This week?s 96th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio featured an exclusive interview with Hall of Fame boxing trainer Emanuel Steward, who discussed a slew of different topics, including Vitali Klitschko?s victory over Briggs, Wladimir Klitschko?s upcoming title defense against Derek Chisora, Lennox Lewis, Miguel Cotto, Andy Lee, Freddie Roach, Naseem Hamed, Marquez-Katsidis, Hopkins-Pascal, Pacquiao-Margarito, and much more. He also spoke about his October 23 Boxing Clinic which will be held at the Maple Avenue Gym in Dallas, Texas .
His views going into the fight between Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao considering most observers heavily favored Barrera:
?I felt the same way. I had seen Manny. I think his first fight here we did on television Ledwaba who I think it was a boxer from South Africa. I got a report from a friend of mine who was from the Philippines and he said, ?He?s a pure fighter. He?s a little tough street kid here who shoots pool, he is a pool hustler or whatever, but he can fight. He?s never in a boring fight so don?t take him lightly?, because I didn?t think he could do anything. Anyway, when he knocked out Ledwaba he had punching power and intensity that I had not seen in a long time, but I did not think he was going to beat Barrera.
When he beat Barrera, I was just totally shocked and I think he beat him in San Antonio if I remember. I mean everything was totally out of order for him in terms of being in a Mexican town. I was just very impressed the way he fought with such intensity and confidence. Then he did it again and he did it again, and throughout the years he not only made a big believer out of me, but he is probably my favorite fighter in the world today and I think definitely one of the greatest fighters that I ever saw because of his consistent performance over all of these years with the top fighters. He?s been performing on the top level, and I think lost only one I think maybe to Morales where he stopped him in the return. I judge a person on his performance against the best, but he?s been performing on a consistent level against the best fighters for all these years and has held up.
