Did he contribute to the success of Emile Grifith as a trainer? Was he beneficial or influential in his time with Ali, Frazier , Foreman? Or any other fighter? I liked him as a commentator. he spoke when needed and let it rest -when the action heated up. Found it heart-touching on his last day in hospice & the story of a nurse claiming Gil seems to be holding on for another family member to which his kids responded, no we are his family. Story goes- one night Gil's daughter Kathy got a phone call from Emile. She said her father was sleeping but that she would put the phone up to his ear. Emile Griffth spoke to Gil Clancy we don;t know if heard it or understood if he did. However--- https://www.newsday.com/sports/boxing/gil-clancy-and-emile-griffith-until-the-very-end-1.2795044 Gil Clancy died at 5:30 the next morning.
Clancy was wrong about the jab to the body when he complained that he didn`t like the way Leonard was jabbing Hearns to the body, he said it left Ray off-balance but if you punch correctly this punch will not leave you off balance and Mayweather knocked Corrales out by jabbing to the body with a series of shots then feinting that jab and going upstairs with the hook instead. This content is protected
He obviously knew the fight game inside and out and was a great trainer. He was a terrific commentator also.
Glancy was a brilliant trainer and analyst IMO, and a great personality too. I have big respect for him. Every trainer / boxing man has their off kilter points and methods. No different with Clancy. He was not your friend if you were a southpaw though!
He was smart, atthough he made the answers seem too easy at times. A fighter in the ring will figure out answers n the spot. Whether Gil knows the answer at ringside commentating or not.
If he said that about Ray vs Thomas I'm ok, considering Tommy whipped Ray's behind 2x. Angelo told Ray correct "Ya blowin it kid. This is where we separate the boys from the men, ya' blowin it." He didn't tell Ray to continue going to the body with a jab, he told him in so many words: "Skip boxing....his jab is on point- so go and kick his behind & erase the scorecards by stopping him."
The first day Emile Griffith walked into a boxing gym, Gil Clancy showed him how to hold his hands and where to put his feet. He had him from the first day. You could say he had a hand in his success.
It can be risky because of Hearns reach and power. I wouldn't reccomend it either. Make much more sense when Corrales is an inside fighter and lacks Hearns one shot power. Floyd wanted to keep distance. Closing the gap behind a body jab would leave you hanging at the end of Hearns right hand.
One of the top people in his profession,,I really do miss Clancy and Tim Ryan doing fights. Clancy's call of the Duran Barkley fight was brilliant
Gil was always a welcome guest in my house along with Tim and, sometimes, Angelo. We watched many a fight together on CBS weekend afternoons. They had better seats and were kind enough to elaborate on what they were seeing.
Great trainer and announcer. Somebody like the pompous Teddy Atlas can barely shine the shoes of a legend like Clancy.
I think Ray had to lunge to execute that punch against Hearns. That is probably why Gil said that. So, he wasn't really wrong. He was just relaying what he was seeing.