Thoughts on Bill Miller, the trainer?

Dont know who else he trained but he did a great job with Toney. James told me he had the highest respect for Bill Miller and felt he was a much better teacher than Steward as were some of the other teachers from the original Kronk gym.

 

I think I remember reading that Bill Miller trained Emmanuel Stewart, when he boxed as an amateur. The work he did with Toney was totally professional and thorough and I am glad he got his breakout fighter and the recognition. The best teachers in Boxing almost always go unrecognized while the corner cheerleaders get the glory.

 

Pretty sure he trained Lindell Holmes when he was champ.

 

Awsome old school trainer.

 

great trainer. I think he was also in the corner of Derick Jefferson at some point

 

I think he trained Caveman Lee as well

 

I'm pretty sure he trained Bronco McKart.

 

Toney gives him a lot of credit, including schooling him by studying tape of old greats like Ezzard Charles. Toney told me that before fights, he wouldn't watch tapes of of opponents 'because they're always going to do something different' and instead let Miller develop the game plan. He said that Miller had the greatest library of boxing tapes he'd ever seen, the walls of his house lined with them.

 

He was a big jazz aficionado, too, if memory serves. Cool guy.

 

He may have trained John Scully.

 

He probably thought James could be the second coming of Ezzard Charles.

 

Miller's possible mentor:
Bimstein, Whitey

Morris Bimstein

One of the greatest trainers in boxing history, Bimstein worked in the corner of approximately 25 world champions, including Gene Tunney, Harry Greb, Jake LaMotta, and Barney Ross. In 1933, he sat in the royal box with Spain's King Alfonso at the San Sebastian bull fights after handling Spanish heavyweight Paolino Uzcudun in his fight with world champ Primo Carnera (Carnera retained his belt in a 15-round decision). Called Whitey by everyone but his family (who called him by his given name, Morris), Bimstein was constantly at Stillman's Gym in New York working with champions and challengers alike.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. 1897 - d. July 1969

Career Highlights:
Bimstein, who was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, hated school when he was young, and his formal education ended at the age of 12. Prior to World War I, he began his professional boxing career as a bantamweight and featherweight under manager Lou Brix. After 70 professional fights, Bimstein -- who served in the U.S. Navy during the Great War -- decided to switch to corner work because less physical harm was involved. He began as Brix's second trainer during fights.

By the early 1920s, Bimstein quickly became one of the best cut-men in the business. He worked with some of the greatest fighters in history, such as Harry Greb, Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey, Mickey Walker, and others, as well as helping such outstanding Jewish pugilists as Ruby Goldstein, Abe Goldstein, and "Kid" Kaplan. In 1925, Bimstein began a partnership with the legendary trainer, Ray Arcel. The two worked together for nine years and called themselves, "The Siamese Training Twins."

During his time with Arcel, Bimstein was sought out by top fighters in all weight classes. Among those that they worked for were Jewish champions Jackie "Kid" Berg, Benny Leonard, Charley Phil R0senberg, Barney Ross, and Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom. Bimstein also worked with countless other champions and in 1937 at promoter Mike Jacobs' "Carnival of Champions," Whitey was in the corner for four champs, Lou Ambers, Ross, Fred Apostoli, and Sixto Escobar.

Following World War II, Bimstein started another pairing with a legendary trainer, Freddie Brown. During this time, he also acted as cut man for some of Charley Goldman's fighters, including Rocky Marciano -- Bimstein closed a split on Marciano's nose during the Ezzard Charles fight that helped Rocky retain his perfect record. He continued to fight in the 1950s and 1960s and estimated that he worked approximately 35,000-40,000 fights during his career!

Origin:
New York City

 

A half-dozen boxing authorities, including Charles Farrell and Toney himself, have told me that Miller studied under Bimstein.
Bimstein shows up a number of times in A.J. Liebling's boxing pieces. If there's a history of the great boxing trainers, their training methods and legacies, I haven't heard of it. Miller was very soft-spoken and didn't try to sell himself, which is part of the reason he was so little known outside the sport. Yet every single boxing person I respect has insisted that Miller was an all-time great. I interviewed Buddy McGirt and said that after his time with Miller, Toney really never needed another trainer. When Buddy and Roach worked with Toney, it was really a case of them being friends and supporters rather than trainers. Toney was a unique fighter in many ways but the ring savvy he learned from Miller was probably what separated him the most. Besides McCallum, I don't think he was ever in the ring with a fighter who even had half his understanding of how to conduct a fight.