North Texas Fisticuffs made a visit to the United Boxing Gym today in Dallas, Texas, yesterday for it’s grand opening. After being away from the fight game for a bit and a little trial and tribulation, the owner and boxing coach Fred Cavazos decided to go for it. A former 1987 and 1988 Golden Gloves champion himself, Coach Cavazos has the experience to make champions. He started his first gym from his own house and then progressed with a gym in Garland, Texas. He attempted to run the gym on his own but unfortunately without sponsorship funds, the mighty dollar caught up with him. Nevertheless, he did not let that stop him from accomplishing his goal and he regrouped. As motivation he kept an eviction letter he got from his old gym along with the dollar amount, to remind him of the obstacles that tried to stop his dream of opening his own gym. With funds from concession stand work at the Cowboys Stadium and emotional help from his good friend Christine Lopez, coach at Texas Select in Garland, his dream has come true. This dream was having his own gym to help kids in the boxing ring and outside of it as well.
In addition to teaching kids to box and be champions, Coach Cavazos has brought in the help of Javier M. Olguin, the Executive Director of the Eastfield College campus in Pleasant Grove. It is a campus which has only been open for three years and now has 2500 enrollments. As an incentive to boxers Olguin plans to offer scholarships in the future not only for kids with the best grades but for those that need it the most. His goal is to help kids learn the discipline of boxing to be champions in the ring and then continue their education to become productive people in the community. Also as a motivation to young boxers, those who keep an “A” average and perfect attendance, they will get a month of free coaching.
The college campus in Pleasant Grove not only offers college credits for students, but it offers continuing education to parents of students, such as learning english and preparation for their GED. They have the state of the art computers, computer learning labs and advisors for such things as financial aid advisement and enrollment. They have even hired people from the Pleasant Grove community as examples of what higher education can do for those who work hard and continue their education. Eastfield College is honored to work in conjunction with the United Boxing Gym not only for extracurricular endeavors but to encourage them to go to school and college. In addition, the Southeast Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be offering free tutoring on various subjects.
The name “United” in United Boxing Gym is not just a name that coach Cavazos made up, he told me it meant that the kids need the unity of someone and sponsors of the community to succeed. And he himself will unite with others to help kids to succeed in life.
Coach Cavazos wanted the thank everyone who came out and supported the grand opening, including Christine Lopez, Javier M. Olguin, the Executive Director of the Eastfield College Campus in Pleasant Grove, Taco Cabana, Property Manager Rick Callahan, and everyone else involved.
Contact Information:
United Boxing Gym
3700 Dilido Road
Suite 116
Dallas, Texas 75228
[email protected]
Fred Cavazos (214) 646-7102
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