When Emanuel Steward spoke, the boxing world tended to listen.
He passed away on October 25, 2012, aged 68, but left behind a legacy that will continue to be revered for generations. Famed for his work at Detroit’s world-renowned Kronk Gym, Steward guided countless fighters to world titles –– including Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko –– and carved out an equally celebrated career as an HBO analyst alongside Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman.
A few months before his death, Steward was asked by journalist James Slater to name his top 10 fighters of all time. Lists of that nature are common, but some carry more weight than others –– and Steward’s certainly does.
From numbers 10 to 5, the legendary trainer selected Roberto Durán, Manny Pacquiao, Sam Langford, George Foreman and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the latter having famously toppled Steward and Hearns in their 1985 war.
His top five featured exclusively American fighters from eras spanning the 1930s to the 1980s. Former heavyweight champion Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis headed the group at No. 5, followed by featherweight maestro Willie Pep at No. 4. The bronze position went to Henry Armstrong, the only man ever to hold three world titles simultaneously, while “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, claimed the No. 2 spot.
At No. 1 sat the mesmeric fists and dancing feet of Sugar Ray Robinson, the former welterweight and middleweight champion widely regarded as the standard against which all others are measured.
Explaining his choice, Steward said:
“The best welterweight ever! A phenomenal record at a time when records were real!”
Robinson remains the consensus pick not only for Steward but for much of the boxing community. Once dubbed “The Mayor of Harlem,” he had it all –– natural fighting instincts, artistry, and a jaw-dropping résumé of 201 bouts, ending with 174 wins, fought from 1940 through his final victory in 1965.