Kevin Benford 

2021 Winner: Darrell Davis

“Kevin Benford has the best fighters in the world,” I was told by my good friend, Ruben Garrett at Midtown Fitness in Sacramento, California. Benford took a team of fighters to a national tournament this year and came back with a slew of gold medals, ten in fact. 

Something that is unheard of in the sport itself. Benford is a really cool old-school dude. He never once talks about what it is that he is doing, he doesn’t brag, but he sure is proud of each and every one of his fighters especially when they win gold at the nationals. 

His workouts are intense. He noted to me that he can lose up to six pounds in the gym from training all of his fighters at the intensity he goes at. We created this award to honor coaches who are spending their own money to help young people better their lives and compete at the highest level of the sport among amateurs. 

Benford was our consensus pick this year!

Nicknamed “Coach Buck”, Benford won the most outstanding boxer at nine-years-old, at the junior Olympics, when you had to be ten years old to compete, and a former Aaron Pryor sparring partner is building the next generation the right way.

One of the most underrated coaches in the U.S. is our pick for this award in 2022.

Benford is the real deal.

Honorable Mention:

Lamont Roach Sr. – The most underrated amateur boxing coach in the country, as he has developed so many good fighters from his son, Lamont Roach Jr., to the “Iceman” Jordan Roach, to one of my favorite fighter, Benjamin Johnson. Roach Sr., is not just a good dude, he is a boxing lifer, who has changed a lot of young people’s lives for the better. 

Darrell Davis – One of the best coaches in the country, and the previous winner of this award, Davis is something special and built a great boxing team from the ground up. 

Robert Mumford – A great coach out of Toledo, Ohio, who works with one of the best fighters in the country Ryan Williams. Winning, winning, and winning is what Mumford and Team Cartel does over and over again. 

Mike Lugo – Team Lugo is one of the most feared in the country, and coach Mike Lugo has developed a winning formula that is getting national respect. One of the best coaches in amateur boxing currently.

Berlin Kerney – One of the leading voices in the corner of Julius Ballo, and Jonathan Mansour, both of whom had monster years in 2022.

Lyndon Patricio – One of the most impressive coaches at the final nationals of 2022. Patricio has a slew of great fighters that achieving a ton at the world-class level.