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Naples resident at home with the greats
Former trainer John Russell among those included in Florida Boxing Hall of Fame's inductee class.
By Tim Ritter, Fort Myers News Press, Friday, January 8, 2012
John Russell, center, the former boxing trainer of world champion Buster Douglas, talks with writer Ron Ross, left, and Sam Cohen, vice president of the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame, during an induction ceremony at SJC Boxing Gym in Fort Myers on Saturday. / John David Emmett/news-press.com
Former world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas was on the other side of the room, taping the wrists of some kids getting ready to spar.
Nearby stood Scott Clark, who fought for the world welterweight title in the 1970’s.
And Naples resident John Russell looked relaxed and right at home. The trainer, who was announced as part of the fourth Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inductee class on Saturday at the SJC Boxing Gym in Fort Myers, has made his name among the greats for four decades.
Greats like James “Buster” Douglas, who he trained the way to shocking Mike Tyson for the world heavyweight title in Tokyo in 1990.
Or even like Muhammad Ali, who he sat and chatted with for nearly an hour before a match in 1971.
“Obviously, he was a lot different then,” Russell said. “We sat for 45 minutes and just talked. Then the media saw him and came over, and he completely changed. I said, ‘How do you do that?’ He said, ‘It’s just a show.’”
On Saturday, Russell was a part of the show, joining SJC visitors Clark and boxing writer Ron Ross in a 21-man class that also included greats like former world champions Aaron Pryor and Roberto Duran.
“It’s very rewarding; I’m very humbled by it,” Russell said. “It’s an honor to be going in there, but with this group of guys especially."
Russell worked with plenty of big names, learning from Angelo Dundee and going on to train the likes of Douglas, Earnie Shavers, Harry Arroyo and Anthony Hanshaw, among others. He started splitting his time between his native Ohio and Marco Island in the 1990s, and moved to Naples full-time two years ago.
Russell hasn’t trained a pro fighter in four years. His pet project now is a Lely graduate, C.J. Muntwyler, who had never picked up a pair of gloves before he lucked into training with Russell.
“I just did what he told me,” said Muntwyler, 21, who won his first match in November in Marco Island. “Everything he’s taught me has been for a reason, and I saw that when I fought.”
And that’s what landed Russell in the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame, which will induct the class June 22-24 in Tampa. Past inductees Thomas, John Daddono and Steve Canton, who’s run the local SJC gym for 20 years and also serves as the Hall of Fame’s Vice President, were all on hand to share in the festivities.
“I just thank God they got me before I died,” said Russell, 56. “They usually honor guys when they’re dead. But I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be than Steve Canton’s gym and with these guys.”
To see the Open House Pictures Click the link below:
Pictures from the Open House and FBHOF Class of 2012 announcement, January 7, 2012
To Return to the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame's Class of 2012 Page Click Here
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