Nobody, except maybe Mozart, is perfect from the start. Everyone has a learning curve. That’s as true for trainers as it is for boxers. The great ones had it in them, of course, but there is also trial and error along the way, as well as just gaining experience and handling situations so they know better what to do when they come up again. Here’s two examples. I’m hoping you can add some more. Emanuel Steward: Before Thomas Hearns lost to Ray Leonard, Manny had been known to brag ‘you’ll never see a clinch in the Kronk Gym.’ His fighters fought and were expected to work their way through tough situations by punching their way out. When Hearns didn’t tie up Leonard when he had wobbly legs, allowing Leonard to pull out their epic first meeting, Steward candidly admitted he had never taught the Hit Man to be the Cinch Man. He corrected that, and Hearns thereafter was really good at tying his man up when he needed to. Angelo Dundee: He said he learned from the Doug Jones fight to ‘never give up quickness’ after a young Muhammad Ali struggled against Jones. Of course there are times when you have to — a mandatory for a champ vs a quicker challenger, or someone getting a title shot taking it regardless of what edge in any area the champ may have. But even a guy as fast as Ali can be thrown off by a challenger with great reaction time and fast hands.
Freddie Brown should've had a very big no quitting mentality,so bad he cut ties with Duran after that no mas debacle.
I believe in the Four Kings book, Freddie’s ultimate departure from Duran’s corner was over money. No doubt he embarrassed and disgusted by Duran quitting, but money came smooth a lot of feelings.
Freddie Roach said that after the first Erik Morales fight …he set out to improve Manny Pacquiao’s right hand…and we saw the results
That's interesting. Angelo said Doug Jones's hand speed gave Clay trouble? Has that been said about any other opponent? Patterson had moments in their 1972 bout, but he didn't really give Ali trouble.
Yep, I can try to find the source but I know he said it. I think Ali was so used to having the edge in quickness that he had to adjust. Angelo did say quickness, not hand speed, so maybe he was talking more about Doug’s reflexes than the actual Point A to Point B velocity on his shots, but he definitely mentioned it.
I think Jones's aggressive style played into it. He was a small heavyweight but he liked to charge inside throwing that straight right hand counter of his. Most people don't know that Jones is the model for a character named Turk in "Manchild in the Promised Land" by Claude Brown. It's a best-selling tale about growing up in a Harlem ghetto in the 1940s and '50s. I read it when I was a teenager.
That may very well be his greatest accomplishment as a trainer. A southpaw with a good right hook is a dangerous thing.
