Who was the Best Trainer in the Boxing in 2009?
The trainers often get overlooked in boxing outside of the hardcore community of fans. To the mainstream public, maybe one or two big name trainers are known and that’s it. While for some fighters the trainer they use won’t make much of a difference, for others the difference can be as large as career revival and championships or stunning failures to utilize the physical tools one has, train properly or develop appropriate game plans. Here’s a look at the boxing Trainer of the Year for 2009.
2009 Trainer of the Year in Boxing – Nazim Richardson
Nazim Richardson started the year in the news more than most trainers ever get to be. He was at the forefront of the Antonio Margarito vs. Shane Mosley hand wrapping incident. It was he who spotted the illegal materials being used on Margarito’s hand wraps, and called attention to the fiasco. For that alone he deserves a huge amount of credit. Of course, he also trained Mosley up pretty good, as his fighter pummeled Margarito for the duration of their bout. Mosley always got off first and never let Margarito set himself up properly by stepping inside of his punches and unleashing his own fury.
Before Mosley got on board with Richardson, he was known for steering the late career rejuvenation of Bernard Hopkins. Hopkins had a quiet year in 2009, fighting only once. Richardson also is now the trainer for former cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham. He has a well earned reputation for getting fighters into great physical and mental condition, and for working up a highly tailored and individual strategy for each fight.
Trainer of the Year Runner Up – Freddie Roach
Freddie Roach put forth another great year in 2009. He guided Manny Pacquiao towards huge, dominating wins over Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. He also has revived the once floundering, young career of Amir Khan to a championship at junior welterweight. Of course, he’s quite busy with a whole stable of other fights as well. He’s the king of the game plan, watching tape and finding small mistakes that his fighters can capitalize on. With Pacquiao, he continues to add new elements to his game, making him the pound for pound force that he is today.
Make sure you check out the rest of the 2009 Boxing Awards from ProBoxing-Fans.com. It’s the best way to recap the entire up and down, crazy year in boxing. And if you agree or disagree with any of the recipients, let us know in the comments!
