The space used to be an office, but it is now filled with treadmills, boxing rings and other training equipment. On Saturday, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation celebrated the grand opening of the Columbia Heights Boxing Club at the Columbia Heights Community Center.
It’s the only government-led, publicly funded boxing program in the country to compete on an international level.
The opening event also showcased its nationally recognized talent. Some boxers representing DPR’s program even competed in the Junior Pan American Games in Colombia last year. The boxers range from as young as 8-years-old to adult professional boxers.
“This started off as a vision about two years ago,” said Delano Hunter, director of DPR. “If you came here two years ago you would’ve [seen] a completely different space.”
Hunter highlighted the importance of bringing the club to the community.
“We wanted to engage the Black community, the Latino community here in Columbia heights, because we know there is just so much untapped potential and boxing provides that opportunity,” he said.
Unified super middleweight world champion Franchón Crews-Dezurn said she went from fighting on the streets to fighting in the ring.
/ Acacia James)
“I was an at-risk youth at one point, and boxing saved my life,” Crews-Dezurn said. She hopes having the facility in the community will expose kids, and even adults, to a sport that can reduce stress.
Deric Davis is ranked in the Top 5 for USA boxing (139 lb). He’s a Prince George’s County native who said boxing changed the course of his life.
“This has changed my life since I was 12 years old, and I’m setting an example for the younger generation,” said Davis. He also pointed out the ways in which the facility can bring the community and youth together in a positive way.
“This is just a blessing that I’m here, and we can just set examples and bring the community together,” said Davis.
