Eddie Mustafa Muhammad: Trainer of World Champions

 

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad started training at the age of twelve. A 2-Time New York Golden Gloves champ at 147 pounds. In 1971, in one of his New York Golden Gloves championship bouts, he went on to defeat the heavily favored Vito Antuofermo in front of a crowd of twenty thousand people at Madison Square Garden.


Turning pro in 1972, his first title fight was in November 20th, 1977, against Victor Emilio Galindez, and lost by unanimous decision back when fights went fifteen rounds. After that loss, he went on a seven fight win streak.


In March 31st, 1980, Eddie captured the WBA World Light Heavyweight Title by TKO in the 11th against Marvin Johnson and defended the title twice. The first defense was against Jerry Martin on July 20th, 1980, winning by TKO in the tenth round. His second successful defense was against Rudi Koopmans. He ended his boxing career with a stellar 50-8-1, 39 KO’s record.


Because of his successful boxing career and disciplined mindset, Eddie has gone on to become a very successful boxing coach in Las Vegas Nevada’s H.I.T Factory boxing gym as well as appearing in the 1980 movie RAGING BULL (as Billy Fox) and a 1981 version of BODY AND SOUL (as himself).


MA: Where are you currently training fighters?


In Las Vegas, Nevada, with H.I.T Factory…It’s a great gym! It’s on 2206 Paradise Road between Sahara. We get a lot of prospects and world champions. A lot of guys train there. It’s a good facility.


MA: Is it open to the general public as well?


Yes


MA: How was the transition from World Champion to Trainer of World champions been like?


It wasn’t a problem. It’s very simple…What you have to do when you are a trainer. You don’t train the athlete the way you used to fight. What I do… whatever they bring me I take it to another level. If you train someone how you used to fight then you will have major problems.


MA: What do you remember about the Marvin Johnson fight?


I remember about the Marvin Johnson fight was that when you fight a guy like Marvin you had to bring your “A” game and your lunch. It’s going be a nice long fight. Marvin is going give you everything he had plus try to reach back for more. So knowing that, I got myself into tip-top condition. I had my fight plan ready and I executed it and I stopped him in the 11th round.


MA: How can anger be used in a fight, if at all?


Anger cannot be used in a fight! If you are angry and if you are in a rough situation when you come back to your corner, who are you going to listen to? You don’t want to listen to me. I want control over everything. You won’t hear what I am saying.


MA: How do you tell a fighter that he is past his prime?


If he can’t make himself do what he wants to do… if his skills are eroded? The fighter is the last one to know. You can be the best trainer in the world but at the end of the day if you try to tell a fighter that he should retire, it’s not going happen because…again…the fighter is the last one to know. All you can do is tell him “you’re missing this” “you’re not doing this” but when we were together earlier you were doing all of that but now you are not doing it at all. You have to let him know.



continued: http://ringsidereport.com/?p=6784