Any opinions/stories on Lou Duva?

He sure didn't believe in bringing his fighters along slowly, that's for sure. Biggs, Holyfield, & Fernando Vargas were all thrown in with far more experienced champions while only having between 10-15 fights themselves. It was "sink or swim" for any Duva fighter.

Duva also contributed to Meldrick Taylor's loss to Chavez by not only yelling "go knock him out" before the final round, but also jumping on the ring apron & distracting Taylor when Steele was asking him questions.

 

Duva was a cornerman, pure and simple. One who would always fight for his fighter. Sometimes literally if one remembers the way he went after Roger Mayweather (bad idea) after the Vinnie Pazienza fight or when he got up on the ring apron to pin back Quick Tillis' arms during an after-the-bell altercation with Holyfield (Tillis' cornerman Beau Williford went after Duva and wanted a piece of him). Duva was a motivator to his fighter and always argued for them even when it was ridiculous. I recall watching an old fight between Florentino Fernandez and Stefan Redl and Fernandez really put the hurt on Redl with the fight rightly being stopped around the 7th and one of Redl's cornermen b*tching up a storm. It was then I realized it was a youngish black-haired Lou Duva. So the die was cast even then. But the funniest one I recall was when Duva's man Johnny DuPlooy was fighting Renaldo Snipes and it was clear to everyone that DuPlooy quit in the 7th. The ref gave him every chance but he just quit. But still Duva raised hell and unashamedly yelled, "He didn't quit, he was just looking for his mouthpiece." I laughed my tail off at that one.

 

Rocky is one guy I would love to have met & talked to. They say he was friendly & sociable outside the ring.