![]() Steward wants to begin holding amateur fight nights at Metro Detroit convention centers that he thinks could raise funds and awareness for the gym. “We just need places for young people to go and engage in a sport and have that guidance in a safe environment,” Lawrence said. Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence said she can’t wait for the new Kronk to open. “To have that kind of place … leave is unfortunately another dramatic loss for Detroit,” Lampley said. TV boxing commentator Jim Lampley said the old gym represented the blue-collar backbone of the city. Many of the Detroit youths come to the gym to use it as a recreation center because the city has closed several in recent years, Steward added. Only about 30 percent of the current amateurs are black, as the gym welcomes more non-black fighters with Eastern European, Mexican and Middle Eastern origins, some of whom Steward said come from wealthy families who relate to current professional fighters. “This gym is plain, stinky, funky it’s old school as we call it,” Steward said. The free weights, treadmill and two stationary bicycles all are old. Emanuel Steward, a Hall of Fame trainer and iconic figure in Detroit who put his hometown on the boxing map by turning out some of the. The current gym in a west side Detroit storefront has only one ring held together with duct tape, three heavy bags and one speed bag. Steward had been a boxing analyst for HBO since 2001. ![]() The gym had a temporary stay in a former Gold’s Gym recreational center in Dearborn. Steward also wants to add three rings, new exercise equipment and banners outside the building displaying past Kronk champions, including Hilmer Kenty, Lennox Lewis and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns.
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