Ray Arcel
Encyclopedia
Ray Arcel was a boxing trainer who was active from the 1920s through the 1980s. He trained eighteen world champions.
Arcel was born in Terre Haute, Indiana
, but moved to New York City before he was six years old. He grew up in Harlem
and graduated from Stuyvesant High School
in 1917. He began training fighters at Stillman's Gym, near the old location of Madison Square Garden
on 8th Avenue, in the 1920s. The champions he trained were Benny Leonard
, Ezzard Charles
, Jim Braddock
, Barney Ross
, Bob Olin
, Tony Zale
, Billy Soose
, Ceferino Garcia
, Lou Brouillard
, Teddy Yarosz
, Freddie Steele
, Jackie Kid Berg, Alfonso Frazier, Abe Goldstein
, Frankie Genaro
, Sixto Escobar
, Charley Phil Rosenberg, Roberto Durán
and Larry Holmes
.
After some disputes with Jim Norris and the International Boxing Club in the 1950s, Arcel retired from training until returning in the 1970s to work with Alfonso Frazier and Roberto Durán
. After Durán quit in his second fight against Ray Leonard, Arcel helped prepare Larry Holmes
for his fight against Gerry Cooney
. He retired from training after that fight.
He died on March 6, 1994, at the age of 94.
Arcel was born in Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, but moved to New York City before he was six years old. He grew up in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and graduated from Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
in 1917. He began training fighters at Stillman's Gym, near the old location of Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on 8th Avenue, in the 1920s. The champions he trained were Benny Leonard
Benny Leonard
Benny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
, Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Mack Charles was an African-American professional boxer and former world heavyweight champion. He holds wins over numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. Charles retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.-Career:He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia,...
, Jim Braddock
James J. Braddock
James Walter "The Cinderella Man" Braddock was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937....
, Barney Ross
Barney Ross
Barney Ross , born Beryl David Rosofsky, was a world champion boxer in three weight divisions and decorated veteran of World War II.-Early life:...
, Bob Olin
Bob Olin
Robert Lous "Bob" Olin was an American boxer.He won the World Light Heavyweight Championship.-Boxing career:In 1928 Olin won the New York City Golden Gloves Open Championship...
, Tony Zale
Tony Zale
Anthony Florian Zaleski was an American boxer. Zale was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, a steel town, which gave him his nickname, "Man of Steel." In addition, he had the reputation of being able to take fearsome punishment and still rally to win, reinforcing that nickname...
, Billy Soose
Billy Soose
Billy Soose was an American boxer who won the world middleweight championship in 1941.After a collegiate boxing career, Soose became a professional boxer in 1938. That same year he met Charley Burley, defeated Soose by a unanimous decision. In 1940 Soose defeated two future middleweight champions,...
, Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Garcia was a champion boxer born in Naval, Biliran, Philippines. His number of victories are the most ever achieved by a Filipino boxer. He's also the only boxer from the Philippines ever to become world champion at middleweight. He was managed, during the final years of his career by...
, Lou Brouillard
Lou Brouillard
Lucien Pierre Brouillard, better known as Lou Brouillard, , was a professional boxer in the welterweight division....
, Teddy Yarosz
Teddy Yarosz
Teddy Yarosz was an American athlete in boxing. He held the world middleweight boxing championship during 1934-1935.-Personal life:Yarosz was born in Monaca, Pennsylvania. His brother Tommy Yarosz also became a boxer....
, Freddie Steele
Freddie Steele
Freddie Steele was a boxer and film actor born Frederick Earle Burgett in Seattle, Washington. He was recognized as middleweight champion of the world between 1936 and 1938. Steele was nicknamed "The Tacoma Assassin" and was trained by Jack Connor, Johnny Babnick, and Ray Arcel, while in New York...
, Jackie Kid Berg, Alfonso Frazier, Abe Goldstein
Abe Goldstein
Abe Goldstein was an American boxer.He was World Bantamweight Champion in 1924, and was ranked the # 5 bantamweight of all time-Boxing career:...
, Frankie Genaro
Frankie Genaro
Frank "Frankie" Genaro was a former Olympic gold medalist and boxing world flyweight champion...
, Sixto Escobar
Sixto Escobar
Sixto Escobar was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. Competing in the bantamweight division, he became Puerto Rico's first world champion....
, Charley Phil Rosenberg, Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
and Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
.
After some disputes with Jim Norris and the International Boxing Club in the 1950s, Arcel retired from training until returning in the 1970s to work with Alfonso Frazier and Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
. After Durán quit in his second fight against Ray Leonard, Arcel helped prepare Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
for his fight against Gerry Cooney
Gerry Cooney
Gerry Cooney is a retired Irish-American professional boxer from Huntington, New York best known for his loss to Larry Holmes and defeat of aging ex-champion/contender Ken Norton.-Life before boxing:...
. He retired from training after that fight.
He died on March 6, 1994, at the age of 94.