Legendary coach Emanuel Steward has revealed the best fighter that he ever had the pleasure of working with during his training career, but it’s not Oscar De La Hoya.
Based out of the world famous Kronk Boxing Gym in Detroit, Steward would go on to coach no less than 41 world champions throughout the course of his tenure, including five-weight world champion Thomas ‘The Hitman’ Hearns.
Steward also played a key role in the careers of former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former unified heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, as well as legendary fighter-turned-promoter De La Hoya.
De La Hoya linked up with Steward back in 1997 ahead of his victories over David Kamau and Hector Camacho, making successful defences of his WBC welterweight title against both.
In a resurfaced interview, Steward revealed De La Hoya to be the second best fighter that he ever coached, claiming the five-weight world champion had ‘tremendous natural talent’.
“Oscar had tremendous natural talent. In fact, he had phenomenal talent. I’d probably say Oscar was the most naturally talented guy I worked with as a pro. Although one guy I worked with, but not as a pro, only as an amateur, was “Sugar” Ray Leonard. He was the most gifted guy I ever saw. Next to him, it’s De La Hoya.”
Steward went on to reveal the best fighter that he ever trained, naming none other than boxing legend Thomas Hearns.
“Not only was Tommy the best fighter I ever worked with, he was also the most exciting. For me, climbing in the ring whenever Tommy fought, it was just so exciting. Tommy was very special. He was probably the closest reflection to my own style of fighting.
“With Tommy, he had so many outstanding qualities it’s hard to list just one – but he was so dedicated. Tommy worked so hard in the gym. If I told him, ‘Tommy, today you spar 20 rounds.’ He’d say ‘Okay.’ That’s just the way he was – dedicated.”
Hearns became the first fighter in boxing history to win world titles in five weight classes back in 1989 when he defeated Dennis Andries to capture the WBC light-heavyweight title, having also claimed gold at welterweight, light middleweight, middleweight and super middleweight.
‘The Hitman’ shared the ring with a number of legendary fighters during his decorated career, including the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
