Trainer Steward takes on key role in amateur boxing

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, April 2, 2002 | 10:48 a.m.

It didn't require any prodding to get Emanuel Steward to accept the challenge of becoming the National Director of Coaching for USA Boxing.

Steward, perhaps the most revered trainer in the sport, added the amateur duties to his busy schedule in January and will be in Las Vegas today through Saturday for the Everlast U.S. Men's National Championships at Caesars Palace.

If there are sacrifices to be made, Steward is more than willing to make them.

"This might not be as big a jump for me as people would think," Steward said Monday from his gym in Detroit. "I've drifted away from having as many pros as I used to and I was spending most of my time with amateurs anyway, going to tournaments almost every weekend and trying to rebuild my Kronk team.

"Those factors and a couple of other things motivated me to take the job."

Foremost of those motivating factors was Steward's pride as an American.

"I was in Las Vegas in Dr. (Robert) Voy's office when he showed me that the United States was tied for 10th place when it comes to being successful in international boxing," he said. "I could hardly believe it.

"It was embarrassing."

Voy, the reigning president of USA Boxing, confirmed the meeting and shares Steward's concern as it pertains to the American program.

"It's pretty well documented by the International Federation that we're no better than 10th," Voy said. "We're below France, if you can believe that. That's how embarrassing it is."

Additionally, Steward and Voy are certain the amateur scoring rules as they are currently construed have an anti-American bias to them, and that the only way to overcome that obstacle is through better training.

"Being realistic, the whole world is against the United States," Steward said. "Regardless of who's judging (international sports), they're solidly united to destroy the U.S.

"We know the judges are against us, which gives us the choice of withdrawing from sports competition or working within the system."

American fighters have yet to adapt to a system in which punch-count totals determine a bout's winner when there isn't a knockout or a referee's stoppage.

"The system worked years ago but then they changed it to work against the United States and we haven't adjusted," Steward said. "When they went to computerized scoring, our kids responded by being cute and shoe-shining their punches.

"But jabs, body punches and even beautiful four- and five-punch combinations aren't worth a thing if they don't jolt the opponent's head back. The system in place today benefits slower, older men."

And slower, older men aren't found on America's national team.

"Our guys haven't been getting much international experience, but when they do reach that level they're going to be boxing men," Steward said. "The Russians, the Cubans ... most countries have national boxing teams that are stocked with men.

"They don't have any boys."

There's no quibbling with the international results, as the U.S. failed to earn a gold medal in boxing in the 2000 Olympics. For those who need further evidence that this is more than just a passing trend, consider: David Reid won the only U.S. gold in the 1996 Olympics; Oscar De La Hoya was the only American gold medalist in 1992; but three Americans -- Kennedy McKinney, Andrew Maynard and Ray Mercer -- were gold medalists in 1988, and an unprecedented nine Americans -- Paul Gonzales, Steve McCrory, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, Jerry Page, Mark Breland, Frank Tate, Henry Tillman and Tyrell Biggs -- were Olympic gold medalists in 1984, albeit helped by a Communist boycott of those Los Angeles Games.

Steward, 57, and the trainer of current heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, trained four of those '84 winners. He's also a former National Golden Gloves champion himself (in 1963) and is a member of both the International and World Boxing halls of fame.

"Two gold medalists in 12 years is not acceptable and it doesn't say much for this country," Steward said. "Reid won with some lucky punches and Oscar won a nobody-cared type of decision, and that's all we have to show for the last three Olympics.

"I take that personally."

So does Voy.

"There's no excuse for us not excelling," he said. "We have to learn how to win a fight, as others already have.

"Emanuel's absolutely right: There's too much nationalism in international sports, but other countries have figured out how to win with computerized scoring in boxing and now we have to, too.

"We've had problems since they've gone to the computers, but I think Emanuel Steward has the right ideas and that he'll be a great boon to our organization."

Steward said he's up to a challenge that, many would agree, he is best suited to tackle.

"Dr. Voy told me a Cuban coach had said that only I could bring the U.S. back, but that he thought I wouldn't do it because I had so many pros," he said. "He said that I was the only one actually coaching guys who were knocking people out."

Steward said he has the complete cooperation of USA Boxing as he sets out on this quest.

"I was told, 'Whatever your methods, if you get the results we won't interfere,' " he said. "It's not like there has been a plan laid out that I have to follow, so the particulars are pretty much up to me. But I've got the whole country to choose from and the desire to make a difference.

"But it's a rough job. Other countries, I hate to say it, already have their (2004) teams set but we won't have a feel for ours for at least six months. But I'm going to do the best I can.

"We're too good of a country to be down in 10th place. We've got to do something about that."

The Everlast U.S. Men's Championships open this afternoon in the sports pavilion at Caesars Palace and will have two sessions each of its first three days, followed by Friday and Saturday evening sessions. Tickets range from $10-20 for the first three days and $15-30 Friday and $25-40 Saturday. Session packages are also available from $60 to $130.

Some 250 regional and armed forces champions will compete in 12 weight classes. Colorado Springs, Colo., has hosted the tournament the previous 14 years.

In a related item, Steward's Kronk team will take on a team from North Las Vegas' Nevada Partners on Saturday on Fremont Street near Fitzgeralds, with heavyweight contender Chris Byrd participating in a free clinic that begins at 4 p.m.

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