Mike Tyson’s Sparring Partner Returns! Corey T-Rex Sanders Making Comeback in April
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
In an international Real Combat Media exclusive, in a very rare interview, longtime Iron Mike Tyson sparring partner Corey ‘T-Rex’ Sanders announced he will return to the ring and in a comeback bout tentatively scheduled for April 2014 in Europe. Sanders stated promoters have yet to make a final decision on the date or the opponent, but it is being actively worked on, though he could provide no further details at this time until the bout is officially signed and finalized.
Sanders served as one of Tyson’s principal sparring partners for years during Mike’s career, and then appeared in a series of four-round exhibitions with Iron Mike in the United States in Youngtown, Ohio in 2006 before Iron Mike retired. Corey Sanders is often referred to as ‘the other’ Corey Sanders, due to the confusing sound similarity between his name and the late WBO World Heavyweight champion Corrie Sanders of South Africa.
Corey Sanders, a native of Washington, D.C. who will turn 39 years old on March 7, 2014, fought professionally between 1994 and 2007, compiling a respectable record of 23-13 with 15 knockouts in the heavyweight division. T-Rex is so-named as he stands 6’6″ and weighs over 300 pounds, prompting comparisons to the extinct dinosaur Tyrannosaurus Rex.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOvvDWsSZSg Mike Tyson versus Corey Sanders 2006
Real Combat Media: “How did your exhibition bouts with Mike Tyson come about?”
Corey T-Tex Sanders: “Me and Mike have always been down together. After Mike’s fight with Kevin McBride, Mike’s trainer Jeff Fenech called me in, and asked if I would do the exhibitions with Mike. I had been (sparring) with Mike since his fight with Andrew Golota, who I also fought, and I’ve been in camp with Mike very day since.”
Real Combat Media: “You boxed the final version of the great Mike Tyson in the ring. Your views on the Iron Mike Tyson you fought in 2006?”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “Mike wasn’t there mentally. After the Golota camp, I used to tell people Mike didn’t wait it (the heavyweight championship) anymore. He just lost the love for it. The younger heavyweights in this era are much bigger than the heavyweights in my era.”
Real Combat Media: “In 1996, T-Rex, you fought the late Jerry Ballard for the IBC version of the world heavyweight championship.”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “Jerry Ballard was signed to fight with Don King, and I didn’t have a promoter. I was out looking for fights. We were both from the same area. At the time, Ballard and I were basically the only heavyweights from our area. Ballard was murdered in Washington D.C. in 1999. Jerry robbed a guy, and the guy later confronted him on the street. Jerry was set up. There was an argument in the street. Another guy came up from behind Jerry and slit his throat.”
Real Combat Media: “You also fought Timo Hoffman for the WBO Intercontinental title in 2004 to a very questionable 12 round decision for Hoffman.”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “That was a 12 round bout in Germany for the WBO Inter-Continental title. I dropped Hoffman four times, and won every round except the first. The second rounds appeared to be even. I won the next ten rounds. I knocked Hoffman down four times. The first knockdown was ruled a slip. The last time he almost didn’t get up! They gave him the decision anyway, he was the promoter’s fighter. It was always like that in the decisions I lost in Europe. I always fought to win.”
Real Combat Media: “What is your current occupation?”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “I’m working as a security guard at Howard University.”
Real Combat Media: “Who is one fighter you would still like to fight?”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “I would love to fight the White Buffalo, Francois Botha. He’s still taking fights for the love of boxing. I also wanted to fight the other Sanders, Corrie Sanders, the former world heavyweight champion from South Africa, but he passed on in a robbery attempt in 2012 protecting his daughter.”
Real Combat Media: “After six years you want to return to the ring. Why? For how many rounds?”
Corrie T-Rex Sanders: “Why not. I can go 12 rounds. My comeback bout will be at least eight rounds.”
Real Combat Media: “Is this a money thing?”
Corrie T-Rex Sanders: “No. Every fighter has got one last fight in them. Boxing is my passion. Some junkies get high on alcohol and drugs like cocaine and heroin, that’s their addition, in fact too many people out there. My drug is boxing. It’s always been that way since I was a kid.”
Real Combat Media: “Where and when will your comeback bout take place? What is your physical condition?”
Corrie T-Rex Sanders: “Somewhere in April overseas. I feel great and I’m doing great. My weight is down to 325 pounds. I’m not a fat 325 pounds. I’m six feet six inches tall. For this fight coming up I’ll be around 300. Before, when I myself fought Andrew Golota in July of 1998, it looked good on paper when my weight was down to 262 pounds but I didn’t feel strong at all at that weight. I hurt Golota in the sixth and seventh rounds, but he survived. I was not strong enough to finish him off. I’m not making excuses. I just did not feel strong for my fight with Golota, due to losing too much weight before the bout.”
Real Combat Media: “T-Rex, you won your next seven bouts, highlighted by stopping future WBC World Heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev in a bout at the Gold Country Casino in California where you were behind on points and then dropped him twice in the eighth round.”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “When I fought Oleg I was still good. I was strong, I wasn’t holding back like when I fought Golota. My power wasn’t there when I fought Golota. I caught Golota with nice shots, buy my power wasn’t there. Golota won that fight (Win 10) and I didn’t get robbed when I fought Golota in Atlantic City like I got robbed later on in my fights which went to a decision in Europe.”
Real Combat Media: ‘Tell about your family and your hobbies.”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “I have a wife and three kids-two boys and a daughter. I have lived with my common law wife for about 20 years. We’re best friends.”
Real Combat Media: “Are you looking forward to your comeback bout?”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “I’m looking forward to it. In terms of my training, I intend to treat my comeback bout like it’s for a world title.”
Real Combat Media: “You sparred for Iron Mike Tyson. Do you intend to ask Mike to spar with you for your comeback fight coming up?”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “Mike and I talked about the idea of getting back into the ring. If Mike made a comeback, it would be wonderful, but I don’t know if I could afford to pay Mike hiss salary requirements to have Mike as my sparring partner!”
Real Combat Media: “Where do you workout?”
Corey T-Rex Sanders: “I work out in the Sugar Ray Leonard gym in Palmer Park, Maryland. It’s a real good gym. The gym has got a ring, pull up bars, speed bags, heavy bag, everything. The gym is named after Sugar Ray. The city of Palmer Park did it as a tribute to Ray, because the gym is in the area where Ray grew up when he won his Olympic medal at the Olympics in Montreal in 1976.”
Real Combat Media: “What’s the craziest thing ever to happen to you in a boxing ring?”
Corrie T-Rex Sanders: “During one of my fights, somebody shouted out ‘T-Rex you’re a bum!’ and then I knocked my opponent out! Righty after that I turned to the crowd and I said ‘Who called me stupid? Who called me a bum?’ and nobody stood up. They didn’t nothing to do with T-Rex!”
Real Combat Media: “You appeared determined to make a comeback. Should your friend Mike Tyson attempt a comeback too? Your final thoughts.”
Corrie T-Rex Sanders: “I don’t think so. Mike should not come back. His heart isn’t into it. Somewhere deep inside, he has to (want to) give it one more shot. All fighters think about it. I don’t think he needs to. As a promoter, Mike is giving back to the fighters and helping them. If he wants to make a comeback, (I feel) every man should do what he wants to do. Sometimes if you second guess a thing you get hurt. It can take only a split second in a boxing match to turn everything around.”
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