Ringside Report Looks Back at Heavyweight Contender Stan Ward

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By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

Every so often that Brad is awfully bad…

Sending me the name of a boxer from yesteryear that does not have much of a trail online sends me off on a big Ringside Rescue Research mission…

Without the benefit of a Thelma, a Scoobie or even a Louise off I go!

But to be fair – they are often the most fascinating.

Step forward former heavyweight fighter, Stan Ward, 21-7-2, 8 KO’s. Making his debut in a year when Richard Nixon qualified as the slimiest President – he may now have competition – his professional boxing journey over the next 15 years led him to face Mike Weaver, Gerry Coetzee and Ron Lyle, amongst a cast of, well 27 others

That only starts to tell a story of a man who could have been a contender but didn’t quite make the grade to the challenger’s corner, but like many who gloved a hand, was a hardy example of how you make a splash in your weight division.

Perhaps though, Ward’s greatest influence on the division came not with an audience but with a small group of interested ringside professionals when he was a sparring partner for BOTH George Foreman and Joe Frazier.

From there he also went into the professional world of the trainer and this is another simple yet highly important part of the sport we love – that he may not have gathered baubles, he gathered pupils instead and gave us their abilities played out in front of our eyes as they were inspired and trained to be the best – he gave us plenty to debate whilst in the shadows he may not have boxed in but taught others to emerge from after him training them to entertain.

His ability to inspire must surely have led to his nickname – Coach – which showed just how much of an inspiration he was to the young kids in the gym. He had the ability not just to talk about the war stories of his trilogy with Mike Weaver but also to tell tales of helping prepare George Foreman for the Rumble in the Jungle with Ali, of his being in the training camps in 1974 with Frazier as he too prepared for Ali and used that knowledge not just to tell the stories but to gain access to other trainers from whom he learned. Added to having fought, apparently, Larry Holmes in the amateurs, this was a war torn man who had plenty of experience to pass on.

Known for sharing his experience after soaking up yours like a sponge, he gave not just of his expertise but his experience to many in California. Evidence of that ability to take on the knowledge of others came in 1974 when he graduated with a BA in psychology – must have been invaluable in camp!

Those that benefited from his experience and skill as a trainer included the 3 time world champion, Tony “The Tiger” Lopez, Homer Gibbons, a WBF champion, the junior lightweight world champ, Jennifer “The Razor” Barber and the world’s strongest man – Robert Galstyan!

Professionally his record came out looking a little light but his first 10 fights included some notable scalps including the likes of Mike Weaver in his first contest with him and Jeff Merritt who had a decent record at that time. It was Ron Lyle, in 1977, in his 11th professional fight that handed him his first loss.

It is clear that Ward was an intelligent fighter who might have had a better record had his career managed to be managed better. He had skills and in the modern parlance of today’s fighters could have been a contender that got a belt shot or two.

In the 1980’s that shot was not just elusive, it never appeared on the table for him. He did get close and had he beaten Ron Lyle in 1977, he would have been a challenger for the WBC belt in 1978 held by Ken Norton. When the decision onward the fight to Lyle was announced there were loud boos in the auditorium but history does not record the might have beens.

There is plenty of evidence thereafter that his matchmaking team may not have had him in their hearts when matching him and progress seems to have stalled in any quest for international recognition. That was certainly evidenced when he looked like he froze in against Gerry Coetzee and was stopped in only the second round.

The rumour is that they were friends thereafter, one of them being the other’s best man at their wedding though there is nothing out there to determine who was who in that match up and whether it is accurate!

A big man who floated in and around the top ten, he never broke into fights and got his chance and that may have been because he lacked that final big punch – vital at heavyweight and had a chin that did not always stand up to scrutiny.

His second fight with Weaver was the one that seemed to herald that his career was stalling in its boots as Weaver stopped him in the 9th. It was compounded by a loss to Greg Page. Page may have become a bent out of shape former champion but when he faced Ward, he was a ferocious and good boxer who stopped Ward in the 7th round.

From there came the match with Coetzee in 1982, the third fight with Weaver in 1983 – stopped in 9 and from then it was the slow run to retirement with years off, returns to boost his win record and then inactivity.

His legacy may thought not be his but his fighters and we can wonder about what might have been but hey as if us boxing fans would do that… See that Brad… maybe not so bad after all!!!

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