Hearns had turned pro in November 1977, and would win his first 17 fights by KO before Alfonso Hayman took him the distance in April 1979, the only welterweight to accomplish that feat. The result was a welterweight whose jab alone was a knockout punch. However once the amateur shackles were off, Steward taught Hearns how to use leverage to maximize his power. The result was a fighter who struck the same kind of abject fear into an opponent as Mike Tyson also would a few years later.Īs an amateur, Steward had coached Hearns to focus on his boxing, and he compiled a 155-8 record, scoring just seven KOs. Hearns possessed a cold, almost sad-eyed stare – like a jaded hitman – and he punched incredibly hard. At 6’1” Hearns was unusually tall for a welterweight, and yet he looked far from frail. The first Emanuel Steward protégé to make a major impact in boxing was a 19-year old Thomas Hearns in 1978. It was then that Steward made the transition to coaching professionals, and he would soon have one of the best pro stables in the country. By the mid-70s, some of these fighters were keen to turn pro, and wanted Steward to keep training them. In the early 70s, the Kronk was wall-to-wall with talented young kids, and thanks to Steward’s innovative training methods, Detroit soon became home to many of Americas top amateurs. Steward proved to be an even better boxing coach than a fighter. The Kronk had been in existence since 1929, but had been very much in the shadow of the Brewster-Wheeler Recreation Center with its connection to Joe Louis. Instead in 1971 he and his brother James began coaching the kids at the nearby Kronk Gym. Emanuel Steward Becomes a Trainerĭespite his excellent amateur career, Steward elected not to turn pro. Steward proved to be an outstanding boxer, winning the 1963 National Golden Gloves bantamweight title, and losing just three of his 97 amateur fights. He also joined the famous Brewster Recreation Center, where the great Joe Louis had trained at the start of his illustrious ring career. At that time Detroit was virtually the home of the entire US auto industry.Īfter finishing high school, the teenage Steward secured a job in a car factory. After Steward’s mother divorced his father, she and 12-year old “Manny” moved to the Motor City in 1956. Visit for more information.For someone synonymous with the city of Detroit, Emanuel Steward was actually born in the tiny community of Bottom Creek, West Virginia. Olim Nazarov (14-2, 8 KOs), Uzbekistan, six-round bantamweight main event plus six support fights. What: “Detroit Brawl” (Salita Promotions pro boxing). I took it out on my opponent.” Saturday fights “I got head-butted in a bout the night before, and it knocked my tooth loose. “It was in the semifinals,” Gordon-Smith said. It’s going to be a good fight, but I’ll be the winner.”Īs for his tooth in the Golden Gloves bout? “It will be two bulls going head to head,” he said. Gordon-Smith is expecting a pitched battle. “Smith has an unbelievable ability to slip punches and land the counterpunch. “This should be an exciting fight,” Steward said. Nazarov is unlikely to take a backward step against Gordon-Smith. Gordon-Smith, 26, will get his chance to rumble in a six-round contest Saturday against tough Uzbekistan fighter Olim Nazarov (14-2, 8 KOs). He wants to go to war when he gets in the ring.” Steward said Thursday that Gordon-Smith, who is 10-0 with six knockouts in the pro ranks, is "a very entertaining boxer, who always wants to fight hard. Steward, nephew of the legendary Kronk Gym trainer Emanuel Steward, has been working with Gordon-Smith as the promising bantamweight prepares for the main event at Saturday night’s “Detroit Brawl” at the Masonic Temple. Gordon-Smith, in typical fashion, went to work and won the bout. His trainer, Javan SugarHill Steward, looked at him and said, “What are you going to do about that?” The Detroit boxer was competing in a Golden Gloves tournament in Utah in 2009 and returned to his corner bloodied. once had a front tooth knocked out during an amateur fight.
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