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08/26/2005 Archived Entry: "One on One with Famed Chicago Trainer, Sam Colonna!"
One on One with Famed Chicago Trainer, Sam Colonna!
By Rita Figueroa
Trainer Sam Colonna (left) works the mitt drills with Jermaine Marks (Rita Figueroa photo)
It’s a sunny Wednesday afternoon in Chicago’s Windy City Gym, and Sam Colonna has already held pads for quite a few rounds, watched numerous sparring rounds, corrected bag work, made arrangements for that night’s amateur show, placed calls for a pro show he will be flying out to in the morning, and countless other things trainers usually do on any given day.
With all that, Sam was able to talk about being a trainer, some of his fighters, and just give us an insight in to Sam Colonna, who just happens to also be my trainer.
Sam Colonna (Rita Figueroa photo)
Rita: How are you Sam?
Sam: I’m doing good!
Rita: You’re a very busy guy. Take us through a day in the life of Sam Colonna.
Sam: My day starts at about 3 AM, everyday. I run a newspaper agency for the Chicago Sun Times for Bridgeport, Mckinley Park and Brighton Park. I am part owner of the business. I’ve been with the business since I was 9 years old, so all I know is boxing and the newspaper business. I get home about 9:30-10:00. Rest for an hour, and go to the gym. I am there until about 4:00 – 4:30 and go home. Unless there are fights. Either amateur or pro. If there’s a fight in the city, you’re gonna see Sam Colonna there.
Rita: At the beginning of your own boxing career, there was a very unfortunate incident that happened to you. Can you give us a few details?
Sam: I had bought this house, and we were gonna put a fence around the backyard, cause we picked up a puppy and he kept running next door. So there was a lilac tree that my Dad and I cut down and I was going to take to the dump that was at 59th and Damen. I was gonna take it on my way to the gym.
It was in the afternoon, a young man, 15-16 years old asks me for change for a twenty. I usually didn’t have any money on me, but that day I went back in the house for money. For what – I don’t know. I told the kid no, then I remembered I did have change so I called him back. He said 'Give me your “friggen” money.'
I said 'Get the hell outta here, I’m not giving you shit!' I started dumping the tree and I felt something hit me. I didn’t know he shot me, it felt like a medicine ball. It knocked the wind out of me. I remember – like you see in the movies, when they see the little birdies, well, I saw stars. I was knocked out. The guy came up to me and grabbed my chain that had two Golden Gloves on it. He took that and my money. I seen him coming back, but I couldn’t really do anything. So then I felt the side of my body, and I saw the blood and was like “Oh my God, this guy shot me!”. I couldn’t move, my legs felt paralyzed.
So this other guy, a meter reader or a gas man, he actually saved my life. One guy shot me, the other saved me. He picked me up, put me in my truck and drove me to the hospital. He went in and told them there was someone in the truck and he left. We figure he didn’t take credit for it cause he wasn’t supposed to be there. That’s what the police said. He was probably off his route and didn’t want to get fired or didn’t want no one to know where he was.
Rita: Good thing for you he was there.
Sam: So that was good. That’s why I am the way I am. One guy shot me, the other guy saved me. Not everybody’s bad. There are a lot of good people out there. I thank God everyday. I never complain about my leg. May 20th of next year it will be 21 years since that happened.
Rita: Now did you have any fights prior to that?
Sam: I did have some amateur fights at Light heavy and Super middle weight. My career never really started. I’ve learned a lot more as a trainer.
Sam Colonna with boxers at the gym (Rita Figueroa photo)
Rita: You used to train Angel Manfredy during his early and successful career. You also trained Courtney Burton to fight and eventually knock out Manfredy. What was that like for you?
Sam: I’ll tell you something – that was the hardest thing for me to do. But at the same token, I feel that I had something to prove to him, that he should have never left. He left me not on good terms. I never did anything wrong to the man, I only tried to help him. When he won, he took the credit. When he lost, it’s my fault. It’s always the trainers fault.
That one fight, a real bad fight for him, with Paul Spadafora. We’re telling him he’s losing and that he has to pick it up, and he tells us he knows what he’s doing, to leave it up to him. At that point right there, he doesn’t need us. He could have had his wife in the corner to give him water. At that point, we were only water boys. He’s not listening. After that fight he left.
Then this fight with Burton was brought to me. His trainer called and asked if I would train him and I said sure. He said there was a catch though – that he was fighting Manfredy. I told him I would train him for nothing. I just wanted to prove something to Manfredy – that he should have never left. In my mind I had a lot to prove so I spent a lot of time with Courtney. He lived at the gym. When the fight came and Courtney knocked him out, I felt really bad. At that point, instead of running to Courtney in victory and being happy, I went to Manfredy to see if he was okay. I felt really down and depressed. I mean here’s a fighter that made me.
Did I make him or did he make me? No one knew who I was at that time. It’s like what came first the chicken or the egg. Without the chicken, no egg. Without the egg, no chicken. Without Manfredy, there probably wouldn’t have been a me at that time. Here’s a fighter I know, every trick I taught him, for 10 years. Then I had someone fight him. It was something I had to prove. We learn to move on.
Rita: What about Tomasz Adamek? A lot of people outside of this gym didn’t know he broke his nose 4 weeks before his title fight on May 21st. Why did you go through with the fight?
Sam: I wanna tell you – I was thinking about canceling. I called his manager and said “Look, he hasn’t sparred in 4 weeks, Do we really need this fight?”. But Tomasz said something to me that really stands out and I tell all my fighters. He said, “I’m 26-0. All my life I waited for this opportunity. If I lose, I am 26-1, and I fought for a World Title. If I win, then I’ve proven that I am a real fighter. I am gonna take this fight with or without a broken nose. Nothing was gonna stop him. That shows a lot of heart and determination. Some fighters find excuses not to take a fight. The money’s not right, the guys too tall, the weight isn’t good, I don’t like that city. This guy didn’t care where the fight was at, what the situation was. He proved to the world that he is a real fighter, and he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve worked with.
Rita: Knowing he had a broken nose, and seeing all the punishment he was not only giving, but taking as well, how would you rate his performance in that fight?
Sam: He showed tremendous heart in that fight that’s for sure. He showed a lot of skills, but he also showed a weakness by taking those right hands. I wasn’t happy about that. From seeing him in the gym, and had he have sparred, he would have looked sharper. He wasn’t as sharp as I know he can be. I would give him a B for performance and an A+ for heart. That’s what won him the fight was his heart. He was hurt in a couple rounds, and his nose was twice the size as normal. There was blood everywhere, that was the bloodiest fight I ever worked. I almost puked in the corner. Not from the nose, but the smell of all the blood. We went thru 4 towels with the blood. It was a hell of a fight.
[Note – this was a non televised fight on the United Center card on May 21st. If you can get your hands on it, it is worth watching.]
Rita: What’s next for Adamek?
Sam: A possible fight in Germany. I don’t know if he will train in Europe of America, so don’t know if I will be involved. It’s in the process right now.
[Editor's note: according to Fabian Weber, Adamek will take on German Thomas Ulrich, 28-1, 19 KO's, on October 15 in Düsseldorf]
Rita: But you trained him to win the title, so you have a World Champion.
Sam: I do have a World Champion, and I am proud of that. That’s a goal I had for a long time that came true. There’s other goals I have that keep me in the game. The love of the sport, and goals I have to meet.
Sam Colonna with trainers Chupi and Willie (Rita Figueroa photo)
Rita: Andrew Golota. He can seem to be pretty standoffish and unapproachable at times, but I have heard him be quite funny when he’s here (Windy City). What is your relationship like with him?
Sam: No one understands Andrew like I do. We go back 10, almost 15 years. He could be really funny, he’s sensitive, he’s a family man – he really loves his kids.
He’s a moody guy. You have to know when to leave him alone and when you can play with him.
Andrew’s probably one of the most skillful heavyweights out there. An injury that a lot of people don’t know about, his left arm. With that injury, he’s not gonna perform as he should.
And he hates the media. He hates the pressure. That’s his downfall. That’s way he’s not World Champion right now. If he ever got over those two things, I don’t think there’s a guy out there that could beat Andrew. Not even 10 years ago when he was on his game, I mean now. He’s a very skillful guy. A very smart guy too. He just can’t handle the media, the pressure. I had times where the media comes here and Andrew disappears, and no one knows where he is. Then we find him in the back changing, ready to go home.
Rita: Of all your fighters, who's the best you ever trained?
Sam: One of my best fighters only had two pro fights. He worked with me as a paperboy. He was the most skillful and hardest hitting fighter I ever had, and I never got a chance to show him off. He was around in the 70’s and 80’s and if you mention his name, Ezequiel Olague to Chicago boxing people, they will know him. They all remember his left hook. Best left hook I’ve ever worked with.
I think I burned him out as an amateur. He was at the gym everyday. Never missed a day. I used to train him at the boys club, then he followed me here, but he was pretty much out of it by then. Got married, had a family , a good job. He sparred with “Chopo” – Puerto Rican guy. They asked me how many pro fights he had, and I told them he was only amateur – they couldn’t believe it. He was getting ready for a world Title fight the other guy.
Rita: Who do you see as a promising Chicago fighter right now?
Sam: Well, Oscar Bravo’s one of the top guys. He just needs to get out there and do his stuff. Oscar’s probably one of the best fighters to come out of here. At his age, I still think he’s got what it takes to be a World Champion. The right opportunity hasn’t come yet, and he hasn’t jumped on some opportunities, and he’s running out of time. Age will catch up eventually. Hopefully within this year or the beginning of next year something good happens for Oscar. He’s one of the top guys that hasn’t had a chance to show his stuff yet.
Rita: What is the difference between fighters of today and fighters of the past?
Sam: Fighters of today aren’t hungry. There are too many things out there for them. So many different belts, TV shows. The money isn’t as good now believe it or not. Money is worth more, but in boxing it’s not. 15 years ago, there was more demand. Now there are so many belts, TV, so many organizations. They just aren’t as hungry.
![SamColonnaNoraRita[1] (88k image)](http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/news/archives/SamColonnaNoraRita[1].jpg)
Colonna with fighters Nora Reyes and Rita Figueroa (Rita Figueroa photo)
Rita: You trained women before the movie “Million Dollar Baby” came out an made it popular. Did other trainers give you a hard time about it?
Sam: Some did. They were like “Why are yoyu training a women – they should be in the kitchen, cooking!” I get more satisfaction training the women than guys. They are more serious, more appreciative, and they are hard workers, they really are. I never had a problem training women because they show me they really want to fight, and they put a lot of work into it.
Rita: Some trainers don’t really feel about their fighter the way you do yours. It seems like you genuinely care about your fighters.
Sam: And I do. I take everything to heart. Other trainers tell me “Oh, you get too close to your fighters. You have to treat them like a product or a money maker”.
If I put all my time into money that I put into my fighters, I’d make maybe a penny an hour. The only ones that made me real money was Golota and Manfredy. The rest, 100, 200, 80 bucks. The time away from home. If I have a fighter that says “Hey Sam, I’m hurtin’ can I pay you next time”, If that’s what we have to do, that’s what we do. I just want you to win, cause if you win, I win. If you lose, I lose too. It hurts me as much as it hurts you. When a fighter of mine gets knocked out or hurt, I hurt just as much. I take it really serious. But when a fighter leaves, it hurts me too. If there is a reason, just tell me and we can work it out. Some fighters get jobs and they can’t train until late. There’s only one of me – I wish there was five. One at home, one at work, one at the gym, one at the fights, and one to have a little fun.
(Note- after my 1st amateur fight and loss in 2000, Sam called the next day to see if I was okay and to tell me to keep my spirits up. After my April 8th 2005 pro victory, I had a broken cheekbone. Sam called several times to make sure I was okay. I can honestly say he truly does care about his fighters!)
Rita: What advice would you give to someone interested in boxing?
Sam: I would ask them if they are sure. I wouldn’t want my kids to be fighters. I see what you guys go thru and it hurts me. I couldn’t see my kids going thru that – it would kill me, what you go through. A lot of determination, dedication. You really gotta love it. You’re really not making a lot of money.
You could work at McDonald’s and at the end of the year, what you make boxing and McDonald’s? McDonald’s would be way more, unless you are fighting for a World Title. These fighters aren’t making millions unless they are fighting on HBO PPV for a title.
You gotta really love it and be dedicated. Unless you give it 110%, don’t do it. If you wanna come in for the workout, it’s great cardio. I think it’s one of the best workouts out there. If you wanna lose weight – call Sam Colonna. You’ll lose weight.
Rita: What do you feel about the state of boxing right now?
Sam: You know what – I think it’s in the middle. I’ve seen it more popular. States put a lot pf pressure on fighters to turn pro. Your first two fights are like an investment because of all the medicals you have to get that can come to $1,500. You’re first couple fights you’re only making $800 if that. In Chicago it’s really picked up, but other states are dry, they’re not doing boxing. I think the females are making some noise that’s picking up some slack.
Rita: On behalf of your fighters, we want you to know that you are appreciated!
Sam Colonna and Rita Figueroa (Figueroa photo)
Sam: I just wish there was more of me to give more time. It’s hard sometimes, our schedules don’t meet. When you can make it, I maybe can’t. I just can’t spend eight hours at the gym. I wish I could. Someday I will but right now I have a young family and I need two jobs. Boxing doesn’t pay the bills. Believe me if it did, I would be here from 6 AM til 8 PM. My goal is to open a camp somewhere. Someday, somehow I will do it, but right now I have to keep my job to pay the bills.
Rita: Well Sam, you’ve been my trainer from my very first amateur fight, and you will be my trainer when I fight my last pro fight.
Sam: I appreciate you saying that. That makes me feel good. That’s why I am in this because people like you keep me in it. I might have one bad apple, but when I look at the whole picture, I do have a lot of fighters that give me respect and really appreciate it. Then there’s guys that use me and leave. In the long run, they always come back.
Manfredy, after all he did, came back. I guess it was burning him up. After the Courtney Burton fight, he came in the gym (I remember I was there when he came in – we were all surprised!). Gave me a hug, said “Sam, I should have never left!
There are a lot of good people in boxing. You know yourself, you spend a lot of time in the gym. Take punishment. Go home bruised. Gotta make weight. You want to eat that pizza, but can’t. A lot of sacrifice. Not just for yourself but for the family. They have to be supportive otherwise your life is gonna be miserable. There’s gotta be a lot of good people behind you, a fighter and a trainer.
The life style of a trainer isn’t easy. Away from home a lot. Calls at all hours during the day or night “Sam, come and get me out of jail” or “Sam, I got kicked out of my house!” You have to be a father, brother, friend. Believe me. All that comes with being a trainer.
Rita: But all trainers are not that way!
Sam: And also, you have to trust me. If you don’t trust me, it’s not gonna work. A fighter and a trainer have to have trust. If that bond isn’t there, there isn’t going to be the chemistry in the corner. That’s the difference between me and other trainers!
And that’s why Sam is one of the best trainers out there! Thanks Sam!
