The five quotes above are just a fraction of what’s included within his 400 page classic. I could spend all day quoting Fried’s book. So many trainers today try to put their own fame ahead of their fighters. Muhammad Ali), but wasn’t there to steal their spotlight. Dundee worked with some of the greatest fighters to ever live (ex. Last but not least, Angelo Dundee had some useful advice for all trainers. You step over, he loses you for a certain time, especially when you hit him with a jab at the same time.” V. “A bull always charges straight ahead, he can’t charge in a circle. Below is his description of how Larry Holmes would defeat the forward charging Randall “Tex” Cobb. Futch was incredibly knowledgeable and also one of the most quotable trainers you’ll find. He’s most known for his time with Joe Frazier however. Like those previously mentioned, Eddie Futch worked with numerous world champions. They all have different methods of fright. “No fighter is truly calm before a fight. You’ve got to know how your fighter thinks so you can keep him on track. There’s much more to training boxers than prescribing a physical routine. Like all great trainers, Silvani understood the mental side of boxing. He too worked with multiple world champions but is most known for his time with Rocky Graziano, Jake LaMotta, Nino Benvenuti, and Alexis Arguello. Al SilvaniĪl Silvani is yet another legend.

He was a thorough student of boxing.” III. He said he discovered new moves and tricks by watching other boxers workout. “Benny often went to the gym even when he was not training.

Don’t just work hard, become a student of the game. Many of today’s fighters can learn from this example. When discussing Leonard and his tremendous ability, Seamon shared the wisdom below. He’s most known for his work with Benny Leonard and Joe Louis. Mannie Seamon is another legendary trainer who began as an apprentice at just 15 years old. And you treated each person as a different individual.” II. Because there are some people you could scold and some people you had to be careful with. “Each young man that came to me, I made a complete study of his personal habits, his temperament. Instead, he catered his work based on the temperament of the athlete. His words below might seem like common sense, but are often missing today. He trained countless world champions throughout his 60+ years in the sport.

Ray ArcelĪrcel certainly ranks among the top trainers of all time. To no surprise, the entire book is filled with classic stories and epic quotes that are packed with wisdom. Ronald Fried’s Corner Men: The Great Boxing Trainers has chapters on Angelo Dundee, Stillman’s gym, Ray Arcel, Jack Blackburn, Charley Goldman, Whitey Bimstein, Mannie Seamon, Freddie Brown, Al Silvani, and Eddie Futch. Any time spent reading and learning from these legends is time well spent. Many of the best trainers from previous eras spent the bulk of their lives studying and teaching the sport. There aren’t many tricks of the trade that haven’t been uncovered. Never assume that you know everything and always be willing to learn. One of the problems with some of today’s trainers is their failure to study the past. Fried’s book Corner Men was published in 1991 so it might not be easy to find, but if you can get your hands on a copy, it will be well worth a look. Fortunately, author Ronald Fried took the time to interview and research some of the greatest trainers to ever teach the sweet science. This is particularly true when studying legendary trainers from the past. Plenty can be learned through reading as well. There’s more to studying the past than watching video however. Naturally, one of the best ways to learn from such fighters is by studying old video. If you are familiar with this blog, you’ve likely heard me stress the importance of learning from the great boxers who came before us.

Emanuel steward boxing