I really didnt want to stick around for the 1984 Olympics so I turned pro at eighteen. It's the same bag used by Emanuel Steward and all the champions. Riojas has already called out Shishskin. Shamrock has been out of MMA competition since 2010, was dabbling in pro wrestling again, and was thought to have been retired from the sport of MMA. Today its really different. Lastly, boxing gave us another magical cinematic moment as well with the release of The Fighter, a film based on the life and hard times of junior welterweight scrapper Micky Ward. Imagine what he might have done had Mayweather been in the opposite corner? Gordeau is famous for being a member of the first ever UFC card at UFC 1. Until he met New Jerseys Edgar, the Hawaiian fighter chopped down lightweight opponents with ease. SM: After the McCallum fight you fought only six times in the next four years. It seems that Kronk, which served countless thousands of at-risk youth, would die along with the man who dedicated his life to it. Naseem Prince Hamed current featherweight champ. MM: To be honest I thought I won the first fight, that I should have got the decision. His war with Michael Katsidis is a strong candidate for Fight of the Year and his technical skill and calm demeanor make him the uncrowned challenger to Pacquiao. Im watching football right now. Top 15 Interesting MMA Where Are They Now Stories, 10 Best Feud-Ending Matches In WCW History, Ranked, 10 Wrestlers WWE Is Likely To Release Next, 10 Worst WWE Wrestlers To Compete For A World Championship At WrestleMania. Each year, Fikes brings his Atlanta team up to Detroit for an Atlanta vs. Detroit fight night. The sounds below were of struggle. Though Maynards record indicates he is unbeaten thats not entirely true. You know growing up in the 60s and 70s, that was a way out of the neighborhood for black folks. Since retiring, Carwin is working as a volunteer wrestling coach, as well as being a successful engineer, a job he also held throughout his UFC career. SM: What about boxing, have you been involved in anyway over the years? In 1984 four Kronk team members of various weight classes were ranked world's top ten by AIBA: Steve McCrory #1 at 112 lbs, Mark Breland #1 at 147 lbs, Frank Tate #5 at 156 lbs, and Ricky Womack #3 at 178 lbs.[4]. As the Olympics draw nearer, Steward is teaching Hearns to become more than a two-punch fighter. You don't have to box to be a part of ESCOT. I just think I grew as a fighter. Were not going anywhere, were here to stay, Mitchell said. The film has won rave reviews and many awards and seems likely to have several of its actors nominated for Academy Awards, most notable Christian Bale for his sadly humorous portrayal of Wards troubled half brother, former fighter Dickie Ecklund. They were living on the far West Side at the time, and there happened to be a gym nearby. I sparred with guys at Kronk like Hearns, Hilmer Kenty and Caveman Lee. Steward accused Smith, the high-flying 1970s promoter who served 5 1/2 years in federal prison for embezzling $21.3 million from Wells Fargo Bank, of talking Hearns into leaving Kronk. Hilmer Kenty, our first fighter, Thomas Hearns, Milton McCrory, Jimmy Paul, Duane, Steward-Williams said. That is what boxing needs more of fresh faces and new stars so as fans we should root for guys like Alvarez, Ward, Rios and young Brit Amir Khan, who is a star in England but still a question mark with a questionable chin but a fighters heart here in the U.S. Those guys and others not yet as well known are the future of boxing, a sport that for too long has been recycling the likes of Mosley (as it will again in May for one last beating against Pacquiao in a fight that's a joke), Bernard Hopkins (who can still fight although it is unclear why he bothers or where its all headed), Roy Jones and, sadly, even 48-year-old Evander Holyfield, who continues to delude himself but not many other people into believing he will soon unify the heavyweight title again.If fighters like Ward, Alvarez, Rios, Khan, WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto and middleweight king Sergio Martinez continue their rise they could be the antidote for the art of the retread that Arum and Golden Boy have been forcing fans to buy the past few years at the expense of what boxing needs most fresh faces. Each defended their titles twice this year, Vitali against lame competition (Albert Sosnowski and Shannon Briggs) and Wladimir against better fighters (Sam Peter and Eddie Chambers) but not competitive ones. Hear. It was located at 5555 McGraw Ave, in the bowels of the Motor Citys old Kronk Recreation Center, in the brick, closed confines far from the publics view. Produced by VFU, Virtual Fights Unlimited. Pete was the first to take me ten rounds, he was tough. ". We stand united. MM: Well I worked for Chrysler for about fifteen years. MM: I dont really know what the future holds. Pacquiao alone put boxing (or at least one boxer) on the cover of TIME and into the pages of such varied publications as Esquire, GQ, The Wall Street Journal, the American Airlines in-flight magazine and even Atlantic Monthly. In this list, we'll look at the Top 15 Where are they now stories in MMA. The eNewspaper, a digital replica of the print paper, every day. Since his retirement, Couture has begun to dabble in acting and has starred in the Expendables series, as well as appearing on Dancing with the Stars. Mayweather is such a person as well, but for different reasons. Making the weight just killed me. The roof was destroyed and the basement gym was heavily damaged. I think that was a sign from God. Kerefov is a contending middleweight, and junior welterweight Shohjahon Ergashev of Uzbekistan is ranked No. It was called the Kronk Gym. Found this while looking up info on Milton McCrory Nice to see Beard as a trainer and McCrory at Chrsyler Corp. McCrory should've had a better career, but the Curry loss did him in. I guess really Im an athlete. Kronk boxing has had several homes, including the original gym at McGraw and Junction on Detroit's west side. The one night he appeared in a boxing ring, he set the years pay-per-view standard against Shane Mosley while also leaving a first hint of dark mystery when he was staggered by two stinging right hands in the second round. Fikes was a fantastic fighter and now trainer of his own. Title Boxing Presents: KRONK vs. Everybody. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. and our He is still seen by many as the best Heavyweight of all time. WebProbably the most experienced Kronk fighter is the 17-year-old Hearns, who's won 79 of 84 fights and is currently ranked third in the nation at 132 pounds. Exclusive podcasts from our top journalists. But after he died in 2012, the biggest void possible staredat the remaining crew. Its very important to have the gym in this day of age, because it allows the young people to come to a place of refuge, where they can come and feel safe. Any time youre going up against the top in the world, you evolve and change and so Im prepared for a new fight, so it will be good. After a short amateur career in his 20s, Fikes later came on board at KRONK as a coach and was instrumental in revitalizing the amateur program using all of Emanuel's styles. Be respectful and come chat with us. Talk about anything boxing related here. Two other fighters who gave us moments to remember in 2010 were Juan Manuel Lopez, who knocked out three solid opponents including highly respected Mexican warrior Rafael Marquez, and Giovani Segura, who won four times (thats three years work for Mayweather) in 2010, all by knockout. I was told as an amateur that I was just being used for a sparring partner and wouldnt go anywhere. Theres so much history here, that you just dont want to see this thing forgotten," Wayne mayor John Rhaesa said. MM: Yes, Im a fighter so I do quite a bit. Matt Serra wentdown in the MMA history books as the man who pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the sport of MMA when he defeated Georges St-Pierre to win the Welterweight world title. The one and only! The principles and disciplines he learned from Emanuel Steward are carried on through his own youth program, modeled after the one he grew up in at KRONK. SM: Was there ever any talk of you fighting the big dogs, like Duran, Leonard, and Hagler? Taurrek Fikes, Boxing Coach at Dungeon Boxing, joins Jackie Paige on Community Connect to talk about his days training at KRONK Gym under Emanuel Steward and the kind of impact Steward had on his life. MMA is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. More than any other former star from the fabled, 80-champion Kronk gym, Mays represents the tragic waste of lives and talent that have dogged many Kronk fighters. I think I could show people a whole lot about the mental discipline. It was named after a former city councilman, John F. Kronk. If you had fans select their favorite fighter in UFC history, its very likely that you'd see Liddell at the top of the list. Diaz is the only fighter with a win over Maynard. GSP is one of the leading advocates of a sport clean from PEDs and is thought to have been a major catalyst ofthe recent crackdown on PEDs in the UFC. They would all be less than they could be and so it was with boxing this year. It was the return of the KRONK GOLD TRUNKS as the team went 7-0 winning the WBC championship medals. At 14, Fikes was given the opportunity to train under the legendary Detroit boxer Emanuel Steward, where he became a member of the KRONK Boxing Team. Liddell was an absolute machine in the octagon. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I fought a lot of guys in the amateurs that were a lot older and experienced. Heavyweight Apti Davtaev, 31, from Russia, is a big man (6-foot-7, 250 pounds) with a big punch, according to Salita. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Through ESCOT (Emanuel Steward Champions of Tomorrow), originally started in the 1970s and now reborn as KRONK's official youth development program, kids across Metro Detroit can become champions in life. The Klitschko brothers continue to You just have to want to be a champion and hang with other kids who want to be champions too. MM: Taking the fight with McCallum on two weeks notice with a broken nose was bad and I regret that. 10, according to the World Boxing Council, and others. While both fights were, as expected, lopsided affairs, they showcased the one boxer who has transcended his sports confining walls to become a cultural icon and world celebrity. Kronk opened a second gym in Tucson, Arizona during the 1990s. SM: As a pro who was your first real test? You have been icing them, said McCroy. (Saturday Update: the fight is March 5th, in NJ at the Pru Center. Were you 100% for that one? The world took notice. Of a speed bag bouncing in rhythm from a muted distance. "Although we are all going to a challenging time, we wanted to give the boxing community a special show from the legendary Kronk Gym in Detroit.". Maynard seeks to find out if Edgar has added any more fighting tools to his repertoire. The name is respected around the city of Detroit, especially on Detroits west side. It was only the heavier welterweights he had problems against. Donald Curry was a very good fighter, but the weight just killed me. Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. In fact, the number of international fighters training at the Kronk facility is notable. The two have unfinished business that should be settled this year if Arum stops standing in the way. Hilmer Kenty, our first fighter, Thomas Hearns, Milton McCrory, Jimmy Paul, Duane, Steward-Williams said. He came to Kronk to train in 2009 and got what he expected, a collective examination from experienced fighters who wanted to see if he belonged. Looking to take the belt for sure, said Maynard. The name itself carries the aura. Turning pro in 1980 under trainer Emanuel Steward, McCrory ran off twenty victories before meeting Colin Jones in 1983 for the vacant WBC welterweight title. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. MM: I trained some amateurs from about 2001-2004. In 1980, Kenty became Kronk's first world champion, Hearns following him months after. "I work with (Kronk trainer and Emanuel's nephew) Sugar Hill (Steward) and we're talking about: 'That's what we want to bring back:quality, high-level fights.' Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Detroit's Kronk Gym was a cradle of boxing champions", "World Famous Kronk Gym Destroyed in Suspicious Fire; Motor City Muckraker", "FOX 2 Detroit News, Weather, Sports | WJBK", Inside the abandoned Kronk Gym at Detroiturbex.com, Detroit's Legendary Kronk Gym: Down for the Count, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kronk_Gym&oldid=1113642109, Articles needing additional references from December 2007, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 October 2022, at 14:37. He trained 41 World Champion fighters throughout his career at Kronk Gym. 2. Boxing, fitness, youth development, media, and more are all here at KRONK. In 1980, Kenty became Kronk's first world champion, Hearns following him months after. Powered by IBofP 2021 And thats what I thought going in against Jones, but he had the edge in experience. Starving to make welterweight was real stupid. Not only is it THE place to be after school, but it's also the place where kids get a start at becoming champions in life. The bid was for the right to hold the IBF's junior welterweight title fight between Zab Judah of Brooklyn, NY and Las Vegas, and South Africa's Kaizer Mabuza. The Modesto fighter has a tough fight against South Koreas Kim. 15 15. You know, mentally, you know, physically I, you know, possess differently skills, increased you know, I think I boxed and got better, my Jiu-Jitsu got better and, you know, just have much more experience now, Edgar says. Its a perfect time. In September 2006, the original gym at 5555 McGraw Avenue between 33rd and Junction Streets in Detroit closed temporarily after thieves stole copper water pipes, cutting off supply to the building. Southfield (CW50) - At the young age of 12, Taurrek Fikes found himself in the ring, boxing. Vera is trying to rally back to the promising fighter he was tabbed several years back. The 36-year-old compiled a 10-7 record in the UFC while earning Fight of the Night honors once and Knockout of the Night twice. While the Super Six has had its problems including several of the original six pulling out it also lifted the profile of former Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward from nearly unknown to the cusp of universal recognized as the best super middleweight in the world this side of Lucian Bute. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Must have been written many years ago, Lennox Lewis is most certainly not the Heavyweight champion, though give him a weeks worth of training and he could beat any of the fools who are. Some fighters currently trained by Serra are UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman, as well as TUF finalist Al Iaquinta. Why was he so difficult? They are two of the sports brightest young prospects because each comes to the arena the old-fashioned way carrying nothing but bad intentions.Aggression and knockouts still sell boxing faster than anything else and each exhibited plenty of both this year and left fans wanting to see more. Huerta was a former mainstay in the UFCs Lightweight division form 2006-09 and has been in the cage with some of the best fighters at his weight class. WebKronk is the former secondary antagonist of Disney's 2000 animated feature film The Emperor's New Groove, and the titular main protagonist of 2005's Kronk's New Groove. Tito Ortiz is perhaps the most controversial and disliked fighter in MMA history. Edgar versus Maynard should be a good one.Other bouts: Nate Diaz (13-5) faces Dong Hyun Kim (13-0-1) in another welterweight tussle. SM: Milton it was a pleasure to speak with you, best of luck. Sadly, there is no American on the horizon to challenge them, a comment on the division and on our country, where the athletes who used to be Joe Louis or Muhammad Ali now opt for the easier and frankly safer road of the NFL or the NBA. He later appeared as the Boxers relocated to a Dearborn Gold's Gym. The fighters that emerged under the tutelage of the great Emanuel Steward are forever synonymous with the no-frills gym from which they hailed. "I have a responsibility to do the best that I can with the potential I see," said Salita, who envisions big fights in Detroit facilities such as Little Caesars Arena and casinos in the future. No one has to be singled out for blame for that failure because this time theres plenty to go around on both sides. We have new technology. Mark Hominick is one of the more recent retirements on this list. What have you been up to since you retired from the ring? Where the fight will be held is up to the winning bidder.. Mobile app for news, photos and video on the go. You know I would always whip Tommy pretty hard in sparring and thats why I think I would have beat Leonard. The only difference in the second fight was that I knocked him down. When I went to Vegas to start training they cancelled my bout because of it. These fighters range from your American heroes like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell and villains like Tito Ortiz, all the way to the Russian that many consider the greatest of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. Alvarez is already a star in Mexico without having yet won a world title and Rios is the definition of promise. Whether the star will continue to shine and promise will be fulfilled may be answered next year and so we wait anxiously to find out. How to watch: Livestreamed on UFC Fight Pass. During the fight I was throwing some real punches but he never went down. SM: Whats in the future for you Milton? Fedor retired in 2012, but still remains the head of the Russian MMA union. However, one thing that all of the men on this list have in common is that they have a life after fighting that is worth sharing. He is a former champion in both the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions and is without a doubt one of the most influential fighters in the UFC. But after that I never really had the confidence in my right hand that I did before. Guys like Andy Lee and Domonique Dolton. It is still a relatively new sport, but has caught on like wild fire within the past couple of years. The fast-talking Brit claims to not be ducking them but hes had more maladies befall him after shouting from the rooftops how much he wants to challenge them that you have to wonder if Haye is simply a case of big hat no cattle syndrome. Along the way, Segura defeated one of the great minimum weight fighters in history, slick Ivan Calderon, to win the belt on Aug. 28.