Eddie Futch
Encyclopedia
Eddie Futch was a boxing trainer. Among the fighters he trained are Joe Frazier
, Ken Norton
, Larry Holmes
, and Trevor Berbick
, four of the five men to defeat Muhammad Ali
.
Eddie Futch was the trainer of record for Joe Frazier, Riddick Bowe, and Montell Griffin when they defeated and handed future Hall of Fame fighters Muhammed Ali, Evander Holyfield, and Roy Jones, Jr., their first professional defeats.
Futch was born in Hillsboro, Mississippi, but moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan
when he was five years old. They lived in the Black Bottom section of the town. When Futch was a teenager, he played semi-professional basketball with the Moreland YMCA Flashes. He planned to attended the YMCA College School at the University of Chicago, but when the Great Depression
happened, he was forced to continue his job at the Wolverine Hotel to support his family. Here is where he trained promoter and trainer Don Arnott
In 1932, Futch won the Detroit Athletic Association Lightweight Championship, and in 1933, he won the Detroit Golden Gloves
Championship. He trained at the same gym as Joe Louis
, the Brewster Recreation Center Gym, and often sparred with the future champion.
A heart murmur
prevented Futch from turning professional, and he began training boxers. His first world champion was Don Jordan
, who won the world welterweight
championship in 1958. Other world champions Futch worked in the corner with included Bob Foster, Mike McCallum
, Alexis Argüello
, Michael Spinks
, Marlon Starling
, Montell Griffin
, and Riddick Bowe
.
He also trained founder of the Motown record label Berry Gordy
as an amateur boxer.
Freddie Roach trained as a pro under Futch and later became his assistant. From under his tutelage Roach has emerged to become one of the most respected coaches in boxing. Roach describes Futch as "the greatest trainer in the world".
Joe Frazier
Joseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
, Ken Norton
Ken Norton
Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. is a former heavyweight boxer. He is best known for his 12-round victory over a peak Muhammad Ali where he famously broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, becoming only the second man to defeat Ali as a professional .He and Ali...
, Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
, and Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1976 until 2000. Berbick briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 , before losing it to 20-year old Mike Tyson, via 2nd-round TKO...
, four of the five men to defeat Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
.
Eddie Futch was the trainer of record for Joe Frazier, Riddick Bowe, and Montell Griffin when they defeated and handed future Hall of Fame fighters Muhammed Ali, Evander Holyfield, and Roy Jones, Jr., their first professional defeats.
Futch was born in Hillsboro, Mississippi, but moved with his family to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
when he was five years old. They lived in the Black Bottom section of the town. When Futch was a teenager, he played semi-professional basketball with the Moreland YMCA Flashes. He planned to attended the YMCA College School at the University of Chicago, but when the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
happened, he was forced to continue his job at the Wolverine Hotel to support his family. Here is where he trained promoter and trainer Don Arnott
In 1932, Futch won the Detroit Athletic Association Lightweight Championship, and in 1933, he won the Detroit Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
Championship. He trained at the same gym as Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, the Brewster Recreation Center Gym, and often sparred with the future champion.
A heart murmur
Heart murmur
Murmurs are extra heart sounds that are produced as a result of turbulent blood flow that is sufficient to produce audible noise. Most murmurs can only be heard with the assistance of a stethoscope ....
prevented Futch from turning professional, and he began training boxers. His first world champion was Don Jordan
Don Jordan
Don Jordan was a boxer born in Los Angeles, California and was the undisputed Welterweight Champion of the World from 1958 to 1960. His nickname was ‘Geronimo’...
, who won the world welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
championship in 1958. Other world champions Futch worked in the corner with included Bob Foster, Mike McCallum
Mike McCallum
Mike McCallum is a retired boxer. Nicknamed "The Body Snatcher" for his fierce body punching. McCallum won world titles in three weight classes.-Amateur career:Claimed an amateur record of 240-10...
, Alexis Argüello
Alexis Argüello
Alexis Argüello , also known by the stage name El Flaco Explosivo , was a Nicaraguan professional boxer and politician...
, Michael Spinks
Michael Spinks
Michael Spinks is a retired American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions...
, Marlon Starling
Marlon Starling
Marlon "Magic Man" Starling was a two-time US world champion boxer.Starling was born in Hartford, CT in 1959. He turned professional in 1979. After 25 straight wins, he lost his first fight. He lost a 12 round decision to Donald Curry in 1982. Starling had a rematch with Curry in 1984, challenging...
, Montell Griffin
Montell Griffin
Montell Julian Griffin is an American boxer. He is best known for his two bouts at Light Heavyweight with Roy Jones Jr.- Professional career :...
, and Riddick Bowe
Riddick Bowe
Riddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...
.
He also trained founder of the Motown record label Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
as an amateur boxer.
Freddie Roach trained as a pro under Futch and later became his assistant. From under his tutelage Roach has emerged to become one of the most respected coaches in boxing. Roach describes Futch as "the greatest trainer in the world".