It was a mark of his genius that the best boxers in the world appreciated his input every bit as much as the novices, even though he never boxed professionally.
"When the deal was done," Steward said, "I was committed to something like $300,000."īut Steward made plenty of money, too, turning his wit from the gym to the negotiating table and always struck a good deal with the many fine champions he trained. He demanded $100,000 for the champion, $25,000 for the ageing welterweight Angel Espada, who was to be featured on the undercard, and $25,000 for himself. The trainer, by now also a manager, related how Cordero, España's manager, took out a gun and put it on the table between them. "I heard they needed an opponent for the lightweight champion Ernesto España," Steward told the late Harry Mullan, editor of Boxing News, in 1997. In 1980, Steward took a trip to Puerto Rico to meet a character called Pepe Cordero, whose main function in life was as a go-between for the World Boxing Association if you wanted a title shot, the quickest way was to pay Cordero (who has since died, largely unmourned). The Texan was a lightweight of decent skill but no profile and how Steward got him his title shot sheds an interesting light on the workings of the fight game. Steward's first champion was not, as is often assumed, his masterpiece Hearns, the most illustrious student of his renowned Kronk gym in Detroit, but a fighter from outside that setup, Hilmer Kenty.
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