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.
Continue reading A Lady, My Friend – Eva Futch