78.9 F
Indianapolis
Sunday, July 6, 2025

Indy’s boxing scene ready to explode

More by this author

An unmarked gym sits next to a Big Lots. It contains heavy bags, a ring, and fight posters. Most notably, the training center felt colder on the inside than the cold February air outside. The owner Cedric Johnson, a former professional boxer and current local promoter and coach, said the heater was broken but that did not deter training. 

“This is normal,” Johnson said. “Being a fighter is different. We can train in rain, snow, a tornado if need to. … Don’t get it wrong. When our heating system gets fixed, it’s barely going to be on anyway.” 

When people hear “boxing” they think of Philadelphia, Las Vegas or New York. However, the Indianapolis boxing scene is a sleeping giant, said local boxing experts. The scene doesn’t draw loads of attention, but there is potential for it to become more popular.

“It’s slowed down a little bit, but I think it’s coming back,” Joe Lile Sr., a former professional boxer who now coaches in Fishers, said. “There’s a lot of good fighters. Boxing is going to take back its number one spot, I believe.”

Boxing might not be associated with Indiana as much as basketball or football, but that could be an advantage for the sport as more Hoosiers are introduced to it. 

 “You’re really going to get lots of hype in Indiana because Indiana is not a boxing state, David Buggs, a former professional boxer and Golden Gloves fighter, said. “And so whenever you get boxing in Indiana, it’s going to be something fresh and something new to do.”

The uniqueness of each fighter is why boxing may prove to be popular. Adronicus Trigg, local amateur fighter and Junior Olympics Games champion, compares boxing to a video game where each fighter has their own style with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some specialize in defense like Floyd Mayweather, and some incorporate impressive power like Mike Tyson. Trigg describes his own style as a “sharpshooter.” He focuses on tactics and power while wasting as few punches as possible. 

Boxing provides more than just a pastime. Johnson grew up in a neighborhood in Anderson with gang violence, and he credits boxing for keeping him on the straight and narrow. Now he hopes to pass it on and help Indianapolis youth grow through boxing. Not only does boxing develop work ethic, confidence and discipline, it leaves youth with little energy to do much else. 

“Once a young man gets involved in a boxing gym, it takes him apart from doing extra dumb stuff on the street,” Johnson said. “After the training you’re too tired to stay out there late at night where it’s bad for you.”

Boxing also improves cardiovascular health and coordination. Lile notes 80 to 90 percent of his students are never going to step into the ring professionally. However, boxing is an accessible and effective workout for anyone who tries it. 

“It’s a skill everyone can do,” Lile said. 

Johnson believes one day the Indianapolis boxing scene will explode when the city produces a new world champion. Considering the city produced talent such as former heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster, a new local champion is only a matter of time.

“If more trainers and coaches started giving good advice through the gym, let me tell you something, the boxing scene in Indianapolis will be pretty powerful, but it starts with coaches and fighters, from my perspective, investing in themselves,” Johnson said. 

 

Contact staff writer Ben Lashar at 317-762-7848. Follow him on Twitter @BenjaminLashar.

+ posts
- Advertisement -

Upcoming Online Townhalls

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest local news.

Stay connected

1FansLike
1FollowersFollow
1FollowersFollow
1SubscribersSubscribe

Related articles

Popular articles

Español + Translate »
Skip to content