Sumith Prasad
Based on the life of legendary boxer Mike Tyson, Hulu’s sports drama series ‘Mike’ revolves around the eponymous boxer who becomes one of the greatest boxers ever to grace the ring. As a child, Mike teams up with his gang to steal and shoplift, which leads him to a juvenile detention center. At the center, Mike meets Bobby Stewart, a boxer who trains several fellow kids living at the place.
Even though Mike fails to impress Bobby at first, he succeeds in making him understand his potential. Bobby rewrites the fate of Mike by introducing him to Cus D’Amato, the famed boxing trainer. Since Bobby plays an integral role in developing Mike as a boxer, we have found out whether the character is based on a real person. Here’s what we know!
Bobby Stewart: An Award Winning Boxer
Yes, Bobby Stewart is based on a real person. Known as “Irish” Bobby Stewart, he was a real boxer who won the National Golden Gloves Tournament in 1974. As per sources, he was managed by Cus D’Amato when he became a professional boxer. However, he left the ring in 1977. When Mike met Bobby for the first time, the former was in Tryon Residential Center for Boys, and the latter was working as a juvenile detention counselor. When Mike expressed his wish to get trained by Bobby, the latter made it clear that he should “straighten up” his act first. Eventually, Bobby welcomed Mike as his new disciple.
After realizing Mike’s potential, Bobby wanted him to aim higher. Thus, the Amsterdam native decided to introduce him to Cus D’Amato, who had trained boxers like Floyd Patterson and José Torres. “I want to bring you to see this legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato. He can take you to the next level,” Bobby said to Mike, as per ‘Undisputed Truth,’ written by Mike and Larry Sloman. Bobby took Mike to Cus’ gym so that Cus could see him fight. “That’s the heavyweight champion of the world,” Cus told Bobby after watching Mike’s fight for the first time, as per Mike’s book.
When Mike was about to get parole to leave the detention center, Bobby was worried that he would get into trouble again. He didn’t want to see his disciple’s potential go wasted. “I don’t want you to go back to Brooklyn. I’m afraid you may do something stupid and get killed or get your ass locked up again. Do you want to move in with Cus?” Bobby asked Mike, which changed Mike’s life again. He left his home to live and train with Cus. Bobby believed that Mike could be the next big thing, and the latter proved him right by becoming the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history in 1986.
Bobby Stewart Continues to Be a Trainer
Bobby Stewart currently lives in Fonda, a village in Montgomery County, New York, and has continued to be a trainer. In 2020, he announced that he is working on a book about his relationship with Mike, detailing what he really taught Mike for the latter to be an exemplary boxer. He also seems to be working on a documentary film about his days with Mike, which he hopes to convert into a motion picture in the future.
When Mike did a one-man stage show in Westbury, Long Island, in 2013, he met with Bobby, and they talked about potentially doing motivational talks together for students or prisoners. Bobby and Mike met again on July 22, 2022, in Schenectady, New York, when the latter organized “Mike Tyson’s Fight Night” in the city. Bobby has chosen to keep his personal life private as well.
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