Bobby Stewart

"Irish" Bobby Stewart won the National Golden Gloves Tournament in 1974 as a light heavyweight. He also fought at the US-hosted undercard of The Rumble in the Jungle as a professional boxer, but he will be best remembered as the first trainer for Mike Tyson, who discovered Tyson's tremendous potential and introduced him to boxing in 1980.

Early years Stewart was raised in Amsterdam, New York.

Amateur boxing career His amateur boxing record was 45–5 when he turned pro in 1974 being managed by Matt Baranski.

Professional boxing career Stewart left the ring in 1977 with a professional record of 13 wins and 3 losses.

Professional boxing record

Juvenile detention counselor work He was working as a juvenile detention counselor in Perth, NY when Mike Tyson sought him out for training as a boxer. Tyson was in the Tryon Residential Center for Boys when he contacted Stewart.

Stewart set conditions for working with Tyson that included better behavior and academic achievement. Tyson met Stewart's conditions and they began to work together. Stewart said, “He was a complete gentleman as he wanted to fight so bad.” His powerful build suggested boxing potential to Stewart and Tyson's work ethic strengthened that opinion.

Stewart loved working with troubled youth and he believed that boxing could be a way out of trouble for the kids he worked with. Mike and I were sparring one time. He hit me with a jab that almost knocked me down. Luckily, I had the next week off from Tryon, because my nose was broken, my eyes were all black.

Stewart took him to Cus D'Amato, a legendary trainer in the Catskill Mountains of New York, who had previously worked with Floyd Patterson. Stewart first took Tyson to D'Amato about once a week.

As the D'Amato's gym didn't have any heavyweight or light heavyweight of a comparable size and weight during the time of Tyson's arrival, Stewart, on Atlas' request, again stepped into the ring as the Tyson's sparring partner. Tyson, realising that this was his chance for a new life, went ferociously after Bobby. Stewart later recalled: He was perfect . . . aggressive as hell.

In 1986, at age 20, "Iron" Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history. It all started at Tryon with Bobby Stewart. Stewart and Tyson were reunited at D'Amato's gym in the Catskills for a Fox Sports video shoot in 2013.