By Jake Donovan

In a news item that managed to fly way under the radar, renowned boxing trainer Jerry “Ace” Miller passed away last Thursday after suffering a fatal heart attack.

The Knoxville icon was 72, falling just 23 days shy of his birthday.

Miller began life as a trainer in 1964, taking out a $500 loan from a bank to purchase a local pool hall and convert it into a local boxing gym in his native Knoxville. The next five decades were spent teaching the sport he loved to a reported 9,000 or so pro and amateur boxers.

The biggest success story to come from Miller’s 48 years in service was guiding “Big” John Tate to a portion of the heavyweight title. Tate was three years removed from a tour on the 1976 U.S. Olympic squad – argued by many as the best team the U.S. has ever sent to the Summer Games – when he traveled to South Africa to wrest the crown from Gerrie Coetzee in October 1979.

Their stay at the top was short-lived, however; Tate conceded the belt in his first defense, suffering a heart-breaking 15th round knockout against Mike Weaver in 1980.

The fight is among the most-oft discussed title matches in heavyweight history, most notably for its dramatic ending. It also had the dubious distinction of taking place in Miller’s Knoxville hometown and on a night in which he celebrated his 41st birthday.

Among others who came through the ranks under Miller’s watchful eye were Johnny Bumphus and Bernard Taylor, both of whom qualified for the 1980 Olympics, only for the U.S. to boycott the Summer Games in Moscow in protest of the Soviet War in Afghanistan.

Former cruiserweight and heavyweight king Evander Holyfield also spent time with Miller, whose last major client was current fringe heavyweight contender Alonzo Butler.

For even those in the Knoxville area who know little to nothing about boxing, Ace Miller’s name still rings out – and nowadays sticks out.

His efforts in the Golden Gloves led to his being asked to take over the program in the early 1970’s, with his decades of meritorious service leading to the renaming of the gym to the Ace Miller Golden Gloves Gym, along with a street named after him (Ace Miller Way) as well. 

Though best known for his work with select pros and several amateurs who made it all the way to the Olympics (or in the case of Bumphus and Taylor, qualified), Miller and his Golden Gloves gym will always remain best known for the service it provided to the community and its local youth.

It is in that vein that services were held at Miller’s gym, his home away from home.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter: @JakeNDaBox or submit questions/comments to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.