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Local trainer did it his way

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By EDDIE DANIELS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 2, 2009

TAMPA - Since Sunday, Chris Getty has been handling a daunting and painful task.

He's answered many of the phone calls received by the cell phone belonging to his father, boxing trainer Ben Getty, and delivered shocking news.

Ben Getty, father of three, was found dead Sunday.

When reached Monday, Chris was obviously shaken.

"It's a shock to everybody," he said, his voice trembling. "It came as a shock to us. I'm holding on to his phone in case people call him and don't know what happened.

"It's unfortunate, but all we can do is move on."

No official cause of death has been released.

Ben Getty, 63, worked with the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard and Olympic bronze medalist Kenneth Gould.

More recently, Getty played an integral part in the young career of Clearwater's Keith Thurman.

The Vietnam veteran began training Thurman at the age of 7, helping guide him to two national Silver Gloves championships, a 2006 national PAL champion and the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing trials appearance in which Thurman finished second in the 152-pound weight class. Thurman finished his amateur career with 101 victories.

Following the 2008 Olympic boxing trials, held in August 2007, Thurman turned pro and fought for Starfight Productions, until recently leaving to fight under promoter Shelly Finkel.

Dan Birmingham, who trains St. Petersburg's Winky Wright and has helped train Thurman, has known Getty for 20 years.

"As a person, he was a very patriotic guy," Birmingham said. "If he was your friend, he was a great friend. He'd do anything for you. As far as a trainer goes, he was a very strict disciplinarian. Very military-like. He had a wealth of experience.

"He was misunderstood easily by a lot of people, but really, Ben had a good heart and would do anything for his friends."

Funeral arrangements are ongoing, Chris Getty said.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 259-7066.

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