Lou Duva?

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Duva was more of a cheerleader than a technical trainer, which is why he always worked with others, like George Benton, who actually taught the technical aspects of boxing to the fighters.

 

As a trainer Lou was a great boxing character.

I think Dan was the real brains behind Main Events and deserves most of the kudos for getting many of the USA 84 Olympians signed up.

I am being a bit harsh on Lou; much of boxing is for the silly pro Wrestling dabbling and the rants and raves. But although he has a lot of young talent and few future greats in his stable, he still needed to develop them as fighters, so he did not do a bad job with the likes Whitaker, Taylor, Holyfield and Biggs.

And I am just sore with him, because I was at the wrong end of one of them infamous rants.

Zakman makes a good point about Benton, who for a period I think many thought was the best trainer in the world.

 

I met Duva back in 07/08 briefly, certainly a nice guy told you like it was,knew the sport in and out.holyfield had said his biggest mistake was firing Duva,if anything being a motivator and voice can be almost as important as the technical training.

On what percent was his effect on the actual training of his fighters,i would say hes on a Dundee level,which is more of a behind the scenes or co trainer type.Beghhind the scenes of this and that with fall outs with certain guys,well only really Duva knows that.

 

Great character , but a liability in the corner.imo.

 

Cheerleader and pitbull-style advocate.

 

How is he a liability in the corner,thats where he was at his best?That makes no sense,duva is the type of guy you want in your corner to be a vocal motivater and voice at the refs.

 

Motivator yeah that's what he was and a very good one sometimes comes across as a hot head the time he got cut after a altercation with roger mayweather come to mind and who could forget the free for all that went on when gene hatcher beat johnny bumphus

 

And that's the guy you want,not a soft spoken guy to just look at you with no advice.Personally i would take him/Steward and Atlas as the guys who can motivate and communicate,though steward was a real trainer compared to them.

 

Never seen a guy back his fighter more passionately than Duva used to. Agree with Zakman though that the actual tactical advice was from George Benton.

 

Yep duva always made me feel that if he was in you're corner he had you're back all the way

 

Not if you're Tyrell Biggs. I used to like Lou but then more and more I started hearing stories on these boards about things I didn't like.
It's boxing I know and sometimes people need to be ruthless but still.

 

I was particularly thinking of Meldrick Taylor. As Steele was asking "are you ok?", Taylor was distracted by Duva who was manically gesturing at him from the edge of the ring.