At the end of 2006, Detroit’s world famous city-sponsored Kronk Boxing Gym officially closed its doors for good. Since 1969, under the guiding hand of boxing trainer Emanuel Steward, the Kronk produced over two dozen world boxing champions, including Tommy “Hitman” Hearns, Leon Spinks, Mustafa Muhammad, and Aaron Pryor. Steward also trained six gold medal winners for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team.
Emanuel Steward
Steward himself was once a high-ranked Golden Gloves fighter, but had to end his boxing career to support his mother and siblings. He became an electrician.
It wasn’t until he began taking his younger brother James to the Kronk Gym, a small space run out of the basement of Detroit’s oldest (1902) recreation center, when Steward began to become involved in the world of boxing again. In 1969, after training his brother to win Detroit’s Golden Gloves title, Emanuel Steward accepted a job as the gym’s head coach. And the Kronk Boxing Team was born.
The Kronk Team
In 1977, the Kronk began to make a name for itself after Tommy Hearns won the national Golden Gloves title. Hilmer Kinty became the Team’s first professional boxing champion, capturing the lightweight title in 1980.
After developing over a dozen more world champions over the years, Emanuel Steward was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996.
In 2001, Steward opened a branch of the Kronk Gym in London. In 2004, the Belfast Kronk Boxing Club opened in Ireland.
Save the Kronk
At the beginning of 2006, due to deep budget cuts, the city of Detroit threatened to close down the original Kronk Gym and recreation center. Steward immediately launched a fundraising campaign, drawing in a large pledge from an online gambling casino. When the gambling site backed out at the last minute, Steward was in a jam. Under the gun from the city, he had to relaunch his campaign. Keeping the gym and recreation center going would cost a half-million dollars per year.
At the beginning of 2007, there was a high profile fundraiser with city movers and shakers in attendance, held at Detroit’s opulent Fisher Building. Actor Sylvester Stallone even pledged money from the proceeds for his film “Rocky Balboa.” Unfortunately, the money raised wasn’t enough.
In September 2007, thieves broke into the gym and stole the copper plumbing pipes, cutting off the water supply and adding an additional amount to an already long list of repairs needed to keep the gym operating. In November 2007, the city had no choice but to shut down the Kronk Gym and recreation center.
Aftermath
Most of the Kronk’s boxers relocated to the Dearborn branch of Gold’s Gym. As for Emanuel Steward, he’s still active, bringing promising Irish boxers to the United States.
As for the original Kronk, the doors are still closed.
SOURCES:
“Saving the Kronk”, Terry Foster, Detroit News, URL: (http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051221/METRO/512210403)
http://www.detnews.com/specialreports/2001/kronk/sunhistory/sunhistory.htm
“Famed Detroit boxing gym closes”, Chuck Johnson, USA Today, URL: (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2006-11-30-kronk-gym_x.htm)
“That’s My Boy”, Colin Cameron, Observer, URL: (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1140770,00.html)
http://www.primeboxing.com/articles.cfm
http://iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/30/sports/NA_SPT_BOX_Kronk_Gym_Closed.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronk_Gym
