A Lady, My Friend – Eva Futch

FLASHBACK *** This article was originally published on www.dmboxing.com on October 18, 2007

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

In all my years following boxing, since 1961, there have been lots of people that have given me gifts for my collection, and believe it or not, after 46 years, I can honestly tell you exactly
who gave me what and when!

This is a short story about just one of those boxing gifts that I recently received from a lady, my friend, Eva Futch, the widow of the late Eddie Futch.

Most of the boxing world certainly knows who Eddie Futch was – he was without a doubt one of the all time top trainers and corner men in boxing… ever .

He worked with boxers such as: Don Jordan, Hedgemon Lewis, Bob Foster, Joe Frazier, Virgil Hill, Ken Norton, Alexis
Arguello, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Trevor Berbick, and Riddick Bowe – just to name a few .

In my opinion, Eddie was best remembered for two things in his outstanding career in boxing, which were: on March 8, 1971, in what we in boxing know as the “Fight of the Century”, he guided Joe Frazier to a 15 round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten
Muhammad Ali; and in 1975 for his decision to stop the Ali vs. Frazier fight, “The Thrilla in Manila”.

Joe Frazier could not see the punches Ali was throwing because of his swollen eyes after 14 brutal rounds.

In October 1999, exactly eight years ago, I had one of many pictures taken with Eddie, and recently sent that photo to Eva Futch.

I received a nice thank you letter, but I did not know that the bigger surprise would come later from Eva.

She looked at the photo that we had taken, and sent me the exact neck tie that Eddie wore when he posed in that photo with me.

To say that I was surprised when I found the FED-EX package on my door step, is truly an understatement.

I was touched, and as a boxing historian and collector, her gift was just priceless.

What makes this gift so priceless is that it is so personal.

In an e-mail note to me later, she expressed that through the years she has carefully chosen certain family members to receive gifts from Eddie so they could have a physical reminder of his life.

She also sent me a photo of Eddie which she autographed, and a prayer card from Eddie’s funeral.

Eva’s gifts to me are truly a lifetime remembrance of Eddie Futch.

Eddie Futch died from natural causes on October 10, 2001, exactly two years after our photo was taken together … may God bless
his soul in heaven!

One thought on “A Lady, My Friend – Eva Futch

  1. That was a great gift from Mrs Futch!!! Also, as amazing is the fact that you can recall each gift, when and where received since 1961!

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