Tyson Claims It Won’t Be Long Before He Fights Again

Mike Tyson said Monday that his “retirement” would last one or two months, that Kevin Rooney may be out as his trainer and confirmed that billionaire Donald Trump is advising him.

The world heavyweight champion, speaking at a news conference at a Manhattan hotel, was surrounded by Trump, attorney Michael Winston, wife Robin Givens, mother-in-law Ruth Roper and longtime friend Rory Holloway.

Tyson said he wanted to dispel rumors about his future, but he may have started more than he stopped. “I called this press conference to set the record straight. I call all the shots,” Tyson said.

Thirteen days ago, after knocking out Michael Spinks in 1 minute 31 seconds, Tyson said that it was his final fight. But Monday Tyson claimed that he never said he was retiring, and that he would be back in the ring within “a month or two.”

Tyson, 22, had been tentatively scheduled to fight Frank Bruno this fall. He didn’t talk about that fight, but he said that he would fight for about five more years.

Tyson said Rooney, who has trained him since his start as an amateur, will be dropped if he sides with Bill Cayton in the legal fight begun two weeks ago to break Cayton’s managerial contract.

Trump has agreed to become a director of Mike Tyson Enterprises, a corporation set up to manage the boxer’s affairs. Trump is recruiting several others for the board, Tyson said.