“RIP Coach”: Weeks After Death of Adrien Broner’s Father Figure, Claressa Shields Joins Shawn Porter to Pay Her Condolences

Boxers and their trainers often form a special bond while training for countless hours, days, and years. These bonds, made inside the ring, often transcend from the confines of the square ring to become something bigger. Such was the case for Adrien Broner and his coach, whom he considered to be a father figure. While Broner has paid his tributes, Claressa Shields recently joined Shawn Porter in saying goodbye to the late legend.

Mike Stafford, the head coach of Cincinnati Golden Gloves gym, passed away on 6 September at the age of 67. Described as quiet and humble, the Cincinnati native achieved numerous accolades as a coach. His contributions to the boxers helped him get the US Olympic National Coach of the Year award three times. Weeks after his passing, Claressa shared a post from theporterwaypod, paying respect to the late coach. However, she wasn’t alone. The clip she shared featured Porter describing his message to Adrien Broner after Stafford’s passing.

Condolences from Claressa Shields and Shawn Porter

Bidding ado to one of the greatest coaches in boxing history, Claressa shared a story on her Instagram account. She wrote, “RIP coach Mike,” while tagging a video where Shawn Porter described his message to Broner after Stafford’s passing. Stafford had an immeasurable impact on the entire boxing community, and Porter was one of them.

Porter said, “I told AB that I was gonna honor Mike today. I said listen bro, death is the hardest thing we have to live with in life. We are human. What makes us superhuman is how well we handle adversity. Cry when it’s time to cry. Hold somebody when it’s time to hold somebody. Smile when it’s time to smile. Always hold your head up because our number one job on earth is to help others. Holding your head up is simply a sign of strength, and your strength will make others feel strong. That will be what others get to the next day.” 

Shawn then urged fans to explore Cincinnati Golden Gloves, applauding the success of the gym. He also emphasized Mike’s profound expertise in the sport and affection for the boxers. Then he proceeds to extend his well wishes to Stafford’s family, Broner, and Stafford’s team.

Jamel Herring pays tribute to Mike Stafford

Jamel Herring is one of the boxers Stafford trained during his early boxing career. Before getting into the ring, Jamel was a marine, which helped him maintain discipline in his pro boxing career. He held the WBO Junior Lightweight title from 2019 up until 2021. Herring even competed in the 2012 Olympics after being trained by Stafford. After Stafford’s death, Herring took to X (Twitter) to pay respect to the late boxer. 

While expressing his grief, the boxer emphasized the kind of man Stafford was. Herring described how the late boxer influenced his life and mentioned he would always miss Stafford’s presence. He even shared some pictures of his time with Stafford in the tweet.

Also Read: “RIP Coach Mike”: Days After Heart-Shattering Death of His Father Figure, Adrien Broner Finally Ready to Move On and Continue His Journey

There is no denying the fact that his passing has caused great upset in the whole boxing community. However, his presence and legacy will continue to permeate throughout the boxing world through all of the boxers he has trained in his career. 

Watch This Story: Adrien Broner, Jamel Herring, and Other Famous Boxers Late Legendary Coach Mike Stafford Trained