Joe Goossen: The Best I've Trained

Joe Goossen has been a highly skilled trainer for many years and recently gave an interview to The Ring magazine, in which he talked about his best pupils.

Fame came to the Californian with the emergence of Michael Nunn, a middleweight and super middleweight champion, but he also trained stars like Donald Curry, Marlon Starling, and Iran Barkley. Later, the Ruelas brothers joined his team—Gabriel, the WBC featherweight champion, and Rafael, the IBF lightweight champion, as well as Frankie Liles, who ruled the super middleweight division for several years.

Perhaps Goossen's greatest achievements are linked to his work with Diego Corrales, especially during his sensational, victorious fight against Jose Luis Castillo, which was recognized as the fight of the year in 2005. His unwavering determination and how Goossen motivated his wards during the fight are particularly noteworthy.

In recent years, the American has retreated somewhat into the shadows, although the fighters he has trained and is training— Ryan Garcia, Frank Sanchez, and Gurgen Hovhannisyan—still have the potential to impress.

In an interview, the 72-year-old Goossen was asked to name the best pupils in several categories, and the American trainer mentioned the following names.

Best jab: Michael Nunn

“He was extraordinarily tall for a middleweight, and moreover, he boxed from a southpaw stance. He could circle opponents, never attacking their jab directly. He moved sideways and outmaneuvered opponents. Keeping up with his movements to avoid his jabs was very difficult because Nunn could double and triple the jabs and even throw four punches. He really used them as a weapon, rather than just to push the opponent back. He rocked opponents with his jabs. I saw him twist his fist and wrist when delivering them.”

Best defense: Michael Nunn

“It was virtually impossible to get a clean hit on him. Al Bernstein once said that Nunn not only didn’t lose fights, but he also didn’t lose rounds. Landing a punch was really difficult and, for some, downright impossible.”

Fastest hands: Ryan Garcia

“When it comes to speed, in terms of the speed of a single punch, Ryan Garcia is perfectly suited. His left hook was incredibly fast. No one saw them coming. If he wanted to throw a short punch, straight from the hip, from the waist, there was no signaling those punches.”

Best footwork: Michael Nunn

“His elusiveness and footwork—watch the fight with Frank Tate, what he does is incredible. In Nunn's fight, there are bright moments where he focuses on footwork and defense. It was very similar to Muhammad Ali's style.”

Smartest: Michael Nunn

“He was what you would call outstanding. The highest IQ, probably belongs to Nunn.

Best strength: Rafael Ruelas

“When it comes to infighting, I compare him with strength because you need to be strong to stay in the clinch and close range. I don’t think there is anyone more effective or better prepared in this fighting style than Rafael Ruelas.

Most resilient to punches: Frankie Duarte

“He was virtually impossible to lay down. He was a bantamweight boxer, but his head was the size of a middleweight's. His head was like Randall 'Tex' Cobb's.

Strongest puncher: Diego Corrales

“Diego Corrales could easily knock out or send an opponent to the knockout with one punch, and he did it quite often.”

Best boxing technique: Rafael Ruelas

“Nunn wasn’t a technical fighter, he relied more on instincts, boxing freely, but without much consistency. Rafael Ruelas was the most skillful boxer at medium range that I have ever worked with. Under my wing, he only lost to two—Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu—a truly formidable lineup.”

Best overall: Michael Nunn

“Nunn had it all: speed, size, accuracy, defense, physical endurance, and he was incredibly confident. He was a boxer you meet once in a lifetime.”