Emmanuel Steward and The Kronk Gym

[Ezzard]

Really sad news. Feels like he was a part of boxing's royal family, if that makes sense.

Growing up in the 1980s I saw Steward was the main man.

Who were his best fighters?

Tommy Hearns has to be number 1

[Expug]

I posted it before but I will always remember in 1983 fighting on a card in Chicago with some fighters from The Kronk gym. Tommy Hearns brother Billy,Jackie Beard and Keith Vinning. That team really left an impression on me at the weigh in. Manny Steward there of course and all the fighters in their jackets with The Marine corps colors and KRONK written on the back. These guys were squared away. They new how to carry themselves and of course it was clear the respect and admiration they and everyone else had for Steward. I guess that was the prime era for The Kronk Gym. It was an honor fighting on the same card with some of those guys for me. That was a great era for boxing.

[Rover]

It's hard to say these days who a trainer's best fighters are because of the way a lot of fighters change trainers.
For instance:
We'd all agree that Hearns was Steward's fighter. Same for Wlad and Lewis, who were with him throughout most of their time on top.
But what about Holyfield, whom Steward trained for Bowe II, one of the biggest wins of Evander's career?
What about Chavez?
What about Pryor, whom Steward trained for Arguello II, a huge victory for Pryor?
What about DLH?
Moorer? (Remember, he wasn't with Steward when he won the heavy title, but Steward was his trainer throughout his light heavy reign and in fact since the beginning of his career.)
I'd say (having mentioned these caveats):
Hearns
Lewis
Wlad
I don't really think of Pryor, Holy and JCC as Steward's fighters, though if someone wants to include them I could understand it.

[Ezzard]

You lived it, mate.

I just read about it. But it was still fantastic.

Those yellow shorts were like a stamp of quality.

[Expug]

Thanks Ez.
That gym was full of good fighters at that time
Milt McCrory
Steve McCrory
Bernard Mays
Dujuan Johnson
Jl Ivey
Mickey Goodwin
BrettSummers
Jackie Beard
Hilmer Kenty

I will think of a few more. We would hear stories about the gym wars there and how it was steaming hot in there with the heat cranked up all the time.

[JMac]

Melvin Paul
Andy Lee has been with Manny lately. The gym closed a few years ago. I'm not sure what they had been using in recent times. I'm in Detroit now for an amateur show tonight. There will be a 10 count honoring Manny.

[Rover]

Milt and Hilmer were the only two out of those who had really good careers. Goodwin was going to get a title shot v. Hagler but got injured and was replaced by another Steward fighter, Caveman Lee, who got destroyed in 1:07.

[JMac]

Ricky Womack was a tough Lt heavy that got beat by Holyfield for the '84 Olympic team. He later went to jail for rape. I think he died in prison or soon after he got out.

[Ambling Alp]

This was sad news. He was one of the good guys. He helped a lot of fighters get their careers off of the ground.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It's hard to say these days who a trainer's best fighters are because of the way a lot of fighters change trainers.
For instance:
We'd all agree that Hearns was Steward's fighter. Same for Wlad and Lewis, who were with him throughout most of their time on top.
But what about Holyfield, whom Steward trained for Bowe II, one of the biggest wins of Evander's career?
What about Chavez?
What about Pryor, whom Steward trained for Arguello II, a huge victory for Pryor?
What about DLH?
Moorer? (Remember, he wasn't with Steward when he won the heavy title, but Steward was his trainer throughout his light heavy reign and in fact since the beginning of his career.)
I'd say (having mentioned these caveats):
Hearns
Lewis
Wlad
I don't really think of Pryor, Holy and JCC as Steward's fighters, though if someone wants to include them I could understand it.

Hearns was greater than Holy, Chavez or pryor anyway.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Thanks Ez.
That gym was full of good fighters at that time
Milt McCrory
Steve McCrory
Bernard Mays
Dujuan Johnson
Jl Ivey
Mickey Goodwin
BrettSummers
Jackie Beard
Hilmer Kenty

I will think of a few more. We would hear stories about the gym wars there and how it was steaming hot in there with the heat cranked up all the time.

Mike McCallum
Jimmy Paul
Anthony Jones
Gerald McClellan
Alvin Hayes
Jesse benavides
Duane Thomas

[bollox]

Ricky Womack was a tough Lt heavy that got beat by Holyfield for the '84 Olympic team. He later went to jail for rape. I think he died in prison or soon after he got out.

He died after he got out. I remember reading a story on him years ago where Steward arranged a nice place for him to live and also bought him a car (which Womack then destroyed, so Steward replaced it for him). Nice guy Steward, not such a nice guy, Womack

[bollox]

Dennis Andries went to Kronk after Hearns destroyed him in 1987, asking Steward to train him. Steward was reluctant due to Andries' age, thinking it'd be almost impossible to change or improve Andries' boxing, but he managed to do it

Jeff Fench was also trained by Steward for a while

[Rover]

Thanks Ez.
That gym was full of good fighters at that time
Milt McCrory
Steve McCrory
Bernard Mays
Dujuan Johnson
Jl Ivey
Mickey Goodwin
BrettSummers
Jackie Beard
Hilmer Kenty

I will think of a few more. We would hear stories about the gym wars there and how it was steaming hot in there with the heat cranked up all the time.

Mike McCallum
Jimmy Paul
Anthony Jones
Gerald McClellan
Alvin Hayes
Jesse benavides
Duane Thomas

Was Steward with McCallum when he won the title? If not, that's another hard case to quantify (whether he was a Steward fighter).
G-Man was a sad case; he could've done so much more. Fuckin Asaro.

[elmersalsa]

That was some sad news. I didn't even knew that he died after 10 days after. Emanuel Steward was one of the greatest trainers of all time. At the time of the great Thomas Hearns prime, Steward was not considered a great trainer yet. The unification bout with the great Sugar Ray Leonard was one of Steward's and Hearns low points. Steward was truly hurt when his fighter lost that sensational fight. Also he got truly hurt when Hearns lost to the great Marvin Hagler. I would like to know how Steward met Tommy? Somebody should make a movie about the life of this great trainer and manager.

I didn't know that Steward was pretty good amateur fighter himself. He was 97-3 as an amateur. Something like that.

I also read that he was an electrician before being a trainer.

[Rover]

That was some sad news. I didn't even knew that he died after 10 days after. Emanuel Steward was one of the greatest trainers of all time. At the time of the great Thomas Hearns prime, Steward was not considered a great trainer yet. The unification bout with the great Sugar Ray Leonard was one of Steward's and Hearns low points. Steward was truly hurt when his fighter lost that sensational fight. Also he got truly hurt when Hearns lost to the great Marvin Hagler. I would like to know how Steward met Tommy? Somebody should make a movie about the life of this great trainer and manager.

I didn't know that Steward was pretty good amateur fighter himself. He was 97-3 as an amateur. Something like that.

I also read that he was an electrician before being a trainer.

Five "great," one "good," and one "sensational."
Not bad.
If I remember correctly from Legendary Nights, Hearns came to Kronk.

[vagabundo55]

That was some sad news. I didn't even knew that he died after 10 days after. Emanuel Steward was one of the greatest trainers of all time. At the time of the great Thomas Hearns prime, Steward was not considered a great trainer yet. The unification bout with the great Sugar Ray Leonard was one of Steward's and Hearns low points. Steward was truly hurt when his fighter lost that sensational fight. Also he got truly hurt when Hearns lost to the great Marvin Hagler. I would like to know how Steward met Tommy? Somebody should make a movie about the life of this great trainer and manager.

I didn't know that Steward was pretty good amateur fighter himself. He was 97-3 as an amateur. Something like that.

I also read that he was an electrician before being a trainer.

Five "great," one "good," and one "sensational."
Not bad.
If I remember correctly from Legendary Nights, Hearns came to Kronk.

Agreed it will remain legendary even when the name is forgotten. In any case I have to thank Elmersalsa for helping me learn of Niccolino Loche.

[Sids]

Gerald McClellan was a beast, French ref in his fight against Benn was a dick.

[Nile4000]

Tony Tucker was trained by Emanuel Stewart for a time.

[matko]

Did James toney train with bill miller here or at another gym?