Buddy Shaw leaves lasting legacy in St. Louis boxing

The St. Louis boxing community recently lost a legendary figure in Winston “Buddy” Shaw.

Buddy Shaw passed away on January 10 at the age of 84.

Shaw’s brilliant career as a coach and trainer to amateur and professional boxers in the St. Louis area spanned five decades. Not only was he a tremendous coach, he was also a great man who was beloved and respected by all. Buddy Shaw had a tremendous impact on countless young men in St. Louis.

Simply put. Buddy Shaw was a coach and trainer of champions. Buddy Shaw was also a mentor and father figure to many youths and young adult men.

“He was a nice man who was genuine,” said his daughter Ebony Shaw. “He wanted to impact young lives and he never wavered from that. He taught kids discipline, in and out of the ring. I could remember the boys always hanging out at our house. Many would sleep over, then head out in the morning to go out of town for a big tournament. He made such a big impact in the community.”

Throughout his career, Shaw set up residence at many of the different recreation centers around the city. He trained boxers at the DeSoto, Wohl, Gamble and Cochran Rec Centers over a span of nearly 50 years. He was part of a golden era of boxing coaches in St. Louis which included Ben Stewart, Kenny Loehr, Marvin Millett and Jim Howell.

A former boxer himself, Shaw started to get into the training when his son, Winston Shaw Jr. expressed interest in the sport. Some of the boxers he trained over the years include Arthur “Flash” Johnson, William Guthrie, Corey Spinks, Keith Strickland, Tony Robinson, Roy Ritchie and countless others. Buddy’s grandson Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw, is a talented heavyweight boxer who has carried on the family name in recent years. Most have experienced some level of championship success either as an amateur or a professional under Shaw’s tutelage.

In the past several days, I’ve been able to talk to friends and family as well as some of the boxers that he trained. I also read countless glowing testimonials on social media from people who knew Buddy and were impacted by his guidance, tough love and unwavering support.

One such athlete was Johnson, who trained under Shaw throughout his amateur and professional careers. He was a former Golden Gloves champion and Olympian who also fought for multiple world titles as a professional.

“Buddy was there for me in the worst of times and the best of times,” said Johnson. “Here was there for me when I burst on the scene, knocking out the likes of Kennedy McKinney and becoming a world champion. He was also there for me when I suffered setbacks. His loyalty to me was unmatched.

“Apart from that, he was a friend. He was someone you could call on long after your career was over to simply chat. He loved boxing and he loved the kids that he worked with. He was a special man.”

Keith Strickland is another former boxer who credits Shaw for helping to point him in the right direction. Strickland was a Diamond Gloves champion who competed in the US Junior Olympics.

“He was more than a trainer to me,” Strickland said. “He was like a second father to me. “He gave me purpose and direction. He would take me to tournaments even when I was fighting. He wanted to keep me from hanging out in the hood. It was a big plus for me.”

And years later when Strickland’s son, Marcus Strickland, decided he wanted to box, he made sure that it would be Buddy Shaw training him. Marcus Strickland would become a Golden Gloves champion.

“I never thought that Buddy Shaw would end up coaching my son,” Strickland said. “That meant a lot to me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Services for Buddy Shaw will be held on Saturday, January 24 and Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church (5544 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.), beginning at 9:30 a.m.