Behind every great boxer are boxing coaches and trainers that help build a team. Not one trainer will be a fit for just any boxer, as there are many factors that come into play. Things such as style and personality will make a huge difference in who is a perfect fit. How does the coach and boxer complement one another and more importantly how do they make each other better? Let us look at a few aspects such as what is the role of a boxing coach, styles of a boxing coach, and who are some of the greatest boxing coaches in the sport. All have pieces of greatness that can elevate a boxer from good to great and its all about what they can bring to the table.
First, let us look at what role should a boxing coach have and although this may change based on the fighter, it will have an overall baseline of needs. A good coach will help a fighter get physically fit and bring them to a higher level, whether it be in or out of the ring. The goal is to train for whatever the situation whether it be an amateur or pro bout. What do you as a fighter need to work on and what are your strengths? A great boxing coach needs to have both mental and physical qualities and create an equal balance of the two. To help train you the coach needs to have some type of experience, which does not always translate to a former fighter. You should always investigate the history of a coach, such as, who have they trained before, what their resume is, etc. They should be organized, prepared, and analytic. A coach should be able to motivate you with ease and must know the type of personality you are. Finally, a great coach will communicate openly and clearly with you, leading with optimism through success and failure. A great trainer and coach are about making you the best boxer that you can be.
Look behind some of the all-time greats such as Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, and Mike Tyson. What do all have in common? A great team of boxing coaches and trainers who have helped them make their careers what they are. A great coach will not only have experience but technical knowledge about you and your opponents. They can help you tweak imperfections in your footwork, defense, offense, and find those same imperfections of your next opponent. This also means a coach who can get you in peak physical performance for your next fight. But at the same time not overtraining you and leaving you fatigued before fight night. Coaching styles can range from the friend who knows everything about his fighter to the creative and understanding coach. A style can even mean the chemistry a coach can form with his fighter. Can he change for your fight plan, can he plan for your training, and is he able to adapt to you? Sometimes you aren’t looking for the trainer, sometimes the trainer finds you. They may see something in you and want to train you to the next level or it may even be something that you don’t see in yourself.
The greats, those men who fine-tuned some of the best boxers in the world are truly hard to find. First up is Cus D’Amato who trained none other than Mike Tyson. But he didn’t stop there, he also trained Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres. He was also the man who invented the peek-a-boo style of boxing made famous by Tyson. Another one of the greats is Freddie Roach who most famously worked with Manny Pacquiao. Roach is one to fine tune by teaching fundamentals and making what they are already good at, better. Next, Angelo Dundee who coached the great Muhammad Ali but also helped George Foreman with his comeback and Sugar Ray win multiple titles. Finally, there is Abel Sanchez who helped GGG aka Gennady Golovkin utilize the Mexican Style and go on to be one of the best middleweights of his time. The list could go on and on with others such as John David Jackson, Virgil Hunter, Robert Garcia, Teddy Atlas, and Brian McIntyre. Each of these men posses their own strengths and the relationship they have built with their fighters was essential.
Finding the right boxing coach for you comes down to the role they will have on your team, the style you both possess, and how you complement each other. What works with one may not work with another. However, how you are both able to adapt is what makes it work. There may be many boxing coaches out there but there is only one perfect fit for you.
If you could have any boxing coach who would it be? Let us know in the comments below!
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