Thoughts on Gil Clancy

Loved Gil and Tim as a team. And Gil was a legend as a trainer.

But, boy howdy, he didn't like Carlos Monzon. Would never give him credit during fights.

 

My answer would be yes to all the above. He was an outstanding trainer who took an old school-common sense approach to bringing up his fighters and was highly instrumental in the success of everyone he trained. He was also brilliant as a commentator and seemingly found something positive to say about every contestant. I wish he was a regular on HBO and some networks. This next thing I stand to be corrected on, but I thought I heard it mentioned at some point in the distant past that he was a school teacher at one time ?? Can anyone verify this ?

 

I usually enjoyed Gils commentary and he did a wonderful job with Emile Griffith who he moulded into a great fighter but I felt that he was pretty biased in his commentary of the Hagler vs Leonard fight ( I still think Leonard won but Gil should have been carrying Pom Poms that particular evening. He was very pro Leonard.)

I reckon he possibly disliked Monzon due to sour grapes as Gil was in both the Griffith and Valdez corners vs King Carlos. Gil always claimed that Griffith won their 1973 rematch.

Cheers.

 

The guy who has that channel is more a Muay Thai and MMA guy. JT Van V is better for pure boxing stuff.

 

One thing I cannot understand the brain trust of Gil Clancy Managing a heavyeight $$$ like Jerry Quarry, QUARRY DID EVERYTHING HE WAS ASKED TO DO AS A BOXING STAR, HE GOT HIMSELF With Clancy and Albert back in World Title contention, you do not take on a Joe Fazier with nothing but your TITLE SHOT on the line, Jerry and them , would have made 5 times the money and retirement, and accolades that go with it, TITLE SHOT, JERRY AND GIL ONLY HAD TO PLAY IT COOL , FOR PROBABLY ANOTHER YEAR -at the most.
Jerry did have the great style to beat the big slugger, and did , what if he pulled another upset?

TAKE ON ANYBODY BUT A "SMOKIN" JOE FRAZIER! -I would have stayed away from Frazier , just by watching him train, these guys are supposed to know this, Joe did not have the title anymore.

 

Yes he was a math teacher.
I also agree with all the accolades here. Besides molding Griffith from the ground up he as also got Rodrigo Valdez when he was still a teenager.
I've said it here many times Gil and Ryan were by far my favorite boxing commentators ever. Simply the best.

 

I agree Ronny, the second fight with Frazier really made no sense. Maybe the reason the fight was made was due to Jerry pushing for it (I am speculating) for an immediate payday in hopes of keeping his wife Charlie around. I always felt she was a poison pill.

 

Too bad Gil isn't still alive for you to educate him. Sarcasm intended.

 

Agreed 100%. Valdes and Griffith were probably the finest examples of his work, and those CBS weekend broadcasts were the best. Too bad he never put out an autobiography.

He also had a master's degree in education which was especially rare back in his day.

This is probably a good place to plug my playlist of broadcasts he was involved with - now at 250+ videos.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi4X90QIQXb7KYeonF7wksPGWNvSrENxD

 

I was going to say the same thing. Ive heard people criticize Clancy but how many supposedly great trainers can say they took a guy from scratch to five world titles in two divisions? Very very few, even among the great trainers. And outside of being very well conditioned Griffith didnt have many extraordinary gifts such as huge power, insane speed, etc. He did it all on good fundamentals. That says a lot about what Clancy instilled in him.

 

It left Leonard off balance , because of the quickness and accuracy of Hearns's jab, and Hearns reach advantage that forced Leonard to try and step in behind his jab, Leonard tried different tactics in the 1st Hearns fight. Hearns was undeafeated, and no one he faced until the 1st Leonard fight had exposed any weaknesses.
Leonard found something that worked,
A testament to his greatness.
Clancy was "The Voice" on CBS sports weekend boxing in the 80's I don't know about anyone else, but I learned so much from him , just listening to him explaining strengths and weaknesses of fighters what their doing and what they should be doing. Clancy gave me so much insight in the sport of boxing.

 

oh EF me man, thanks for sharing. That was something very touching.

 

Valid points .

 

Howard Davis should have gotten him.