John’s Boxing Gym, a Westchester Avenue institution, is closing its doors after 30 years, said a report in The New York Times. The gym, which used to be called the Jerome Boxing Club, will be demolished to make way for a new building.
Famous boxers such as Joshua (The Hitter) Clottey and Joseph (King Kong) Agbeko trained at the gym before making a name for themselves in the international boxing circuit. “Boxing is like religion here,” said Edwin Viruet, a trainer at the gym. Owner Gjin Gjini said that he plans to reopen in another location. “This has helped a lot of kids get off the streets,” he said.
