Part of CBS?s new fall line-up is a sitcom starring William Shatner (?$#*! My Dad Says?) as a no-nonsense, honest-to-a-fault father who, in his advancing years, will say anything on his mind, political correctness or social graces be damned. To men like him- and we all know a few guys who fit this profile- common sense is the only law they abide by and they believe that they grew up in a simpler, better time. And they have no problems letting anyone know that.
I guess you could say that about one Emanuel Steward, the Kronk impresario, who came up during an era when boxers fought more than once every six months, learned the craft of the game and spent more time in the gym than they did tweeting.
Steward is no curmudgeon by any means and he certainly isn?t a man who the game has left behind. While not actively working corners like in the past (but still balancing associations with Wladimir Klitschko and now, Miguel Cotto, and his role on HBO as their chief color commentator), he is still a highly relevant figure in the sport. When he speaks, people listen like he?s E.F. Hutton.
But if you?ve heard him on recent broadcasts, most notably Chad Dawson?s rather desultory performance versus Jean Pascal back in August, you know that he?s become more and more outspoken and critical of today?s fighters. No, he?s not a guy who waxes poetically about the olden days or his hardships of having to walk five miles in the snow to get to school. But certain things he sees on a regular basis concern him.
He was asked point-blank, are today?s fighters soft and pampered compared to their predecessors?
“I think that fighters today train just as hard,” said Steward, back in August, just a day after he called the Pascal-Dawson fight in Montreal. “I?ve been to the camps back in the ?60s and ?70s and whatever; the fighters train just as hard. I think the biggest problems are in the techniques of some. But not only are they training hard, they?ve got so many people now. They?ve got nutritionists, strength coach and the dietician. There are so many people that?s involved in the training camp now; it?s like a joke. And the guys sometimes put in two training sessions even.
