Mike Tyson’s corner last night, what would you have done different?
Aaron: It wasn’t a matter of a trainer doing anything differently. Mike, at his age started too fast and punched himself out. Danny Williams’ body shots wore Mike down. Mike is a counter puncher, his game plan is to wait until his opponent punches and look for an opening to attack. Last night he never counterpunched, he was trying to lead punch the whole fight.
How does this fight compare to the Buster Douglas fight?
Aaron: In Tokyo, Tyson was not at his best. At his worst, he had Buster down. Tyson eventually went down, but even when he got knocked down, he was on his feet when the referee stopped the fight
You have prospect Owen Beck in camp with Kali Meehan for his upcoming fight with WBO Champ, Lamon Brewster, how is that going? Care to make any predictions on that bout?
Aaron: His training is going well, and it should be an interesting fight.
How long do you see before Owen Beck is ready for a shot at the title?
Aaron: It is up to Carl and Don King, they are looking at about 6-8 months before he gets a shot, but he is in the top 10, so it can be any day. He will be on the Trinidad/Mayorga undercard, but we have not found an opponent yet. Owen has all the tools to be a champion. He is a boxer-puncher, and he can take some good shots.
When its time to fight for a title, which champion would they match him up with?
Aaron: It does not matter, he is not afraid to fight anyone in the top 15. Carl King has prepared him for the bigger picture and it is a matter of just deciding when it is time.
What advice would you give to a young trainer?
Aaron: If a young trainer is serious about boxing, he needs to seek out a true veteran that has trained champions and follow his guidance. He needs to know the right exercises and have the right tools to give the fighter everything he needs to succeed. He needs to apply sport specific training for boxing.
You work in some of the biggest cities in boxing, how was it to come to a small town like Lafayette, LA?
Aaron: Lafayette is a great place. The spirit of the fight fans around there is tremendous. There are a lot of talented fighters in that area. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Bobby Aucoin. He has the talent to go very far. He’s a really good fighter in a really good fight town. The fight fans in Lafayette are passionate and they support their guys. Lafayette will be a boxing capitol.
Speaking of Aucoin, what are thoughts on him?
Aaron: Bobby is a diamond in the rough, in due time he will get a title. Aucoin is a Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini all over again. He is a young man with the will and desire to succeed.
I got a chance to work with Bobby in San Antonio. It was the first time Bobby fought without his father in his corner. Even though his father was not there physically, he was definitely there spiritually. Aucoin’s manager Kerry Daigle asked me to work Aucoin’s corner, he and I went over strategy of how is father would have wanted him to fight the fight and Bobby went in there and put on a clinic.
I was asked to work Aucoin’s corner again in Lafayette, when he faced Wayne Fletcher , who had never been stopped by a lightweight. Bobby said that he was going stop this guy. For the most part of the fight he went in and tried to bang too much, but after going over strategy after the 4th round, he came out in the 5th and stopped him.
Are you going to working any of Bobby Aucoin’s fights in the near future?
(8/28 in Kinder, LA. Aucoin will face Billy Ray Gates)
Aaron: That should be a good fight. Bobby needs to prepare properly and if I am asked to advise him I would gladly do it.
Would you like to saying anything in closing?
Aaron: (on Mike Tyson’s loss) Last night was truly a sad night in boxing history.
Thanks for taking your time with us and good luck in your upcoming bouts....
Also, special thanks to Kerry Daigle at keeppunching.com
