Video: Emanuel Steward Says Wladimir More Talented, But Lennox Greater

by Scott Christ on Jul 1, 2011 3:30 PM EDT in Boxing Video

Wladimir Klitschko and Emanuel Steward take on David Haye and Adam Booth in just about 24 hours. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Bongarts/Getty Images)

There has been some talk lately about a comment Emanuel Steward made earlier this week about his current top heavyweight, Wladimir Klitschko, and his old top heavyweight, Lennox Lewis. Adam Booth, the trainer of David Haye, pointed out that he felt Steward was undermining Klitschko by saying that Lewis was better:

"I’ve got great respect for Manny Steward, he’s been involved in the fights I grew up watching," said Booth. "[Sugar Ray] Leonard against Hearns made me fall in love with boxing. I’ll never achieve the level of consistency that he has. But Steward has criticised the fact that Wladimir doesn’t ‘fight’, and that Lennox [Lewis] was a much better heavyweight than him. That is more disrespectful, saying that about the man who’s employing you."

At yesterday's media workouts in Germany, Steward spoke to bokser.org about that quote, and explained in great detail his own comparison between the two heavyweight champions:

Steward: "I said that he was my best heavyweight. Because he did accomplish and do things that Wladimir has not did. He had big fights, he knocked out opponents. Wladimir has more talent, but the one that you have to give the credit, to the people who have actually beaten good fighters. And Lennox beat more good fighters than Wladimir has at this stage, although Wladimir has more talent than Lennox. But he has to actually not only just show that he has talent, he has to actually demonstrate his talent. Not just hold back, hold back, and only knock out people when I go crazy and curse him out because he will not let his missiles go. He's got to come out and be more aggressive this time himself, and not be too intelligent, too conservative, too analytical. He's playing a chess game -- he's got to be more natural. If he does that, he could be one of the best heavyweights ever. At this stage e has not did it. I'm hoping he will do this in the fight coming up."

Steward also takes a quick shot at Paddy Fitzpatrick, the Haye punching coach who accused Steward of illegally wrapping hands, and gives his thoughts on Booth and Haye specifically. Steward classifies the stupid David Haye iPhone game as "an insult to all the Russian people," which isn't quite Ortizville, but is a pretty silly statement. It might be time for these guys to stop taking cheaply-produced iPhone games and cartoon t-shirts so seriously. But overall, Emanuel is very engaging here as he usually is, and it's a terrific interview.

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Sometimes Emmanuel is too honest.

This isn’t the time for honesty, it’s the time for ridiculous hyperbole! He SHOULD have said Wladimir has the punching power of George Foreman, the killer instinct of Jack Dempsey, the speed of Muhammad Ali, the defense of Jack Johnson, and the chin of George Chuvalo.

by Sammlung on Jul 1, 2011 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

Nahh. Honest is good. I’m sick of all the BS.

by LawrenceP on Jul 1, 2011 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

I dig the honesty. Maybe that will motivate him even more!

Pumped for this fight!1

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Jul 1, 2011 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jul 2, 2011 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions

I honestly don’t understand how Wladimir’s style does not “demonstrate” his talent. Being intelligent, and turning a fight into a kind of chess match that can be won by out-thinking your opponent, certainly sounds like a demonstration of talent.

Steward wants pizzazz, fireworks, and the like. But this is not necessarily a “demonstration” of the type of talent the Klitschkos have. They have plenty of talent.

by DrRck on Jul 1, 2011 5:15 PM EDT reply actions

I think it’s simply that he believes Wladimir could blow away people very, very easily and is so good that he wouldn’t even be at any risk if he just went for it. I mean we’ve seen it happen when he decides to finish things. He just demolishes guys.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Jul 1, 2011 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe it’s a relative definition of “talent,” then. Different talents could reasonably be said to be demonstrated in different ways.

But, all of us gentlepeople can agree to disagree,

by DrRck on Jul 1, 2011 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions

"Gentlepersons" was perhaps the approprate term.

by DrRck on Jul 1, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I have always wondered why almost all his fighters has shaky chins

Michael Moorer, Wladimir Klitschko , Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis(borderline), Miguel Cotto, JCC started getting dropped after working with Emmanuel. Lol coincidence? ;)

by Mohammedini Hussein on Jul 1, 2011 7:05 PM EDT reply actions

In most cases they came because they had weak chins that needed skils to protect. Or they had recently lost.

Lewis and Vladmir are two examples of beaten or beatable fighters that improved vastly under his tutelage.

JCC had accumulated a lot of punches before Manny.
Cotto had as well. In fact he came after getting badly beaten. Not because his chin was the principal problem. His defense needed to be in sync with his offense.

Hearns was his star but Sugar Ray brought out the chin and wobbly legs that never got put totally back in the box.

"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer"
---- Muhammed Ali

by pakinpower on Jul 2, 2011 12:28 AM EDT reply actions