The website Fight Hype is reporting that Detroit's Emanuel Steward, the founder of the Kronk Gym, is dead. So is the Detroit Free Press, citing "friends and heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko."
Not so reports Tom Leyden of WXYZ TV. He reports:
Legendary boxing trainer Emanuel Steward remains in the care of doctors and is still alive, despite numerous reports of his passing.
I have been in contact with his sister, Diane Steward-Jones, who issued the following statement via text to me at 11:25am Thursday morning: "You can tell folks that he is alive and being treated by some of the best experts in the world. The Steward family is dismayed and greatly disheartened and disappointed that during this personally challenging time, people would callously and thoughtlessly run wild with untrue statements in order to garner their '15 minutes of fame.'
Later in the afternoon, Leyden reported that he was dead.
Legendary boxing trainer Emanuel Steward has passed away at age 68 and the family has confirmed his death.
Steward's sister, Diane called me at 3:29 and said, "He went home about half an hour ago. He fought harder than Hagler and Hearns. I'll tell you more later. It's too tough right now."
The site Fight Hype reports that the Hall of Fame trainer and HBO analyst has been dealing with health problems in recent months and that he was in the hospital recovering from surgery to treat diverticulitis. He also reportedly had been battling cancer and was in the final stage of the disease.
