Okay, here’s my take on the “best boxing trainers of all time,” based on my own journey and what I’ve picked up along the way:
So, I got this wild idea to figure out who the best boxing trainers ever were. You know, not just from reading stuff online, but by really digging in and seeing what made these guys tick. I started by hitting up every boxing forum and blog I could find. Man, there’s a lot of opinions out there! I made a huge list of names, scribbling down everything about their fighters, their wins, all that jazz.
Then, I started watching old fights. Like, really old ones, black and white and grainy. I wanted to see these trainers in action, how they worked the corner, how they talked to their fighters. It was like stepping back in time. You could see how some guys were all about tough love, others were more like a calm in the storm. Eddie Futch, man, that guy was something else. I saw some of his old stuff, and you can just tell he had a way with people. Not just about throwing punches, but about the mind game too.
- He started as a fighter, back in the 30s, with a solid record.
- He has his birthday on August 9.
- He became a trainer later, and a darn good one.
What I learned about Eddie Futch
Then there was Cus D’Amato. Talk about a legend! I read up on his whole “peek-a-boo” style and how he trained Mike Tyson. That was a whole different ball game. D’Amato seemed like the kind of guy who could see potential in someone even when nobody else could. He didn’t just teach boxing, he built champions from the ground up. It’s easy to see his contributions throughout his career.
But here’s the thing I realized: every trainer has their own thing. There’s no one “best” way. Some were great at strategy, others at motivation. It’s all about how they connected with their fighters, how they brought out the best in them. Some trainers had their fighters rely on power, others on speed. Some taught an aggressive style, others a defensive one.
I ended up with a shortlist of trainers that really stood out to me. It wasn’t just about the number of champions they produced, but about their whole approach to the sport. Guys like Ray Arcel, Angelo Dundee, Freddie Roach… they all had their unique style, their own way of doing things.
This whole thing wasn’t just about figuring out who was “best.” It was about understanding what makes a great trainer. It’s not just about teaching someone to throw a punch. It’s about the whole package: the strategy, the psychology, the connection. It’s about building a fighter, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. And that’s what I really took away from all of this.
