Angelo Dundee

Angelo Dundee, who trained the two most celebrated fighters of his era, Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, and 15 world champions in all in a Hall of Fame career that began in 1952, has died. He was 90. Dundee died Wednesday at a Clearwater, Fla., rehabilitation center, said his son, James. He had a blood clot that developed during a flight back to his Florida home after visiting Ali in Louisville, Ky., for the boxer's 70th birthday last month. Dundee was in Ali's corner for the Fight of the Century, the Rumble in the Jungle and the Thrilla in Manila, and in Leonard's corner for his No Mas match against Roberto Duran as well as his memorable fights against Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler.

Eric Lowen Singer-songwriter Eric Lowen, 60, a singer, songwriter, guitarist and half of the Lowen and Navarro folk group who with his songwriting partner Dan Navarro penned "We Belong" for Pat Benatar, died Friday at Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Hospital, the band announced. Lowen had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2004. The degenerative disease affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and eventually weakens muscles throughout the body.

Chris Dundee, 82, boxing promoter and matchmaker and older brother of trainer Angelo Dundee, has been hospitalized in Miami after suffering a stroke that left him partially paralyzed.

It wasn't just the words — "You're blowing it, son!" — that Sugar Ray Leonard heard as he peered into the wise, aged eyes of trainer Angelo Dundee more than 30 years ago. Leonard also caught the sincerity of the message, and with that the motivation necessary to score a remarkable 14th-round knockout of Thomas Hearns that enhanced his standing as an icon of boxing. Leonard, a Southland resident, is now beginning work on a film version of his recent autobiography. Dundee, who died Wednesday at 90, is best remembered for being the longtime trainer of Muhammad Ali and Leonard.

Ken Norton's career spanned 50 fights, but he acknowledged Sunday as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame at Canastota, N.Y., that he's best remembered for one punch. Norton was introduced as the boxer who broke Muhammad Ali's jaw on March 31, 1973, in a fight for the North American Boxing Federation title. "Because of Angelo Dundee and a guy named Ali, I became known," Norton said to fans at Sunday's third annual induction ceremony. "My bank account grew," he added.

Sugar Ray Leonard met the press again Tuesday morning, praising Donny Lalonde's effort in their unexpectedly dramatic bout at Caesars Palace Monday night, and also delivering back-handed slaps at Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Leonard's ousted trainer, Angelo Dundee. "Donny never lost faith in himself, while a lot of you (reporters) kept questioning his credentials," Leonard said.

Trainer Angelo Dundee said he plans to concentrate on getting middleweight boxing champion Michael Nunn ready for his Oct. 18 title defense, but Nunn's lawyer said the two may team up for more fights. "This is going to be a kick for me," Dundee said. "We're going to have some fun with Michael Nunn, but it's going to be no fun to fight him."

Eric Lowen Singer-songwriter Eric Lowen, 60, a singer, songwriter, guitarist and half of the Lowen and Navarro folk group who with his songwriting partner Dan Navarro penned "We Belong" for Pat Benatar, died Friday at Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Hospital, the band announced. Lowen had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, in 2004. The degenerative disease affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and eventually weakens muscles throughout the body.

The day before the fight, Angelo Dundee told the New York Times that Trevor Berbick had little to fear from Mike Tyson's punch. "He pumps iron," Dundee said of the challenger. "I've never seen a good fighter who pumped iron. When a guy pumps iron, he's got a weightlifter's body, not a boxer's body. A boxer has to be flexible. "People talk about Tyson's upper body strength but that's phony. If you got no legs, you got no upper body strength. Tyson doesn't have his legs under him."

Angelo Dundee, who trained the two most celebrated fighters of his era, Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, and 15 world champions in all in a Hall of Fame career that began in 1952, has died. He was 90. Dundee died Wednesday at a Clearwater, Fla., rehabilitation center, said his son, James. He had a blood clot that developed during a flight back to his Florida home after visiting Ali in Louisville, Ky., for the boxer's 70th birthday last month. Dundee was in Ali's corner for the Fight of the Century, the Rumble in the Jungle and the Thrilla in Manila, and in Leonard's corner for his No Mas match against Roberto Duran as well as his memorable fights against Thomas Hearns and Marvin Hagler.

Since they first fought 33 years ago today in Miami Beach for the heavyweight championship, Muhammad Ali has boasted that he never feared Sonny Liston. That's not true, says Ali's trainer, Angelo Dundee. Ali did fear Liston. Once. It wasn't on the day of the fight, which Ali won when Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round.

Ken Norton's career spanned 50 fights, but he acknowledged Sunday as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame at Canastota, N.Y., that he's best remembered for one punch. Norton was introduced as the boxer who broke Muhammad Ali's jaw on March 31, 1973, in a fight for the North American Boxing Federation title. "Because of Angelo Dundee and a guy named Ali, I became known," Norton said to fans at Sunday's third annual induction ceremony. "My bank account grew," he added.

Trainer Angelo Dundee said he plans to concentrate on getting middleweight boxing champion Michael Nunn ready for his Oct. 18 title defense, but Nunn's lawyer said the two may team up for more fights. "This is going to be a kick for me," Dundee said. "We're going to have some fun with Michael Nunn, but it's going to be no fun to fight him."

Chris Dundee, 82, boxing promoter and matchmaker and older brother of trainer Angelo Dundee, has been hospitalized in Miami after suffering a stroke that left him partially paralyzed.

Boxing's Senior Tour of golden oldies continues Monday night when Sugar Ray Leonard fights Thomas Hearns--again. The winner earns an almost certain date with Roberto Duran--again. Are these guys getting better with age, or do the fans really just like to see a good fight--again? "It's the best game in town," veteran trainer Angelo Dundee said. "That's why it sells out." Dundee was in Leonard's corner Sept. 16, 1981, when Sugar Ray, squinting through a badly swollen left eye, stopped Hearns in the 14th round.

Bill Prezant, co-trainer of Pinklon Thomas along with Angelo Dundee, says that not only is the WBC heavyweight champion injury-prone, he is something of a hypochondriac, leading to all sorts of problems in preparing for fights. Prezant tells the New York Times of some of the problems leading up to the Mike Weaver fight in Las Vegas: "A week before the fight, he doubles over in pain. Can't straighten up his back. Angelo says he's going to call some specialists from Miami.

Angelo Dundee was talking the other day about football and basketball players trying to become boxers. He was laughing a lot. "Remember when Wilt Chamberlain was talking about a one-fight deal with Ali? Hey, the smartest thing Wilt ever did was not go through with that," said Dundee, longtime boxing trainer of Muhammad Ali and other champions. "Ali would have made him look foolish. Ali made experienced boxers look foolish." The subject arises because a 315-pound football player, Tony Mandarich of Michigan State, the top draft pick of the Green Bay Packers, is talking about fighting heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

Angelo Dundee was talking the other day about football and basketball players trying to become boxers. He was laughing a lot. "Remember when Wilt Chamberlain was talking about a one-fight deal with Ali? Hey, the smartest thing Wilt ever did was not go through with that," said Dundee, longtime boxing trainer of Muhammad Ali and other champions. "Ali would have made him look foolish. Ali made experienced boxers look foolish." The subject arises because a 315-pound football player, Tony Mandarich of Michigan State, the top draft pick of the Green Bay Packers, is talking about fighting heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

Sugar Ray Leonard met the press again Tuesday morning, praising Donny Lalonde's effort in their unexpectedly dramatic bout at Caesars Palace Monday night, and also delivering back-handed slaps at Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Leonard's ousted trainer, Angelo Dundee. "Donny never lost faith in himself, while a lot of you (reporters) kept questioning his credentials," Leonard said.