Eddie Futch - The greatest strategist ever.

I'm not so sure. Some of his guys were definately on the wrong end of some brutal ko's.

Probably have to lean towards that great corner of Joe Louis with Blackburn and Seamon.

 

I agree. I think he was also Ali's true arch rival, look what Futch's fighters did to him.

 

The only two fighters who beat Ali in anything aproaching his prime had Futch in their corners.

This is not a coincidence.

 

He was also behind Montell Griffiin's excellent strategy in the first bout. Futch left the camp before the rematch.... and you see what happened. I am utterly convinced that had Futch and McCallum faced Jones 7 years earlier, McCallum would have vanguished him.

It was Futch who was the master strategist in Fraizer's defeat of the undefeated Ali: He told Joe to put Ali's back on the ropes and rip shots to the body, which would compel Ali to throw uppercuts -thus opening him for the left hook.

Futch spotted a weakness -one of many- in Ali's form. Ali did not know how to throw the right uppercut properly -he wouldn't bend his knees
properly and stood straight up according to Futch, so Futch told Joe to exaggerate his bobby and weaving style to invite these. Then counter with a smoking hook.

Futch also developed Norton's jab and told him to use it liberally against Ali who was at a disadvantage if he wasn't controlling the fight behind his own jab.

...
Futch was probably the greatest strategist ever. But he was also truly paternal. We all know what he did in Manila. But he was also beside himself about Bowe's corner not stopping the Golota II fight and attributes Bowe's brain damage to the fight. (I do too)

 

When Bowe and his entourage met Mandela, Mandela asked "where's Eddie Futch?" That right there tells you that there was one politician who knows boxing. To most people in the world, the sight of the little old black man with gray hair and the old lady glasses could have been a homeless guy in a library or a retired porter. But he was so much more.

Futch, Arcel, Blackburn, Goldman, Mannie Seamon, Brown, et al. --these men were more critical components in the success of their fighters. They were more than the speed, the conditioning, the power, because they harnessed all of these and taught skill and devised strategy. Guys like Steward, Dundee, and Nacho Beristain continue the tradition...

I get riled when the trainer gets dismissed as a major factor in a fight(Spoon, a poster who I have great respect for, seems to have this unfortunate tendency at times). Behind every great fighter isn't a great woman, but a great trainer.

And they were more than that -they were teachers, strategists, nutritionists, physical therapists, back-alley philosophers, psychologists, disciplinarians and father-figures.

 

Besides the more well known ones, what others does he have?

 

Mister Futch was the best hands on strategist ever , tried and tested he victored in most of his fighters hardest tests. He didn't only do it single handedly , he put together a team that could carry on even after he left certain fighters.. (Hedge , Thell Torrence, Tim Griffin, Kenny Croom,Yank Durham..) They all learned from him and worked with him and amonst them all they groomed a whole bunch of amazing talents.. The one thing i despised out of all of this , is after everyone he took the time to help.. when he passed away those so called champions apart from a select few even bothered to attend his funeral.. That still ****s with me.. I love the guy and it sticks in my craw when i saw how few managed to support Eva in her darkest hour.. God Bless.. (sorry to darken the subject...)

 

To add another point-

At the age of 80, Futch got into an argument with some racist punk and laid him out cold.

 

Dempsey did the same thing to multiple punks when he was an old man as well.

Must run with being a fighter.

 

So did Billy Conn..