As some of those who are closer to me know, I have a deep love for the art of pugilism having grown-up in a family that have done it, still do it and love it too (the latter also definately including the women), but this is not just a post about my love for boxing and the action inside the ring, but the huge amounts of benefits this noblest of sports brings outside of the ring too. This is in memory of one of the greatest trainers of all time who sadly passed away last week, Emanuel Steward, for he was a father figure to any of the boys he coached from severely troubled backgrounds, a gentlemen inside and outside the ring.
What he gave to the sport, to the world and therefore to so many of us is simply incredible and purely from his heart. He gave a home to those that lacked even shelter, drove men to higher deeds and helped create, build and fine tune 43 world champions. The type of coach and man he was to these athletes is the kind of coach and aspiring figure I hope to become especially when I go into coaching myself later in life so that boxing can not have a monopoly on such kinds of coaches as him, Fudge, Dundee... These guys and especially Emanuel Steward, are what sport and boxing is all about and I feel inspired by them as much as by the deeds of their boxers.
For those of you who haven't listened to it yet here's 5Live's tribute to Emanuel Steward
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nx9g9/5_live_Sport_5_live_Boxing_Tribute_to_Emanuel_Steward/
And here's the links to the greatest fight/one of the greatest boxing contests in history.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHqEUX2Vw6k part 1 of The War
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJLmjsnD09w&feature=relmfu part 2 of The War
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