Known as “The Godfather of Detroit Boxing,” the great Emanuel Steward would be 80 years of age today. Sadly, however, as all fight fans the world over know, Steward, often called “Manny” by those who knew him personally (and by people who didn’t, this said to annoy Steward some), passed away on this day, October 25, 2012. Aged 68, Emanuel was still working with fighters at the time and would likely have been doing so today.
Simply put, Emanuel Steward was boxing, and boxing was his life. Perhaps the finest boxing trainer of them all – you could make the argument, and nobody would laugh you out of the room – Steward worked with no less than 41 world champions during his long career. A former amateur fighter, Steward is best known for his work at Kronk and for the tremendous success his most famous fighter, Thomas Hearns, had.
Steward began training fighters at the legendary Kronk Gym (which may be about to enjoy a comeback, according to a recent article over at Boxing Social) in 1971. He worked with a number of national amateur stars. In time, Emanuel began working with pro fighters, and in 1980, he saw his first world champion crowned. It wasn’t Hearns; instead, Hilmer Kenty won a version of the world lightweight title. Steward and Kronk would go from strength to strength.
Among the great fighters, Steward would work with after seeing Kenty and Hearns become world champions (in no particular order)
Dennis Andries
Mark Breland
Wladimir Klitschko
John David Jackson
Milton McCrory
Oliver McCall
Lennox Lewis
Gerald McClellan
Jimmy Paul
Duane Thomas
Evander Holyfield
James Toney
Michael Moorer
Tyson Fury
It’s so interesting to wonder if Steward would have still been working with Fury had he not passed. Instead, another Kronk guy trains Fury today, this, of course, Sugarhill Steward, Emanuel’s nephew. Would Emanuel have guided Fury to a win over Oleksandr Usyk the way Sugar may do in December? We will never know.
But Steward added so much to so many fighters over decades across so many weight divisions, as he said so much to the sport itself. All those who did have the privilege of knowing Emanuel (or “Manny”) miss him terribly. When we think of special boxing trainers, we think of people like Eddie Futch, Angelo Dundee, Ray Arcel, Freddie Roach, and others.
Emanuel Steward ranks as highly, as significantly as any of them.
Today, former world champions like Thomas Hearns, Milton McCrory, Hilmer Kenty, and so many others will have Emanuel in their thoughts. Steward was a born teacher who was as effective in the gym as he was while working the corner.
Here’s what Emanuel was kind enough to tell me back in 2011 when speaking about his greatest fighter, “The Hitman.”
“Not only was Tommy the best fighter I ever worked with, he was always the most exciting,” Emanuel said. “For me, climbing into the ring whenever Tommy fought, it was just so exciting. Tommy was very special. He was probably the closest reflection to my won style of fighting. With Tommy, he had so many outstanding qualities it’s hard to list just one…….. But he was so dedicated. Tommy worked so hard in the gym. If I told him, ‘Tommy, today you spar 20 rounds,’ he’d say, ‘Okay.’ That’s just the way he was – dedicated.”
It’s likely Hearns misses Steward more than anyone.
