The Life of Billy O: Muhammad Ali, Mike & Me

The official site of Billy O’Rourke, “Billy O,” of Kingston, Pennsylvania. At 16 he was a sparring partner at Muhammad Ali’s Deer Lake training camp. On May 27, 1981, at the Catholic Youth Center in Scranton, the 17-year-old went three rounds with a 14-year-old Mike Tyson, a split decision for Tyson that many in the hometown crowd scored for Billy. His story is told in Mark Kriegel’s Tyson biography Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson (2025), excerpted by ESPN.

The Story of Billy O
Timeline: from Kingston to Deer Lake, the Scranton CYC and beyond
In the News: ESPN, Times Leader, WBRE/WYOU, The Citizens’ Voice
Gallery
Legacy and the Vault
Press & Media Kit
Contact & Booking

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