Kenny Adams Has Left an Indelible Mark on Boxing
June 8, 2023 – BBC Boxing
Kenny Adams, the renowned boxing trainer known for his disciplined approach and unyielding commitment to the sport, is set to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 9 in Canastota, New York. An admitted disciplinarian, Adams lives by the motto “my way or the highway,” a philosophy that has guided him to the doorstep of this prestigious honor.
With a decorated career spanning the amateur and professional realms, Adams has worked with an impressive 26 professional world champions and been involved with some of the greatest American amateur boxers. “It is a great privilege,” the 83-year-old Adams told BoxingScene, reflecting on his upcoming induction.
A U.S. Army veteran, Adams previously headed a successful Army boxing team that claimed multiple national titles. He also served as an assistant coach for the 1984 U.S. Olympic boxing team, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest in the nation’s history, featuring gold medalists such as Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, and Tyrell Biggs. Adams later worked with the 1988 U.S. Olympic squad, collaborating with renowned fighters like Roy Jones Jr., Riddick Bowe, and Kennedy McKinney.
Throughout his illustrious career, Adams has emphasized the importance of strength and conditioning, recognizing it as a key factor in propelling his boxers to the next level. “Strength and conditioning plays a super part in the way the guys train and the way the guys work,” he said. “That is the key to [each fighter] moving to the next level – and being the best that they can be.“
As he looks at the current boxing landscape, Adams believes that trainers need to take a more proactive role in guiding their fighters towards the most significant challenges and biggest fights. “What has to happen is the trainers have to step to the plate,” he asserted. “[The fighters have] got to be led in the right direction.“
With his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Kenny Adams’ lifelong dedication and immense contributions to the sport of boxing will be rightfully celebrated and cemented in the annals of the sport’s history.
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