Kenny Adams

Kenneth "Kenny" Adams (born September 25, 1940) is an American professional boxing trainer and former Olympic amateur boxer.

Adams is a highly respected boxing trainer.

Adams is a pioneer in boxing, having been the first American trainer to implement strength training.

He is also the first African-American selected as head coach of the American national boxing team.

Adams brings such a strict disciplinarian training style that the eight-time, five-division World champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.. refused to work with him.

He was nicknamed “Little Sugar” as his good friend Ray Owens, who was a 1964 Olympic alternate, was known as “Big Sugar” both in homage to the great Sugar Ray Robinson.

By 17 years old he was in the army and continued to box, but never elected to turn professional.

When was 26 years old, he was offered a pro contract.

He considered it, but came to the conclusion that he only boxed for the love of the sport – never for the money.

Adams fought in over 200 bouts as an amateur.

Adams considers Carlton Brooks, Pat Nappi, Barron Walker, Bernie Callahan and Thomas Boudion as his boxing teachers.

Adams would go on to complete 30 years of service during which he served in Vietnam and was in the 101 Airborne Division, where as part of a 5-man team he went behind enemy lines.

While serving, Adams was in charge of constructing and training the United States Army team, who had been losing to Germany handily.

Adams made a strong emphasis in that the fighters were in shape and were sound technically.

After much success against the Germans, Adams grew confident in his abilities to coach and was invited to bring a team to the German Olympic training camp.

There and then, Adams would become the first American ever to implement strength training into boxing.

Adams also utilized plyometrics to boost the fighters cardio and wind.

After completing his service time, Adams would assist the 1984 American Olympic team in achieving 9 gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

His students would include future World champions in Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, Mark Breland, Frank Tate, Henry Tillman, and Virgil Hill.

Four years later, he moved up as head trainer for the 1988 American Olympic team.

Adams was suspended for six months for assaulting USA/ABF controller J. Kersten Dahl in an incident at the federation's headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The two engaged in a shouting match that ended with Adams grabbing him by the throat.

Adams would be reinstated after he appealed the decision to the federation's board of directors.

He was again very successful winning 3 gold medals, 3 silver, and 2 bronze.

In 1999, the multiple-time World champion Wladimir Klitschko asked Adams to assist him in properly turning over his fist on the left hook for power.

In 2005, eight-division World champion Manny Pacquiao requested to train with Adams, but Adams declined to aid to his ill wife at the time.

He is the former boxing coach of twenty-six professional World champions, thirty four Olympians and a total of fifty-six boxers who became World Champion.

This list includes Edwin Valero, Vince Phillips, Diego Corrales, Freddie Norwood, Charles Murray, Kennedy McKinney, Frankie Liles, Michael Nunn, Johnny Tapia, Ruslan Chagaev, Samuel Peter, Cory Spinks, and Michael Bentt.

Adams also trained notable boxers Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Roy Jones Jr.., and Riddick Bowe in the Summer Olympic Games with Team USA.

Adams is considered a legend among boxing culture, once going 22 straight World championship bouts without a loss.

Adams' last most promising boxer was lightweight contender Sharif Bogere.

Adams has since retired from the sport due to health issues.

Came out of retirement in 2018 and started training Dee-Jay Kriel while he was a WBC International Champion and went on to win a IBF World title at Minimum Weight.

Adams grew up with 5 brothers and 4 sisters.

He first became interested in boxing when he was 5 or 6, and he admits to always fighting as a little kid.

Adams is on record saying that he had a reputation although he was small in stature, he packed quick hands and was brave.

He also learned how to curse at a very young age from being around people in the pub where he grew up.

Once as a kid in gym class, Adams knocked an older boy out that outweighed him by over one-hundred pounds.

Adams never had a trainer, having his first amateur fight at the age of 12 at a weight of 95 pounds.

He had a successful amateur career, winning all Army and Service championships, as well as the East Coast & Florida AU’s titles fighting at Flyweight and Bantamweight.