Kronk Gym
Encyclopedia
Kronk Gym was a boxing
gym located in Detroit
and led by the famous trainer Emanuel Steward
. The gym was run out of the basement of the oldest recreation center of the City of Detroit. It opened shortly after World War I (~1920) and closed in 2006.
, Thomas Hearns
and Mickey Goodwin trained there. In 1980, Kenty became Kronk's first world champion, and Hearns followed him as world champion months after. In 1983, Kronk fighter Milton McCrory
won the WBC
's world Welterweight title that had been vacated by Sugar Ray Leonard
; Jimmy Paul
beat Harry Arroyo
for the International Boxing Federation
's world Lightweight title in 1985. Duane Thomas
, another Kronk fighter, beat John Mugabi
for the WBC's world Jr. Middleweight title in 1986. McCrory's brother, Steve McCrory
, was also a world champion.
Prentiss Bryd was vice president of the gym during the 1980s. In the Lennox Lewis era, Richard Slone served as VP directly under Steward.
British middleweight boxer and England captain (1980–83) Errol Christie
wore the coveted Kronk gold shorts in the eighties supporting Thomas Hearns on the bill in Las Vegas the night that Hearns soundly beat Roberto Durán on June 15, 1984. Christie writes about his Kronk experience in his forthcoming book No Place To Hide
. A new host of fighters who would later become world champions arrived at Kronk, among them Gerald McClellan
, and the gym began to sell Kronk merchandise through catalog sales.
Among the many world champions who have also trained at Kronk at least once during their careers are Wilfred Benítez
(in the Tucson gym), Héctor Camacho
, Julio César Chávez
, Naseem Hamed
, Evander Holyfield
, Lennox Lewis
and Jermain Taylor
.
In 1998 Kronk opened Kronk Gym website, a Web site about the gym and its fighters. A "Save the Kronk" campaign, aimed at keeping the facilities from closing because of the budget shortfall, is being spearheaded by Emanuel Steward
. The campaign will be used to build a new Kronk.
April 2011: The abandoned Kronk Gym in Detroit may see new life under a proposal to renovate the battered two-story building and revive the area around it. The effort is again being spearheaded by Emanuel Steward
, the gym's legendary trainer.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
gym located in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and led by the famous trainer Emanuel Steward
Emanuel Steward
Emanuel Steward is an American boxing trainer, commentator and inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.-Life and career:...
. The gym was run out of the basement of the oldest recreation center of the City of Detroit. It opened shortly after World War I (~1920) and closed in 2006.
Boxing legends
Kronk began to earn fame during the late 1970s, when boxers like Hilmer KentyHilmer Kenty
James Kenty, also known as Hilmer Kenty is a former WBA professional boxing champion in the lightweight division.- Amateur career :...
, Thomas Hearns
Thomas Hearns
Thomas "Hitman" Hearns is a retired American boxer. Nicknamed the "Motor City Cobra" and more famously "The Hitman", Hearns became the first boxer in history to win world titles in four divisions. He would also become the first fighter in history to win five world titles in five different divisions...
and Mickey Goodwin trained there. In 1980, Kenty became Kronk's first world champion, and Hearns followed him as world champion months after. In 1983, Kronk fighter Milton McCrory
Milton McCrory
Milton McCrory was a professional boxer in the welterweight division.- Amateur :Milton had a reported amateur record of 105-15.He lost in the 1979 National AAU finals to Lemuel Steeples and in the Olympic Trials to Johnny Bumphus.- Pro career :Known as "Ice Man", McCrory turned pro in 1980 an won...
won the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
's world Welterweight title that had been vacated by Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American retired professional boxer and occasional actor. He was named Ray Charles Leonard, after his mother's favorite singer, Ray Charles...
; Jimmy Paul
Jimmy Paul
Jimmy Paul was an American boxer in the lightweight division. On April 6, 1985 he beat Harry Arroyo to become the IBF Lightweight Champion. Paul successfully defended the title four times. On December 6, 1986 Paul lost the title to Greg Haugen. Paul retired in 1999 with a professional record of...
beat Harry Arroyo
Harry Arroyo
Harry Arroyo is a former American boxer who gained international recognition as the IBF Lightweight Champion of the World from 1984 to 1985.- Early years :...
for the International Boxing Federation
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
's world Lightweight title in 1985. Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
, another Kronk fighter, beat John Mugabi
John Mugabi
John "The Beast" Mugabi is a former boxer and world Jr. Middleweight champion. A world traveller, Mugabi was a part of an early 1980s Jr...
for the WBC's world Jr. Middleweight title in 1986. McCrory's brother, Steve McCrory
Steve McCrory
Steve McCrory was an American boxer, who won the Flyweight Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics...
, was also a world champion.
Prentiss Bryd was vice president of the gym during the 1980s. In the Lennox Lewis era, Richard Slone served as VP directly under Steward.
British middleweight boxer and England captain (1980–83) Errol Christie
Errol Christie
Errol Christie is a former professional British boxer and currently a boxing trainer. He was the captain of the English boxing team from 1980 to 1983 and European champion in 1983....
wore the coveted Kronk gold shorts in the eighties supporting Thomas Hearns on the bill in Las Vegas the night that Hearns soundly beat Roberto Durán on June 15, 1984. Christie writes about his Kronk experience in his forthcoming book No Place To Hide
Kronk expansion
During the 1990s, Kronk opened a second gym, this one in TucsonTucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. A new host of fighters who would later become world champions arrived at Kronk, among them Gerald McClellan
Gerald McClellan
Gerald McClellan is a former boxer from the United States of America, who was the WBO and WBC middleweight champion. McClellan's record as a professional boxer was 31 wins and 3 losses with 29 wins by knockout...
, and the gym began to sell Kronk merchandise through catalog sales.
Among the many world champions who have also trained at Kronk at least once during their careers are Wilfred Benítez
Wilfred Benitez
Wilfred Benítez , is a Puerto Rican boxer. He is remembered best as a skilled and aggressive fighter with exceptional defensive abilities who won world championships in three separate weight divisions, and was the youngest world champion in boxing history at the age of 17...
(in the Tucson gym), Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
, Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
, Naseem Hamed
Naseem Hamed
Naseem Hamed is an English former professional boxer.He is the former WBO, WBC, IBF, & Lineal featherweight champion, and European bantamweight champion....
, Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
, Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
and Jermain Taylor
Jermain Taylor
Jermain Taylor is an American professional boxer and former undisputed middleweight champion. He made his professional boxing debut in 2001 and won his first 25 bouts, which included victories over former champions Raúl Márquez and William Joppy...
.
In 1998 Kronk opened Kronk Gym website, a Web site about the gym and its fighters. A "Save the Kronk" campaign, aimed at keeping the facilities from closing because of the budget shortfall, is being spearheaded by Emanuel Steward
Emanuel Steward
Emanuel Steward is an American boxing trainer, commentator and inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.-Life and career:...
. The campaign will be used to build a new Kronk.
Closing
In September 2006, the gym closed temporarily after thieves stole copper pipes cutting off water supply. Boxers relocated to a Dearborn Gold's Gym. The gym and recreation center was officially closed by the Recreation Department on November 28, 2006 due to the prohibitive cost of repairs to the plumbing and building infrastructure.New Kronk gym
In the past few years, the kronk has relocated to a new facility in a store front on West warren ave.April 2011: The abandoned Kronk Gym in Detroit may see new life under a proposal to renovate the battered two-story building and revive the area around it. The effort is again being spearheaded by Emanuel Steward
Emanuel Steward
Emanuel Steward is an American boxing trainer, commentator and inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.-Life and career:...
, the gym's legendary trainer.