Dominic DeNucci Talks Mick Foley Sleeping In His Car While Training, Too Much Risktaking Today

Andy Malnoske of WrestlingInc.com recently spoke with with pro wrestling legend Dominic DeNucci for a brief interview. Among other things, DeNucci talked about the best pro wrestlers he ever trained, Mick Foley sleeping in his car to attend pro wrestling school, and concerns over dangerous bumps in pro wrestling.

According to DeNucci, Foley and Shane Douglas were the best pro wrestlers he ever trained. 

"Well, Shane Douglas and Mickey Foley [were] the two best I ever trained." DeNucci added, "then, somebody changed later, but I was a good trainer because I got about 15 boys and I was good, but I was doing [well] too with the wrestling and I travelled everywhere in the world, so the wrestling was good for me."

DeNucci noted that Foley would drive from New York to Pennsylvania and sleep in his car to attend pro wrestling school. The one-time AWA United States Heavyweight Champion divulged that he felt obligated to look out for Foley, having promised Mr. and Mrs. Foley that their baby boy would be safe.

"He was driving from, where he went to school, yes, and then, he drove on a Friday night to come to Pittsburgh [Pennsylvania]." DeNucci commented, "sometimes, I would find him in front of the school, asleep in the car, a lot of times, because he wanted to. But also, I had a responsibility for him because his mom and dad, they said to me, 'you take care of [our] boy.' I said, 'I'll take care of him. If he's bad, I'll kick his ass.'

DeNucci went on to express some concern over the long-term health and safety of pro wrestlers. DeNucci suggested that performers are taking extreme risks because they are overcompensating for the incorrect perception that pro wrestling is 'fake' and consequently does not take a physical toll on the athletes.

"A lot of the boys work hard, very hard, but that's all they do." DeNucci said, "they do too [many] crazy things. And then, they are crippled. They're going to be crippled for the rest of their life. Like, Mickey Foley does the same thing. They're 50, 52 years old and almost done because a lot of people say, 'ah, the wrestling is fake' and things like that."

Check out the interview in the video above. If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit Wrestling Inc.

Source: Wrestling Inc.