RIP Emanuel Steward

[marv2]

Farewell and rest in peace to the greatest boxing trainer [[Steward trained 41 world champion fighters throughout his career), a good family friend, Mr. Emanuel Steward. He passed away yesterday in Chicago at age 68. Along with all of his great accomplishments, I'll always remember he gave me one of the best birthday parties ever at his "Emanuel's Place" in Detroit complete with vocalist Allyson Williams serenading me! Thanks Manny and rest in peace!

Marv

[marv2]

[marv2]

Detroiter Emanuel Steward a legend in boxing history

Force behind famous Kronk Gym trained champs

http://www.freep.com/article/2012102...tory-knonk-gym

Emanuel Steward, the godfather of Detroit boxing and driving force behind the world-famous Kronk Gym, died Thursday surrounded by his family.

Steward, 68, the man who discovered and mentored the great Thomas Hearns, had fought for several weeks against a foe thought by many to be colon cancer -- although his sister, Diane Steward-Jones, publicly described the ailment as diverticulitis.

"He has passed -- he has gone home," Steward-Jones told the Free Press by phone less than half an hour after Steward's death. "He was in no pain, and we sang to him, as well as did the doctors present. He had loved ones around him."

One of the greatest trainers in the history of boxing, Steward underwent surgery in the Chicago area in September and had not returned to his Rosedale Park home. He died peacefully at 2:46 p.m. Thursday, said Steward-Jones, who handled business matters and public relations for her brother.

Steward-Jones said that, toward the end, her brother still was trying to recruit male nurses and other medical staff at the hospital to box for him.

"They loved him," Steward-Jones said. "He'd tell them to lose some weight and fight for him."

As she spoke to the Free Press, Steward-Jones said she was trying to stay busy tidying up Steward's hospital room.

"He gave it his all," she said. "But he's been called away now."

Thomas Hearns, a world champion in six weight classes, and his son, Ronald Hearns, were shattered by the news that Steward had died.

"Emanuel was like a daddy to me," the older Hearns said. "The man literally changed my life. I loved him and respected him so much."

Ronald Hearns, also a fighter, grew up around Steward and his father at Kronk Gym.

"It's crushing," the younger Hearns said. "Emanuel always made me feel like one of the family. Emanuel loved me. He always told me that God has a plan for you. I'm feeling so sad right now."

Jackie Kallen, a former Kronk public relations person and later manager of world champion James Toney, broke down at the news.

"I will never get over losing Emanuel Steward," said Kallen, the inspiration for the 2004 movie "Against the Ropes," starring Meg Ryan.

"I can't tell you how much he meant to a young Jewish girl like me trying to establish myself in the boxing game. I'd be nothing in my life and in the world of boxing without Emanuel. My heart is broken."

Anita Ruiz, executive director of the Kronk Gym Foundation, one of Steward's fund-raisers for at-risk youth, and a friend, said she would commit to keeping Steward's charity work going in his memory.

"I'm committed to carry on the Kronk Gym Foundation," Ruiz said. "First and foremost, I thank God for allowing me to share part of Emanuel's life with him, and I send my condolences to his family. I thank God for the years working with him. I loved him very much."

Born in Bottom Creek, W.Va., Steward moved at age 12 with his mother to Detroit, where he became a street-smart kid with a short fuse and quick fists.

In a life-changing move away from street gangs, Steward joined the Brewster Recreation Center and began an amateur boxing career, winning the 1963 Golden Gloves tournament in the bantamweight division.

With his family needing his financial support, Steward became a lineman with the city before he and his half brother, James Steward, began coaching at the Kronk, a hotbed for young amateur fighters on McGraw in Detroit.

Steward took the Kronk to dizzying heights in the 1970s and '80s, transforming a skinny neighborhood kid named Thomas Hearns into one of the most devastating punchers in the history of the ring and mentoring a gallery of supporting champs over the years, including Hilmer Kenty, Jimmy Paul, Duane Thomas, Dennis Andries, Steve McCrory, Milton McCrory, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and present-day heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko, whom Steward was training until he recently fell ill.

Klitschko, in a statement, said: "It is not often that a person in any line of work gets a chance to work with a legend. ... I was privileged enough to work with one for almost a decade. I will miss our time together."

Joseph Donofrio, longtime boxing and MMA promoter at the Palace in Auburn Hills, said he learned plenty from Steward.

"Emanuel was a great inspiration in my life," Donofrio said. "He taught me how to promote. He was a legend in Detroit. He taught me you have to give the fans a great product and they'll show their appreciation in ticket sales. He was one of the best trainers, managers and sometime promoters in the world."

Although the original Kronk Gym, which was housed in the basement of the Kronk Recreation Center, was closed by the City of Detroit because of financial hardship in 2006, Steward was able to relocate the heart and soul of the Kronk to a small building on West Warren, a few blocks west of Southfield Road, where champions and street kids still train on heavy bags shoulder-to-shoulder.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said in a statement Thursday afternoon: "With the loss of Emanuel Steward, we have lost a true Detroit icon. Emanuel Steward embodied our city's toughness, our competitive spirit and our determination to always answer the bell.

"We are grateful for Emanuel Steward's many contributions to our city and his impact on generations of young people."

Earlier Thursday, Frank Garza, a leading Michigan fight referee, said of his friend: "Emanuel was Mr. Boxing in Detroit. He was like Gordie Howe is to Detroit hockey and Al Kaline to Detroit baseball.

"He loved to live and he loved to give. He was a down-to-earth guy when you were with him. As a trainer, he was a brilliant strategist. If you ever wanted to win a fight, you just listened to his advice."

Steward, a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame, worked for 11 years as an HBO color boxing analyst. He also was relentless in his charity work around Detroit despite his heavy workload of training the best fighters in the world and up-and-coming amateurs.

Dr. James Weber, chairman of the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, was gutted by Steward's death.

"It's a tremendous loss to his family, the city of Detroit and boxing," Weber said. "Emanuel was a friend. He was incredibly kind to me. He was a pioneer as a boxing trainer in Detroit, a one of a kind. There won't be another like him."

Contact Mike Brudenell: 313-222-2115 or mbrudenell@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @mikebrudenell.

More Details: Emanuel Steward

Who:
Emanuel Steward, famed boxing manager and trainer, founder of the Kronk Gym in Detroit, died Thursday at age 68.

Early life:
Born in Bottom Creek, W.Va.; moved with his mother to Detroit at age 12 in 1956. Frequented the Brewster Recreation Center, where he took up boxing. Won the national Golden Gloves in 1963.

Professional years:
Began his affiliation as a trainer and manager at the Kronk Gym in the early 1970s. Had a big year in 1980, when Hilmer Kenty won the World Boxing Association lightweight title in March, becoming Steward’s first champion; Thomas Hearns followed suit in August. Steward trained or managed more than 40 champions in all.

Kronk legacy:
The gym on McGraw closed in 2006 when the city shut down many recreation centers because of financial woes. Moved to Warren Avenue near Southfield Road in Detroit.

Later years:
Worked as a boxing analyst for HBO while continuing to train and manage fighters, including heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko. Elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997.

His favorite moments

In February 2009, Free Press sports writer Mike Brudenell asked Emanuel Steward for his favorite boxing memories. Here’s what Steward, the Kronk Gym founder who died Thursday, said:

“Standing toe-to-toe and winning the national Golden Gloves title [[118 pounds) in Chicago in 1963. Everyone expected me to get KO’d. I lost the first round big and won the next two big. My opponent was Frank Glover of Columbus, Ohio. It was a slugfest. Winning changed my whole life. I fought out of the Lasky gym after training at Brewster.”

“Hilmer Kenty winning the WBA lightweight championship from Ernesto Espana at Joe Louis Arena on March 2, 1980. No one knew who he was. It was a big gamble to take the fight. Hilmer was basically just a kid. We were told that we shouldn’t throw him in against such a great champion. Joe Louis was on hand, and so were Muhammad Ali and Coleman Young. Kenty fought like a man possessed, winning on a ninth-round TKO. The place went berserk.”

“Tommy Hearns, who followed Hilmer’s title win with a championship of his own at Joe Louis Arena on Aug. 2, 1980, when he scored a second-round TKO over Pipino Cuevas for the WBA welterweight title. Cuevas was a puncher, but Tommy stopped him early with his own left hook. Tommy kept backing him up. He systematically broke him down.”

[Jerry Oz]

I was a huge Marvin Hagler fan and my brother thinks that Sugar Ray Leonard is still the greatest boxer ever. Consequently, we both had our guys battle Manny Steward's best boxer, Tommy Hearns, in epic contests. Manny was special; I would have thought he was ten years older than he was. May he RIP and may his family be blessed during this sad time.