Richie Giachetti, Trainer of Champions, Dies at 76
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Renowned boxing trainer Richie Giachetti, an auto repair shop and tavern proprietor who was also a boxing trainer of some of the best in the heavyweight business, has died at 76 in Cleveland, Ohio. Giachetti’s four children, three brothers and grandchildren survive him.
Giachetti trained 14 world champions during his career. Giachetti trained for a range which included the strange. Notably: Larry Holmes for his WBC World title defense of the world heavyweight champion over a damaged goods aged Muhammad Ali; and Iron Mike Tyson for his ear bite challenge of Evander Holyfield.
Giachetti, Trainer of the Year in 1978, worked with many of the ‘big boy’ heavyweights of his time. Besides Tyson and Holmes, Giachetti worked with James Buster Douglas, Aaron Pryor, Julian Jackson, Earnie Shavers, Riddick Bowe, Oliver McCall, Greg Page, Oliver McCall. He also trained Esteban De Jesus, Jean-Marc Mormeck and Harry Arroyo.
Giachetti later acknowledged the incident in which Tyson bit off a chunk of World Heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield’s ear as the lowest point in his training career. It was the low point in Tyson’s career as well. There was no rational explanation from Giachetti as to why Tyson did it. Tyson did not have a clue as to why he did it. This was because Tyson was a riddle even the famous trainer Giachetti could not hope to figure out in the corner. Worse, Richie could not justify Mike Tyson’s biting to referee Mills Lane. The ‘why he did it’ remains one of boxing great historical mysteries. Tyson’s frustration from the solid beating Holyfield was giving him in their rematch was likely the cause.
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