A Tale of Two Fights - Capturing The Magic of Emanuel Steward

[richard]

Emanuel Steward is arguably the most successful and well known trainer in boxing today.

He has successfully trained over 30 world champions, including such great professional champions as Lennox Lewis, Oscar de la Hoya, Evander Holyfield, Tommy Hearns, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Jermain Taylor. He has also successfully trained John Oden, white collar boxer - that's me! So, how did I wind up in this grouping of champion professional boxers trained by Emanuel, and what is white collar boxing, anyway?

Today, boxing has three distinct categories of participation. The first is professional boxing, represented by the Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s and the Oscar De La Hoya's of the world. Fights can be staged for up to 12 three-minute rounds. The second category is amateur. There are two major formal organizations that exist at the amateur level, the Olympics and the Golden Gloves. Both professional and amateur boxing matches are always fought on a competitive level, with a winner and loser declared at the end of each fight.

The third category of boxers is everyone else! We have become known as white collar boxers-"regular people" who are businessmen, teachers, carpenters, attorneys, accountants, doctors, office workers, writers, cab drivers, etc - people who love the sport and use it to get into great shape and have fun. Today this activity is known as white collar boxing and it can be found in athletic clubs, like the New York Athletic Club, and other private clubs around the country, and in certain boxing gyms throughout the world that promote white collar matches, like Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn and The Real Fight Club in London. Contests consist of three two-minute rounds, with one minute between rounds. The gloves used in white collar boxing are sixteen-ounces, almost twice the size of the ten-ounce gloves used in professional boxing, so more padding in the gloves in white collar boxing, but it still hurts!

And although competitive, no winner or loser is declared in white collar boxing, and both participants receive equal recognition at the end of a fight, with both fighters' hands being raised. White collar boxing is hugely popular in certain parts of the world, such as New York City and London. In London, for example, white collar boxing is more popular than professional boxing.

I have been fortunate enough to be in the locker room leading up to two fights where Emanuel was the trainer of one of the fighters. The first was on November 10, 2004, when I fought at Hedge Fund Fight Night in London, a black tie fundraiser at the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square benefiting Operation Smile, a charity which supports reconstructive facial surgery to children and adults around the globe. I had met Emanuel a few months earlier, and he became intrigued that a businessman like me, in my 50's, would want to go to London and participate in this contest. He asked if he could train me and go with me to the fight and be in my corner. He asked me! I accepted without hesitation.

In the months leading up to the fight, I trained with my friend Gerry Cooney, who fought for the heavyweight championship of the world in 1982. Gerry and I worked out in his private gym in New Jersey, and he really put me through the paces. Emanuel arrived a week before the fight, and we trained hard at the New York Athletic Club. I had gotten in good shape thanks to Gerry Cooney, but Emanuel put on the finishing touches. He filmed me and showed me where I was lowering my right hand as I jabbed with my left. This one bit of information alone was to make a great difference in my fight in London. By the time I spent a week with Emanuel, following the two months I had trained with Gerry Cooney, I was really ready for the fight. Off Emanuel and I went to London.

The night of the fight was a dreary and rainy London night. We got to the hotel, and went to the dressing room. There were about eight fights that night, and we were the last to arrive. I was slated to be one of the first fights that night, so I started loosening up and getting ready. I was wearing a black Kronk outfit that Emanuel had given me. (Kronk is the gym in Detroit which Emanuel has trained many of his champions, including Tommy Hearns, in particular). After a while, Emanuel started taping my hands. When it comes to taping hands, Emanuel is an artist, a sculptor. He first applies a padding of gauze to the knuckles, then applies gauze all over the hand, and afterwards tapes over the gauze to add support to the hand. While doing this, he carefully applies pressure in just the right places, making the wrap secure. Finally, he adds short strips of tape between the fingers to shore up the overall firmness.

The other fighters, who were local businessmen in London, for the most part, were looking at me as this elaborate hand-taping was going on, as they were doing the best they could to self-wrap their hands with standard cloth wraps and otherwise preparing themselves as best they could. I can just imagine what they might have been thinking as Emanuel Steward, boxing trainer extraordinaire, turned my hands into stiff and protected weapons. The mood in the dressing room was jovial, and Emanuel and I started to warm up. Emanuel put my gloves on, and we went to a small room, where he warmed me up with the mitts. I developed a sweat as I loosened up well, and it became time to walk into the grand ballroom in the hotel where the fights were to be held.

After a ceremonial weigh-in, the first few fighters formed a line, and before we knew it, the first fight was underway. It ended in a knockout in the second round-the guy who was in the "blue" corner, which I was to be in during the next fight, was stopped early in the second round and left the ring with a very bloody nose. After the fight ended, the fighter with the bloody nose walked right past me-I was not phased by this, as I had seen this before. However, Emanuel told me later how impressed he was that this badly defeated and injured fighter had no effect with me. He had worked with other fighters who had freaked out when they saw another fighter hurt.

I was fighting a lawyer by the name of Gray Smith, a 38 year old hedge fund attorney in London. After the usual introductions, Gray came out firing very aggressively in the first round. Friends of mine later told me that everyone in the audience believed that I was going to be knocked out in the first round. What they couldn't see is that I was blocking or ducking every shot.

Emanuel and I had a pact that he would tell me what I was doing wrong at the end of round one, and I would make immediate adjustments. So, between rounds one and two, Emanuel told me that Gray was overextending when he threw his big right hand, and I should come back and pop him with a short right when he did that.

I went into round two with his advice guiding me. Sure enough, Gray came out firing. I watched him throw his right, overextend, and then POW, I unleashed a hard straight right and down on the canvas went Gray! I went to a neutral corner. After he took an "eight count" (when a referee stands in front of a fighter who has been hit and counts to eight, while the referee looks at the fighter carefully to make sure he is ok), and then we resumed fighting and the round ended.

Between rounds, Emanuel suggested I continue this strategy, but to be careful, as he saw Gray slam his fist into the corner as he sat down and sensed he really wanted to get even. The third round began, and I again watched Gray throw two or three of his big right hands. I waited for the right moment, while moving around the ring, and POW, I caught him with a right hook. Down he went again, this time on his face. I went to a neutral corner, and while standing there, I saw Emanuel beaming from ear to ear. The referee waived "fight over," but Gray hopped up and insisted on continuing, so I was robbed of a knockout. The bell signaling the end of the fight rang soon thereafter, and I heard and saw the crowd on its feet clapping their hands and cheering their heads off! It was a really great moment for me, particularly since it was happening in a foreign country.

Although white collar boxing has no winner or loser, I clearly had won the fight, had there been a winner declared. As it was, both of us had our hands raised, and both of us got the same handsome plaque. Gray and I shook hands, and offered pleasantries to each other. Gray was gamely sporting a black eye, but most gracious and cordial as we congratulated each other for the evening's accomplishments. Emanuel was ecstatic, and told me I had "orchestrated a beautiful symphony." He has since told the story of our great experience together in London from coast to coast, adding that it was one of his greatest nights ever in the ring. I must confess I've told it many times myself, including making it the 16th chapter in my book which was published last year, White Collar Boxing-One Man's Journey From the Office to the Ring.

Fast forward to July 26, 2006, and I am at the Manhattan Center in New York City for Cedric Kushner's Gotham Boxing, which is also being televised for ESPN2's Wednesday Night Fights. I am in the dressing room of Johnathon Banks, a professional boxer from Detroit, a cruiserweight at 197 pounds, with a record of 11-0, 8 KO's, who is managed and trained by Emanuel Steward. It is almost three hours before the fight, and I am using this opportunity to catch up with Emanuel, who I have not seen in about four months, when I was in Detroit on March 10, to watch Johnathon fight Sebastian Hill. That fight ended in a knockout for Banks, who made quick work of his man in the last fight of the night, knocking him out in the first round. I had been impressed with Johnathon in Detroit that night, and was looking forward to watching him box again. However, more than that, I was looking forward to seeing Emanuel work his magic with Johnathon that night, both in and out of the ring. I was not disappointed.

On this night, July 26, 2006, Johnathon is slated to fight Eliseo Castillo of Miami, Florida, a 196 pound cruiserweight, with at pro record of 20-1-1 (15 KO's). At stake is the NABO Cruiserweight title, which Eliseo held coming into the fight that night. Eliseo's only loss was to Wladimir Klitschko last year, when he was fighting as a heavyweight. He has since slimmed down to his current cruiserweight status.

Even though Emanuel keeps a very aggressive schedule announcing major fights for HBO, he trains and/or manages two other world champions, including IBF and IBO World Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko, and WBC and WBO World Middleweight Champion Jermain Taylor. In addition, he works with Middleweight Aaron Pryor, Jr., Junior Middleweight Octavio Lara, Junior Welterweight Geir Inge Jorgensen, Welterweight Kermit Cintron, and rising star Middleweight Andy Lee. This is all by way of saying that Emanuel does not merely sit back on his past accomplishments-he is at the forefront of what is going on in boxing today and one of the most admired ambassadors of the sport.

Johnathon is sharing his dressing room on this night with heavyweight fighter, Edward Gutierrez of Oak Lawn, Illinois, who is slated to fight former heavyweight contender David Tua. The contrast in the two camps in this dressing room is very noticeable. Gutierrez starts late, is not warmed up (at all) before the fight, and barely makes it to the ring in time to start fighting. Contrast this to the professional, relaxed, but completely prepared side of the room run by Emanuel.

In the minutes and hours leading up to the fight, Emanuel is completely on top of things for his fighter, making sure that all preparation is done in plenty of time. Johnathon is relaxing, lying back, hands over his head, while Emanuel tells our London fight story to anyone who will listen. When he tells it, he chuckles to himself. "That was a night! I remember it like it was yesterday," he said. "I don't have a particularly good memory, but I remember everything that happened in London so vividly."

He then goes into great detail, describing the training in New York, the business meetings he attended with me in London before the fight, the pre-fight work in the dressing room, details of rounds one through three, the two knockdowns, all of it. By the time he finishes, everyone in the room is listening. Johnathon Banks has even cracked a smile. The story serves to lighten up the tense pre-fight atmosphere in the room.

About an hour and 15 minutes before the fight is scheduled to start, Emanuel starts to wrap Johnathon's hands. I remember the drill quite well. There he is, sculpting, working with the scissors, creating a work of art, a sculpture. When it is finished, he has created two masterpieces, one on each hand. The wrapped hands were then inspected and signed by George Ward, an Inspector of the New York State Boxing Commission-something that doesn't take place in white collar boxing.

The trainer of Edward Gutierrez finally finishes wrapping his hands. Edward leaves the dressing room under the impatient urging of the ring officials. There is no time for him to warm up. He goes into the ring absolutely cold. And against David Tua!

It's about an hour til fight time. Emanuel starts to warm up Johnathon. He uses the mitts, just like he did with me. It's the same drill. Johnathon moves around, shadow boxing, up and bobbing. Johnathon is a real pro, extremely well prepared, very focused. His mental preparation is as evident as his physical preparation.

We get the word that David Tua has knocked out Edward Gutierrez in the fourth found. There is to be one four round fight, and then it is Johnathon's turn.

The atmosphere in the dressing room has turned from light hearted, to intense and serious. No smiles. No talking. Emanuel seems relaxed, confident for his fighter. In the final minutes leading up the fight, Johnathon sits quietly, with intense concentration. He moves around just enough to keep a sweat flowing. He displays confidence, but at the same time is taking nothing for granted.

Johnathon's cut man is James Ali Bashir. There are no cut men in white collar boxing. This is mainly because a headgear is worn in white collar boxing, which prevents most cuts to the face. James has been working with Emanuel for 10 years, and with Johnathon for most of his career. I ask him how he feels about the fight. James admits that he has concern because this fight is a big step-up in class for Johnathon. It is an important, defining fight for Johnathon, but James feels he has trained hard and is ready. Among other things, Johnathon has sparred at least 100 rounds with Wladimir Klitschko, and done well in those sessions. James predicted Johnathon to win by a decision, or by a late round TKO. Johnathon had trained for this fight to go the distance. James thinks that his fighter needs to pick it up after the third round, and apply pressure from there on.

We get the word that it is time, and we move to the ring. Johnathon's fight is staged as the "main event" of the evening. Joining Johnathon on his walk are Emanuel, James, and Andy Lee, Emanuel's promising Irish middleweight, who is a good friend of Johnathon's. I tag along behind the fighter and trainers, and find myself a good seat near ringside, thanks to Cedric Kushner, the promoter. I remembered my other walk to the ring with Emanuel so well. But this night in New York is truly the real deal, though mine seemed very real to me at the time.

The fight itself was exciting! The fighters looked evenly matched, and there was a good trading of punches from the opening bell. Toward the middle of the first round, Johnathon got caught with a picture perfect right hand to the head. Down he went and hard. He got up slow, wobbly. He was in bad shape, but he hung on. He tied up Castillo, clumsily, but he kept on his feet. Then Castillo caught him with another shot. Banks found himself on the canvas for the second time. Castillo sensed victory and finished strong. Again, Johnathon managed to hang on and the round ended. He had survived. But what was in store from him in the next round?

Between rounds, Emanuel worked his magic-a simple, direct message, much as what he had done for me. He told Banks that he was punching from too far back, that he should punch from closer range. He told him he should settle down, that he was too anxious. Finally, he told him to just concentrate on basic boxing-jab and move, good counterpunching. The message, like the one he had given to me almost 20 months earlier in London was simple, direct, and right on point.

In the second round, Banks followed Emanuel's instruction and stabilized things. He had collected himself. It appeared to me that Castillo had lost some of his enthusiasm, perhaps because he wasn't able to close the show in the earlier round. It may have been that he had punched himself out in the first round. I sensed that Banks could really turn it around from here. Between rounds two and three, Emanuel's advice was pretty much the same-don't punch too far out, keep steady, concentrate on basic boxing.

In the third round, Banks began to take control. Castillo seemed to be folding mentally. In the fourth round Castillo started to fall to pieces, and Banks knocked out Castillo. Emanuel, Andy and James piled in the ring screaming at the top of their lungs. It was an exciting moment! Johnathon really showed his courage that night-he had every right to be proud, now 12-0 with 9 KO's, and the holder of the NABO Cruiserweight title.

I went to the locker room to congratulate Johnathon. He was calm and collected, not boastful, but obviously quite proud. After things calmed down somewhat, I went over to Johnathon and offered my congratulations. He looked at me and gave me one of the greatest compliments I have ever received as a boxer, when he said, "I was able to do what you did!" I am sure I beamed with pride.

Emanuel told me that he was very proud of Johnathon, because he did not panic when he encountered a tough situation where he could have been knocked out. He said that Johnathon showed real determination, and most importantly, "He listened. That's what you want in a fighter, one who listens." He went on to compare the two fights, mine with Johnathon's, saying that one of the things that made my fight so great was that I had listened to him, too. This again made me very proud.

The rest of the night was just a blur, as we celebrated at the bar. Emanuel gave interviews and signed autographs all night. I was just glad to be a part of it.

When I think back on the two fights, I see some differences, but many parallels. White collar boxing is, at its core, boxing. The fear I get when I go in the ring is just as real as it is for Johnathon Banks or Lennox Lewis. Boxing at any level is serious business, and it is important for anyone trying the sport to realize this. I prepare two months or more for every fight I have, and that includes many personal and professional sacrifices along the way.

Emanuel had a great time training me. I presented a different type of person for him to work with, a different challenge. He met the challenge very well, and made the most of the experience. The things I felt and saw in Johnathon Banks' dressing room were those I had experienced myself. Though my "level of play" was at a much lower level than Emanuel is used to working with, he was able to really help me achieve my very best potential. He also helped Johnathon Banks achieve his. We both had tough fights against tough opponents-all things in life are relative, after all. We were both able to rise to the occasion. But we weren't alone in our respective journeys-we both had the best corner man in the business in our respective corners. Isn't that what a really great coach or trainer should do in that type of situation? Isn't a terrific coach supposed to be able to bring out the best in anyone? Help them achieve their potential? Be the best that they can be?

Emanuel Steward worked the same great magic on me as he did on Johnathon Banks. He achieved the same result for both. What a great tribute to a truly great trainer-in my opinion, the best in the game today!

John E. Oden can be reached by email at joden@nyc.rr.com


Source
By John E. Oden
secondsout.com

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