{"id":2631,"date":"2010-05-25T22:13:24","date_gmt":"2010-05-26T02:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=2631"},"modified":"2010-05-25T22:13:24","modified_gmt":"2010-05-26T02:13:24","slug":"boxing-legends-on-opposite-sides-of-ring-on-june-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=2631","title":{"rendered":"Boxing Legends On Opposite Sides of Ring on June 12"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a>Don King Press Release<\/strong><\/p>\n

Trainers\u2019 History Adds Spice to IBF Junior Middleweight Title Clash in St. Louis:<\/p>\n

International Boxing Hall of Famer Emanuel Steward Will Train Cornelius Bundrage, Former World Champion James \u2018Buddy\u2019 McGirt Will Train Champion Cory Spinks.<\/p>\n

Adding intrigue to Cory Spinks\u2019 defense of his International Boxing Federation junior middleweight crown in St. Louis on June 12 against IBF mandatory challenger Cornelius Bundrage is the fact that Bundrage will be trained for the first time by International Boxing Hall of Fame member Emanuel Steward while Spinks\u2019 new trainer is former two-time world champion James \u201cBuddy\u201d McGirt.<\/p>\n

Maybe the most interesting fact of all is that the globe-trotting Steward\u2014who may be best known now for his longtime role as a boxing analyst for HBO Sports\u2014will be making his first visit to the Gateway City.<\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve it or not, I\u2019ve never stepped foot in the city other than making a connection at the airport,\u201d Steward said. \u201cThe closest I\u2019ve ever been to St. Louis is drinking a Bud Light, my favorite beer. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing the Gateway Arch, which is something I have always wanted to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steward says the IBF No. 1-ranked Bundrage (29-4, 17 KOs), from Detroit, is younger than his 37 years would indicate due to his lack of an amateur boxing background.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bottom line is Cornelius learned how to fight as a professional,\u201d Steward said. \u201cI don\u2019t think he ever participated in an amateur tournament. Like Larry Holmes and Bernard Hopkins before him, Cornelius has learned his craft while working professionally. This helps to explain some of his earlier losses against top-flight opposition, but what I\u2019ve seen in the last two years tells me he\u2019s putting it all together now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steward points out that when K2 Promotions (who also promotes Steward-trained heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko) was looking for an opponent in 2008 to face then-undefeated (19-0, 16 KOs) 154-pounder Zaurbek Baysangurov, they picked Bundrage. After traveling to Germany on short notice, Bundrage shocked the Russian by stopping him in the fifth round.<\/p>\n

\u201cCornelius has long arms, fights tall and can control a fight with his left hand,\u201d Steward noted. \u201cNot only does he have skills, but he will come into the gym and box for 15 to 20 rounds, so he\u2019s in good shape too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he can put pressure on Cory by focusing his energy and placing his punches\u2014but not reckless pressure like just running in\u2014he can win this fight. Speed slows with age and Cory was never a big puncher, so the opportunity is there for Cornelius, who I view as fresher in the ring at 37 than Cory is at 32.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bundrage has always fought under Steward\u2019s famous Detroit boxing brand of the Kronk Gym but was trained by Steward\u2019s nephew, Javan Hill. Steward has acted as Bundrage\u2019s manager but will join Hill in the corner for the Spinks fight.<\/p>\n

Steward has taken Bundrage with him to Tampa, Fla., where he is training alongside Steward\u2019s latest client, Miguel Cotto, who will face another 154-pound world champion, Yuri Foreman, on June 5 at Yankee Stadium. Steward would like nothing more than to pick up two world titles in one week.<\/p>\n

Steward knows and admires Spinks and thinks he has made a good move by hiring McGirt as trainer.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuddy is a beautiful guy,\u201d Steward noted with enthusiasm. \u201cYou know who he reminds me of? He\u2019s just like Muhammad Ali\u2019s trainer, Angelo Dundee. Angelo and Buddy are two of the nicest people I have ever met.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told Angelo the other day that I was facing Buddy, and I told him Buddy\u2019s got his personality. Both guys never have a bad word to say about anyone and are very talented.\u201d<\/p>\n

When told of Steward\u2019s kind words, McGirt said it didn\u2019t surprise him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a reason why Emanuel has been so successful, which goes beyond his undeniable talent as a trainer and manager,\u201d McGirt said. \u201cManny looks for the good in people, not the bad.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving said that, don\u2019t think for a moment this means he\u2019s not trying to out-train me or that he doesn\u2019t want Cornelius Bundrage to upset Cory Spinks in his hometown on June 12. You don\u2019t get where Manny\u2019s gotten in the sport of boxing by forgetting what your job is. The difference with Manny is he can do that and still have class. This is going to be an interesting chess match between Manny and me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Steward and McGirt enjoyed success as boxers. In 1963, Steward won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Chicago. While younger, McGirt became IBF junior welterweight champion in 1998 and World Boxing Council welterweight champion from 1991 to 1993. McGirt then followed in Steward\u2019s training footsteps, too, having trained notable world champions like Arturo Gatti, Antonio Tarver, Vernon Forrest, Tomasz Adamek, Lamon Brewster, Paulie Malignaggi and, now, Spinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cManny\u2019s from the Old School,\u201d McGirt added. I\u2019ve learned a lot from him and all the Old School trainers. They should be a guide for all the young guys that are into boxing.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Spinks, McGirt believes he\u2019s got an edge in this fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep saying that all I have to do with Cory is remind him of how great he is,\u201d McGirt said. \u201cThis guy has all the ability in the world, much of which comes from his family tree that includes his father, Leon (whom Steward managed at one time), and uncle, Michael, both former heavyweight world champions. At the end of the day, it doesn\u2019t matter who is training who. It\u2019s who has the better fighter and who wants it the most inside the ring. So far, I\u2019ve won the first two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets priced at $28, $50, $87, and $200 are on sale now at MetroTix.com, the Chaifetz Arena Box Office, MetroTix outlets at select Schnucks and Macy\u2019s stores, or charge by phone at (314) 534-1111. The event is being promoted by Don King Productions and will be the first world championship boxing match at Chaifetz Arena. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and a full undercard will be presented.<\/p>\n

Advertise Now On RSR<\/a><\/p>\n

Purchase Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Europa Casino Bonus —————————————————————————————————————————- Claim your Titan Bet Bonus Don King Press Release Trainers\u2019 History Adds Spice to IBF Junior Middleweight Title Clash in St. Louis: International Boxing Hall of Famer Emanuel Steward Will Train Cornelius Bundrage, Former World Champion James \u2018Buddy\u2019 McGirt Will Train Champion Cory Spinks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[870,869,206,231],"class_list":["post-2631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boxing-news","tag-buddy-mcgirt","tag-cory-spinks","tag-don-king","tag-emanuel-steward"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2631"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}