By:  Kelly Boucha & Trayvone Mathis

  Our first grand opening was on June 1^st, 1998.  Even though Coaches 

Harry and Jozsef had a good program going, Coach Jozsef missed his homeland.  He was also disappointed by the attitudes of the youths that came to the gym.  Coach Jozsef Szanto left the International Boxing Club in 1999.  He went back to his homeland homesick and disappointed.  Coach Harry did not give up on his boxing gym.  Coach James Merriweather soon joined in 2001.  He is with the International Boxing Club to this day.  With his new assistant coach, Harry had time to think about what else he could do to help his members.  This is when he began to ask for the member’s report cards.  Once he saw what kind of grades the majority of the kids were earning, it was clear that he had to start a Learning Center of some kind.  So, Coach Harry set up a tutoring program out of his private office.  Members brought their homework every day.  They had 45 minutes to do their school work at the end of each workout.  The program was perfect, until his office became over crowded.  As a solution, Coach Harry began to build a classroom.  He had no idea that the building was about to be closed by the management of the building.  Coach Harry had to move the gym to a different location.  He soon found a vacant commercial building.  The building would take a lot of effort to re-make it into a gym.  With the help of the members, Coach Harry was able to relocate all the equipment from the old building on Front St. to the new building on Adams and 18^th Street.

 As well as build and install new walls and install all new gym equipment.  All of this was achieved in 28 days.

  Most people don’t understand the challenges and work that comes with operating a gym.  Coach Harry has gone through a lot to keep the IBC’s doors open.  New never ending problem of money has kept Coach Harry in a constant hustle for grant money and other forms of donations.  Even though Coach works hard for the gym he doesn’t do it alone.  Coach Harry gets help and support from his gym members, assistant coach James Merriweather and soon to be Media Director of the IBC, Angel Milo.  Everyday Coach Harry reminds us that we must work together as a team and we can only be as strong as our team. We are proud to say that we have a World Class Team.

Coach Harry has been a champion for us and he expects us to do the same.  It’s like he says, “It’s great to have a champion in the ring, but it’s more important to have champions outside the ring.”

Jack Dempsey Vs. Jess Willard

This famous bout occurred on July 4^th 1919.

Between the Lean and Slender Jack Dempsey

and the herculean Jess Willard.

I thought to write about this fight in particular because of the odds this fight involved.

You see the odds were stacked hugely against Jack Dempsey.  Jess Willard was truly a giant

weighing in at two hundred and sixty pounds, standing six foot six inches tall he was not to be taken lightly.

  Jess Willard had complete faith that Jack Dempsey had no chance of hurting him.  He believed

that with his superior height and strength advantage he would easily defeat the “little man”.

His obvious confidence showed in post fight interviews and other media events when he actually

smiled every time a question was brought up about the upcoming fight.  On the other hand though

who could blame Jess for smiling?  After all he wasn’t the only person that believed this.  At one point

Jack Dempsey was even told,” Jack every time I look at Jess he gets bigger, and when I look back at you…. well you get smaller.” People believed that there was no way Jack could win.  All the bets were

on Jess.

  Well on Independence day 1919 Jack shocked the world and revolutionized boxing.  Titled the “Manassa Mauler” it only lasted for three rounds, but don’t let that fool you.  During those three

rounds Jess Willard took the worst beating of his career.  Round one started off uneventfully.  With Jack Dempsey picking and probing at Jess, Jess using his strength to fight Jack off if he got in to close.  So far the bout seemed average.  Things really picked up about ninety seconds into the fight.  When Jack became more aggressive.  Soon Jess found himself backing up to get away from the increasingly powerful punching of Jack Dempsey.  The crowd started to go wild when Jess was hit with a hook then a right followed by another vicious hook and yet another stinging right.  This was the combination that sent the two hundred forty three pound champion to the canvas.  The crowd was electrified. This is what they had come to see.  Without the neutral corner rule Jack Dempsey could position himself any where he wanted, and strike Jess the second his gloves left the canvas.  He took full advantage of this and hovered over Jess Willard.  Jess tried his best to stand up, but before he could fully catch his balance Jack struck him repeatedly with full force sending him back to the canvas.  This cycle happened over and over again for a total of seven knock downs, but Jess hung on showing extreme determination.  After the seventh knockdown jess was literally “saved by the bell”. Jack Dempsey and Jess Willard went on for two more rounds.  Despite Jack Dempsey’s explosion of power in the first round, rounds two and three had no knock downs.  Jess’s corner called the fight after the third round. Jess could not continue, but no one could criticize him for it he had just took a terrible beating.  With at least three cracked ribs and a battered face he made the right call.

  There’s no doubt about the situation Jack Dempsey rocked the boxing world, but what if all was not what it seems? Jess Willard believed that Jack Dempsey had something in his gloves, some people even say they saw him putting plaster into his gloves before the fight.  Well what ever the case this bout will always be a boxing legend cheating or no cheating.

My name is Farrukh Yussupov, and here is my story.
I remember sitting in my Economy class at Clay High school, where the teacher was talking about “eminent domain”. Eminent domain is the right of the state to take private property for public use. After that, he showed us a video about the concept. The video showed a small neighborhood boxing gym which was being taken away by its city government to use eminent domain to build a fabulous trade center. Also, it showed all the kids who worked as a team, and who took care of the gym, to give 100% commitment to their Coach and to each other. I thought it wasn’t fair for the city to take that gym, because it was everything and all that the kids had. Besides, if they took the gym, the guys would go back to the streets, and commit crimes, or maybe join gangs. The video impressed me so much, that I wanted to become part of a team like the one in the video. So, I googled “Boxing Clubs in Toledo”, and the International Boxing Club, at 1717 Adams Street, popped up. I wrote down the number, and asked my host mother to find out about it, or maybe call there. She said that it would probably be expensive and that we would need to buy equipment, too. But one day we drove there, and assistant coach Kelly Boucha opened the front door, and greeted us with open arms. She gave us an application and told us that the training was free, the only item we needed to purchase were hand wraps. The club provided all of the equipment that was needed for training. Kelly asked us to bring back the consent forms and said that we would have an appointment with Coach Harry. That’s how I got into boxing, and not just at any gym, but the International Boxing Club, I am really proud to be a part of the family.
So, after that I started to train, but our boxing gym is actually more than a place for working out. I was amazed that the Coaches and members put together a lot of programs for us as well, with one important example being to take care of our grades. Every day, before practice we go to the IBC Learning Center to work on our homework. We have a tutor, whose name is Ms. Joann, she helps us with our homework and we really appreciate it. Also, we have a classroom with 15 computers to help assist us with our education. These computers are for school purposes only. Second, every Wednesday we have a guest speaker. It is really important for us, because good people come to our facility and share their life experience with us, so we can learn how to do the right and best things in life. Also, on the last Thursday of each month, we go to St. Paul’s Community Center and serve meals to the homeless and less fortunate people of our city. It has been a great experience for me as I see these people on the streets daily and it makes me realize how lucky I am. For any athlete, it is very important to give back to the community.
Right now, I can’t imagine my life without my gym, or without my Coaches and the many new friends I have made. Boxing gives me a lot. It teaches a growing man many things about himself and how to treat others, at a point in his life where focus, concentration and discipline are of more importance than ever before. Though probably, the most important thing we learn is how to be a team, and to work as a team. If we didn’t work as a team, we wouldn’t have everything that we have now. I really want to say thanks to the Coaches, the members, my new friends and the sponsors of my boxing home… the International Boxing Club.

By Vincent Blalock

The International Boxing Club has a goal to give back to the community not just as a boxing club, but as a group of champions in life.  The reason why we give back to our community is not because we are athletes, but because we care for our community.  One of the things that the International Boxing Club does to give back to the community is to give young boxers and teenagers guidance into their futures and careers.  We show guidance to kids and teenagers by bringing in Doctors, Lawyers, Firemen, Policemen, Dentists, etc. and during their visits they tell us about their specific career.  Because some people are undecided about their careers, once these guest speakers come in and discuss their careers with us, many of us become interested and excited about these careers,.  On many occasions my teammates has made a decision on what kind of career they want after listening to a guest speaker.  Also, we make many visits to St. Paul’s Community Center, where we help feed Toledo’s homeless people.  The main reason we do this, is to not only feed our hearts, but to reach out to the community today instead of waiting to make this world a better place tomorrow.  The number one thing the International Boxing Club teaches us boxers, is to always give back to our community, that has given us so much.  Also, every year we go to a rural town called San Pierre, Indiana, which needs serious help and rebuilding.  We worked very hard for the three weeks that were there.  During our visit we accomplished many task such as painting buildings, playground equipment, picnic tables, park benches, and the fence that surrounds the tennis court. Each year we have raked over 100 bags of leaves at the park and this past year we did landscaping for the Lion’s club.  Everything doesn’t always have to be at a price!  We did all this work for free, because we love helping out our community, city, and our country.  So remember, always give back to your community.  Not because someone tells you to or for a price, but from the bottom of your heart, and for your community.   

By Vincent Blalock

The International Boxing Club benefited me because before the International Boxing Club, I just moved down here from Detroit, Michigan and for myself I had a bad attitude.  I needed help becoming a man and doing things on my own.  When I came to the International Boxing Club I had a very disrespectful attitude and I wasn’t a team player.  I didn’t care about anyone but myself, basically I was a selfish person.  After a few weeks at the International Boxing Club everything changed.  I became a better person, got better grades, I started being a responsible man.  For once, I felt like I was a part of the team and I started being open to my fellow teammates.  Being at the boxing gym is not always about amateur boxing.  It’s other things at the International Boxing Club that we do that makes a difference, and one of those things is to create change within ourselves.  For example, I came with a bad attitude and was not a team player.  I am not going to say I successfully changed all the way, but I will say I am 75% changed man.  That’s not quite 100%, but I am giving it my all, and putting a 100% commitment to it.  This world is ready for change, and I will say 85% of the teenagers out there are not making changes, but the other 15% are making efforts to change, and the International Boxing Club   goal is to make that 15% a 100%.  The International Boxing Club does a lot to help the kids get off the streets, by paying visits to St. Paul’s Community Center where we serve meals monthly.  In addition, we travel to San Pierre, Indiana where the IBC boxers helped to revitalize a rural town that has fallen into the ruins, along with holding several different kinds of fundraisers throughout the year.  IT’S ALWAYS TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE!