Emanuel Steward
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Emanuel Steward (born July 7, 1944 in Bottom Creek, West Virginia) is a boxing trainer, commentator and inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame.
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[edit] Biography
Steward was born in West Virginia, and by the age of 12, he had moved with his mother to Detroit, Michigan. When he moved to Detroit, he began frequenting the Brewster Recreation Center, where Joe Louis and Eddie Futch trained, and began an amateur boxing career. Steward compiled a record of 95 wins and 3 losses as an amateur boxer, including winning the 1963 national Golden Gloves tournament in the bantamweight division. Afterwards Steward became interested in training amateur boxers, but due to his family's economic situation he needed a steady job, and so he temporarily became an electrician.
In 1971 Steward took his half brother James to the nearby Kronk Gym and became a part time head coach in Kronk Gym.
By the 1970s, Kronk became an amateur boxer hot-bed, as Steward trained many of the nation's top amateur contenders. He eventually translated that success with amateurs into a career training championship-level professional fighters.
On March 2 of 1980 Hilmer Kenty became Steward's first world champion by knocking out world Lightweight champ Ernesto Espana). He achieved his most notable success with welterweight Thomas Hearns, whom he changed from a light hitting boxer into a devastating puncher. Hearns became one of Steward's most successful and popular fighters, fighting Sugar Ray Leonard, knocking out Roberto Duran, and challenging undisputed Middleweight Champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler in a fight known as The War.
[edit] Awards
- Elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
- Elected into the World Boxing Hall of Fame
[edit] As a businessman
Kronk became a property of Steward, who now is famous also for his collection of Rolls Royce cars and mansion. He opened a branch of the gym in Tucson, Arizona, and has started an association with the Dodge Theater in Phoenix to present boxing undercards once a month.
Among the world champions who have trained or sought Steward's guidance at some point of their career are:
- Hilmer Kenty
- Thomas Hearns
- Milton McCrory
- Mike McCallum
- Dennis Andries
- Jimmy Paul
- Duane Thomas
- John David Jackson
- Michael Moorer
- Steve McCrory
- Gerald McClellan
- Wilfredo Benitez
- Evander Holyfield
- Julio César Chávez
- Lennox Lewis
- James Toney
- Oscar de la Hoya
- Wladimir Klitschko
- Jermain Taylor
- Kermit Cintron
- Naseem Hamed
- Andy Lee
Steward also works as a boxing commentator for HBO boxing.
