What is more important to a great talent in boxing? A great manager / match maker who can pick the right opponents, afford quality sparring partners, play the political game. OR A great trainer who can develop the fighter and act as a quality corner man.
Both would be nice, but the priority as a pro boxer IMO is money, so I would go for the top notch manager; if that is not an oxymoron!
i think it depends on the fighter's adaptability in the ring. e.g. ali often ignored corner instructions (both during training and in a fight) so i think he benefited from his good management team. hopkins also would've benefited from better management, same with hagler. same with calzaghe. my 2c.
I think it depends on the fighter, but in Ali's case Dundee saved him for sure vs Liston in the first fight, and likely save him in the first Cooper fight by doing some illegal things such as smelling salts which were illegal in British boxing, entering the ring to escort his man back to his corner, and buying some additional time with the old " my guys glove " isn't right trick.
i take your point about dundee's importance in those fights. but i think the trainer's main job is to develop the fighter such that he can execute the game plan on the night. dundee's deeds were more like fringe benefits. i reckon ring intelligent guys like hopkins and calzaghe basically "train themselves", their trainers are more like 2nd opinions. less adaptable guys like pavlik, on the other hand, benefit from trainers more than they do managers.
