Former three-belt heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs) reflected on his former head coach Emanuel Steward in a media statement today. Steward passed away in October 2012 at the age of 69 due to cancer.
Klitschko said, “Today, I want to sincerely thank the boxing legend, friend, mentor, and father figure, Emanuel Steward. Today would have been his 80th birthday. I am immensely grateful for everything Steward did for me personally and for the boxing world. He was a man of great passion, with an unwavering dedication to his work and constant pursuit of excellence. I was fortunate to be one of the 41 world champions he guided. We worked together for many years, capturing one world title after another. I promised Steward that I would keep my left hand high in the ring until the day we meet again. I love you, Emanuel.”
Klitschko began training under Steward in 2004, following his fifth-round TKO loss to Raymondo Brewster (35-6, 30 KOs), and they remained partners until Steward’s passing in 2012. These eight years marked the pinnacle of Klitschko’s career.
Under Steward’s tutelage, Klitschko’s jabbing skills significantly improved, allowing him to dominate opponents shorter than himself until his points loss to Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) in November 2015.
Wladimir Klitschko: Grateful for Everything Emanuel Steward Did. Author:Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced:https://www.sportsuefa.com/boxing-zone/wladimir-klitschko-grateful-for-everything-emanuel-steward-did.html