BRITISH boxing lost one its greatest and most innovative trainers on December 23 when Howard Rainey passed away at the age of 79. That Rainey – or Howie, as he was known to some – struggled with Alzheimer’s in his final years was cruel when one considers his brain was once one of the most creative in the sport.
Rainey, whose fighters won more than 60 major professional titles during his long career, was known for his unconventional, even eccentric methods. But there was always good reason for them as he constructed his own equipment to assist balance, speed, accuracy, and head movement.
“Howie’s a man of ideas,” Colin McMillan once said. Alongside Rainey, McMillan
