By @BoxingMuse: It has been one year exactly since one of boxing’s most loved characters passed away. The legendary trainer Emanuel Steward lost his battle with cancer 2:46pm on October 25, 2012.
Steward a former amateur boxer (94-3), HBO boxing commentator, charity worker and both professional & amateur boxing coach has been incredibly missed since his death at the age of 68.
In the year gone by since we have been fortunate enough to see some great fights in which Emanuel would have loved. Ríos vs. Alvarado II, Pacquiao vs. Marquez IV, Bradley vs. Provodnikov and Froch vs Kessler II.
You can just imagine Steward’s voice commenting on those fights with such genuine passion and love for the sweet science. The way Emanuel said “Oh My God” during the sixth round of the emphatic Victor Ortiz vs Andre Berto fight remains a fond memory in my head.
Manny’s unconditional love for the amateur game was always evident but he really rose to a famous status through coaching an A to Z of some of the sport’s best fighters most notably Lennox Lewis, Tommy Hearns, and Wladimir Klitschko. Boxer’s from all over the world sought Manny’s guidance at some point in their career such as Miguel Cotto, Prince Naseem, Julio César Chávez, Wilfred Benítez and Yuriorkis Gamboa. Manny worked with a total of 41 world champions throughout his amazing career.
But what made him distinct from other top coaches can be demonstrated by the legacy he left behind under the name of the ‘Kronk Gym’. Set in the basement of a run-down recreation center in the heart of ‘The Motor City’ Detroit. Emanuel’s efforts turned the Kronk Gym into a franchise and a movement. Although the doors were officially closed in 2006, history remembers this boxing gym as a melting pot of American talent from the 1970’s onwards. ‘The Kronk’ brand can be seen on clothing around the planet.
Manny was inducted into both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. His accomplishments as impressive as they were, was not the reason the boxing world took to him, it was because we could genuinely sense how passionate he was about boxing. It is without doubt boxing has lost a key figure, a man of endless knowledge who changed the game for the better. HBO has never been the same since, I love to replay old full length HBO fights and to see Manny ringside breaking down his view of a fight and to hear Manny’s insight as the fight plays out.
As sudden as his death seemed and as tragic as it felt, a year on we should now celebrate and rejoice in his life and his personality, he may not be with us anymore but his name, reputation and legacy will forever live on as one of our sport’s greatest and most loved characters.
I will leave you with this link to HBO’s tribute to Emanuel, it is a very touching, nostalgic and emotional video, please take a few minutes to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHpNk6pDLkE
Rest in peace Emanuel Steward
(July 7, 1944 – October 25, 2012)
Follow and tweet me @BoxingMuse, tell me your fondest or best memory of Emanuel. Thank you for reading.
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