THE first and only time I was lucky enough to meet the late, great Emanuel Steward was in Limerick, Ireland. It was May 2010 and Steward was working the corner as his middleweight puncher, Andy Lee, disposed of the hapless Mamadou Thiam in two rounds.
Slipping and sliding to the canvas, while still in muscular shape, France’s Thiam was far removed from the fearsome-looking specimen who had lasted just a round longer with Felix Trinidad, 10 years previously.
Exiting the University of Limerick in such a feeble manner that the Boxing Union of Ireland revoked his entire purse, Thiam gave Steward and his charge little to worry about.
As Lee soaked up the usual congratulatory hullabaloo backstage, tracksuited Steward cut a calm figure, exuding authority. Holding an impromptu court, any journalists in close proximity hushed their voices and picked up dictaphones or notepads to record and scribble. When Steward spoke, you listened.
On this day, October 25, 2012, Emanuel Steward died at the age of 68. The official cause was revealed to be complications following surgery for diverticulosis, a stomach condition. Steward left behind a partner, two daughters, two sisters and an untouchable legacy of boxing achievements and memories.
Despite never boxing professionally, Emanuel was an accomplished amateur who turned his hand to coaching after showing an aptitude for life on the other side of the ropes.
Some of the moments that stick out came from his work on the mic as a commentary analyst for HBO. While labelling round nine of Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward’s epic first fight as the round of the century, Steward was also on fine form during the Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto fight, allowing himself to be swept up in the ebbs and flows of the contest.
However, the one that sticks out for me was James Toney’s bout with IBF cruiserweight king Vasiliy Jirov in 2003. As Jirov relentlessly rumbled forward, trying to make a dent in the talented Toney, shots repeatedly bounced off the champion’s skull.
Accompanying the action was the sounds of Steward, ooohing and arring as every punch landed, following along like a true fan of the sport.
His magical work on the mic is only a small portion of his life’s work in boxing. Steward’s Kronk gym churned out champions, including Tommy Hearns, who was transformed from a stringbean amateur to a fierce-fisted pro.
Emanuel stabilised the heavyweight careers of Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko, respectively, tightening technique, encouraging defensive responsibility, and utilising the jab and power punches in each fighter.
With many of his boxers donning the iconic Kronk colours, Steward trained 41 world champions in all. The likes of Adonis Stevenson, Jermain Taylor, Gerald McClellan, Mark Breland and Evander Holyfield all passed through, with many more joining them at various points.
Limerick’s Andy Lee would often set up camp in Austria to train alongside Klitschko as Wlad fine-tuned his skills during a phenomenal championship reign. Steward rarely lost his cool in the corner, although he found himself in some unforgettable situations across the years.
Two moments of frustration exemplify the standards Steward set, in order to reach and maintain a career at the top level. First, his vocal frustration at Naseem Hamed’s perceived lack of discipline and unwillingness to listen during their time together at the tail end of Hamed’s career.
During this period, the UK local press somewhat unflatteringly described Steward as, “…currently the top gun-for-hire in boxing training, a man generally brought in when there is a problem.”
The problems in Hamed’s camp were growing by the week. ‘Manny’ found himself in the briefly bizarre position of sharing a corner and instructional responsibilities with Oscar Suarez during his first fight with the ‘Prince’.
Unafraid to make his feelings known when the time was right, Steward’s impassioned dressing down of Wladimir Klitschko during his drab dismantling of Eddie Chambers in 2010 also stands out. Considerably smaller and lighter, Chambers was no match for Wlad, who pawed and poked at him round after round, winning at a canter.
As the fight dwindled towards an unsatisfactory points ending, Steward let rip in the corner, imploring the passive Ukrainian to finish the job in style. “You got to let the punches go, you’re a big man, let the shots go!” he roared.
Emanuel’s voice rang in his fighter’s ears and echoed from ringside throughout the entire 12th round as Klitschko fought with renewed intent, landing hard shots aplenty, eventually halting Chambers with just seconds to spare.
Contrary to the calm, controlled figure who sat in the shadows of Limerick University, less than two months later, Steward’s passion bubbled to the surface when required. It captured a deep love of boxing, resulting in a lifetime of victories and remarkable longevity at the summit.
