Locals of all ages train at Tiger Boxing Gym on Gardner Street

| September 26, 2024 | 0 Comments

On a slow weekday morning, walking through the shady Gardner Street neighborhood, I passed an open storefront with a boxing ring inside. This was just off Melrose Avenue.

The proprietors — a married couple — were sitting outside on a bench, and the woman asked if I had ever boxed. I told her I hadn’t, but that it had always interested me. She then suggested I get in the ring and try sparring — that her husband would work with me. That’s when I noticed the pictures and posters on the walls, of him, younger, in boxing robe and gloves, standing with Evander Holyfield and other professional boxers of that era.

I opted for a rain check.

Tiger

Charles Nwokolo, a.k.a. Young Dick Tiger, is a former professional boxer who fought for Nigeria in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He and his wife Elizabeth Wilson own Tiger Boxing Gym. The space, which opened in 2006, isn’t large, but it contains the equipment you’d expect to find in a boxing gym — punching bags (heavy and speed), jump ropes, dumbbells and a raised boxing ring. The facility feels authentic, a place where the characters from “Rocky” or “Raging Bull” might have trained.

“I like the personal one-on-one you get with Tiger,” said Luis Ulloa, former proprietor of Blackbird Pizza Shop on Melrose. He’s been training with Tiger for three years. “This is a great scene. Intimate. It feels like my second home.”

That familial atmosphere is immediately noticeable. Tiger and Wilson are involved with every student, and they are completely submerged in local boxing. Wilson, a trained classical musician, is taking over as treasurer of USA Boxing’s SoCal section, and for the students who choose to compete, Tiger always coaches in their corner during fights.

The fighters

TIGER in the ring, flanked by Yoni and Israel Kruper.

Israel and Yoni Kruper moved to Los Angeles from Israel. Their parents opened Bella’s Bread and Butter, a bakery at 7212 Melrose Ave., where the boys help out occasionally. Their grandfather boxed in Russia. Yoni, 12, is a natural fighter.

“The way he moves in the ring,” explained Tiger. “Most people are awkward. Not Yoni. And the first time he came in, he was a natural with his jab.”

Yoni trains several times a week, and his goal is to compete before 2024 ends. Israel is 14 and joined Tiger Boxing Gym after his younger brother.

“It’s very welcoming here,” he said. “Tiger puts in a lot of time and effort with everyone. It’s such a unique way of training. He trains you to fight, not just to get in shape.”

DENIS OLTEANU, center, with Tiger and Elizabeth Wilson, after Denis’ first fight.

Denis Olteanu, 15, attends Fairfax High School. His family emigrated from Romania, and he trains after school with Tiger. He has competed in six amateur fights so far.

“Denis always has a good sense of his opponent and knows where to move in the ring,” explained Tiger.

“[Tiger] has helped me so much,” said Denis. “Especially when I first arrived and couldn’t speak English. The workouts are hard, and sometimes Tiger has to help me stay motivated.”

Technique

Boxing’s mental aspect is much more demanding than the brawl part, and that became apparent a week after meeting Tiger and Wilson, when I cashed in that rain check. In the ring, I immediately became winded. I wasn’t breathing correctly.

“You must learn how to breathe through your nose,” said Tiger. “When a fighter begins breathing through his mouth, he is fatigued.”

In a short documentary on YouTube called “Prove Them Wrong: Behind the Business with Tiger,” legendary sports journalist Howard Cosell commentates during the footage of Tiger’s controversial Olympic quarterfinal match. That bout’s outcome is a great story, and one Tiger can tell.

Just ask him.

Tiger Boxing Gym, 708 N. Gardner St., 323-951-9679

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Category: People

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *