Novice Fathers as Trainers/Cornermen

[The Old LefHook]

Have fathers with little or no boxing experience always been able to train their sons to become champions? Or is it a relatively new phenomenon, suggesting the weakness of the modern era?

Offhand, I can only recall two trainer fathers that I think of as novices: Mosley's and Calzaghe's. I am sure there are more. How about Benitez's father? I remember he was highly vocal about his son's career and training habits. Did he have any boxing experience?

I remember reading that Calzaghe's father bought books to learn from because he knew nothing about the sport.

As for fathers in the corner, I am not sure I like the idea, but I guess it has worked out. How can you argue against one professional being in another's corner? Or for that matter non professionals, if they appear to know what they are up to? Didn't Byrd have his mother as trainer, or something like that? This would be another example of a novice training an offspring to championship.

[JAB5239]

Wasn't Sean O'Grady trained by his father?

[Anthony342]

Didn't Felix Trinidad have his dad in his corner for his fights? And Roy Jones in his amateur and early on in his pro career?

[TBear]

Several of these fathers were fighters themselves. Not successful but still fighters. Perhaps they lived their dreams through their sons.

[The Old LefHook]

Roy Jones Sr. fought Hagler, and Trinidad Sr. fought either Salvador Sanchez or Wifredo Gomez, I forget which. I don't know about Sean O'Gragy's father, and I don't know who Chris Byrd's mother fought.