– Brad Marchetti: Milton LaCroix may not be a household name to the casual boxing fan, but in the fight game, he’s something of a well-kept secret weapon. Known to many as **Milton Supreme**, the Queens, New York native has spent decades cultivating champions, resurrecting careers and leaving his fingerprints on some of boxing’s most unlikely success stories.
As an amateur trainer, LaCroix has guided more than 70 Golden Gloves champions, earning a reputation as something of a mythical figure in New York boxing circles. His credentials in the professional ranks are equally impressive. In 2007, he helped resurrect the career of Brooklyn heavyweight Shannon Briggs, guiding the bruising former champion to a stunning victory over Sergei Liakhovich and the WBO heavyweight championship.
But Briggs was hardly the end of the story. LaCroix has been a driving force behind a who’s who of contenders, champions and celebrity boxers. He was Jake Paul’s first trainer, worked with Logan Paul in preparation for his exhibition against Floyd Mayweather, and has been instrumental in the development of current pound-for-pound entrant Teofimo Lopez, whom he has trained since the youngster was just eight years old. LaCroix was also in Lopez’s corner for his bouts against Arnold Barboza Jr. and Rolly Romero, although he was notably absent for the showdown with Shakur Stevenson. One can’t help but wonder whether having Supreme in the corner might have changed the complexion of that fight.
These days, LaCroix has a new project occupying his considerable attention: social media sensation turned boxer Jack Doherty. His latest protégé recently scored the second-fastest knockout in BrandRisk Boxing history, and under the watchful eye of Supreme, Doherty appears determined to make some serious noise in the celebrity boxing world.
LaCroix’s influence, however, extends well beyond the familiar business of teaching someone how to throw a left hook. His training philosophy, personality and unconventional methods have helped make him one of the more fascinating characters in the sport. In 2002, Robert Anasi’s critically acclaimed book, *The Gloves: A Boxing Chronicle*, devoted its pages to the larger-than-life LaCroix, offering readers a glimpse into a character whose story was anything but ordinary. It’s a must-read for anyone fascinated by the people and personalities who inhabit boxing’s backrooms and gyms.
For all his bravado, sharp tongue and sometimes controversial approach, there is another side to Milton Supreme. To many of the fighters who have passed through his gym, he’s been much more than a trainer. He’s been a father figure, mentor and guiding hand, displaying an almost saintly generosity toward those fortunate enough to find themselves under his wing.
Strangely enough, despite a résumé that would make many a Hall of Famer envious, LaCroix has yet to receive a Hall of Fame induction of his own. Perhaps the boxing gods have simply overlooked one of their more colorful servants. If justice ever finds its way into the sport’s accounting books, the Milton “Supreme Team” LaCroix story deserves a shrine of its own.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the brash, quick-witted and occasionally controversial LaCroix at BOXR Gym in Miami for one of the more entertaining and revealing interviews I’ve conducted. We get inside the mind of Supreme, exploring his unique training methods, what it’s really like working with his newest prized pupil, Jack Doherty, and his thoughts on the celebrity boxing phenomenon.
And, of course, we couldn’t resist the ultimate hypothetical: If Jake Paul and Logan Paul ever settled their differences between the ropes, which brother would walk away with bragging rights?
As you’ll discover, when Milton Supreme starts talking boxing, there’s rarely a dull moment.
