Augusta Boxing Club thanks community for 50 years of support

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The Augusta Boxing Club is a safe place for kids to go, and learn the sport of boxing.

They’ve been serving the community for 50 years, and for this episode of “Your Hometown Road Trip,” we stopped in and spoke with the Augusta Boxing Club’s Director, Ray Whitfield, about what the club means to the community, the sport of boxing, and more.

What is the Augusta Boxing Club?

“We’re an after school, community support program. We’re here for the youth to help them make better choices out here in life, help them with school, and other things, but we’re structured around boxing and that’s how we bring our kids in. We bring them in, and they want to box, but we teach them other things about life and going to school. There’s a lot of different things that we do, but we do the sport of boxing to help them through.”

How does it make you feel that you’ve been here 50 years, serving the community?

“It makes me feel great, I’ve been in this program for 32 years, and now, I’m the director of the program. I took the program over 16 years ago, and I’m keeping it going.

You started here at 11 years old. What did this place do for you personally?

“It was like my home away from home. It kept me out of trouble and kept me out of things going on in the community that was bad. I had a place to come an hone my talent, and once I learned that I loved boxing, I took it to the next level. I was a national champion, then I turned pro, I won titles as a pro, and it just kept me going. When the calling came to keep this place going, I stepped right in.”

What do you want kids to take away from this place?

I want them to come in and be themselves, and that’s what we’re here for to let them be their best self.

If kids are trying to get involved, what do they do?

We’re on all social media platforms, but all you go to do is come down to 1929 Walton Way and sign up, join the family.

The coaches at the gym were kind enough to give the team some beginner, and they hope more people in the community come out and learn what they do.

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