Missy Fitzwater
This is a story about a community center in the core of Kansas City. It is a story about the Kansas City Golden Gloves initiative to bring boxing back to the city’s core. It is a story about a group of people who volunteer their time to try to accomplish all of that. But what […]
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Women’s boxing is trending up! It is an exciting time to be a female in the sport of boxing. The top women in boxing are authoring inspiring chapters in the stories of their lives. Clarissa Shields achieved history making moments by boxing her way to a gold medal in 2012 when women were finally welcomed […]
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It is not a secret that boxing is a powerful sport. But, where does all of that power come from. Is it in the jab, or the technique? Is it in the hours of training? or does it lie somewhere within the athlete themselves? Cristina Gonzalez of the She Fights Foundation believes the latter to be […]
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11/19/2016 I’m filled with anticipation and excitement as I tune in to the fight that marks the pro debuts of Claressa Shields and Franchon Crews. Not just because I’m about to watch what promises to be a solid match, but something more. There is a tangible feeling that women’s boxing is on the precipice of […]
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They say that “you can never go home.” Nico Hernandez knows that this is not true. He has found his way back home on numerous occasions. He has boxed in competitions across the nation, collecting an impressive array of hardware, including: a National Golden Gloves championship ring, eight Ringside World Championship belts, two Jr. Olympic […]
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Wander into our gym and you will find heavy and double-end bags hanging from the ceiling. There is a large assortment of boxing gloves and headgear in various stages of wear. There are mirrors and fight posters. And at the center of it all is a squared circle; the boxing ring. The most striking thing […]
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There are certain events in everyone’s lifetime that always elicit a visceral response. One of these, for me, has always been the Olympics. As a little girl, I remember the excitement and anticipation I felt […]
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My first fight would seem a disaster. I wasn’t prepared for what was about to hit me…literally. It would not last an entire round. I stood as the ref raised her hand, I smiled, and congratulated her, and I then stepped out of the ring. For a split second, I thought that it would be […]
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There is a popular sentiment with athlete’s in regards to sacrifice. I often hear athletes proclaim with pride, all of the sacrifices that they have made for their sport. They postulate about missed social opportunities, stringent dietary restrictions that they suffer, and the sore state of their bodies. This concept of “sacrifice” has always puzzled […]
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This is why I equate boxing to religion. It is necessary to me; it has filled my soul with light…When my work is done, I feel like I was just baptized, freed, and forgiven.
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