Bronx’s first free boxing gym opens in Mount Hope
In addition to boxing instruction, the gym offers mentorship from NYPD officers, many of whom have gone through the program themselves.
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A new gym offering free boxing lessons to local youth opened its doors in Mount Hope this weekend, marking the Bronx’s first no-cost boxing program for students.
The Cops and Kids Gym, operated by the NYPD, celebrated its grand opening with a community block party Saturday at 1761 Walton Ave., drawing dozens of families eager to learn more about the program.
Among the first to register was 14-year-old Rhys Dent, who says he’s excited to get back into the ring after a nine-month break due to high costs at his previous gym.
“It’s so costly,” said his mother, Natoya Brown-Dent of West Farms. “He hasn’t gone for about nine months now because it was too much.”
Brown-Dent said she was paying about $300 a month for Dent’s training before discovering the new program.
Dent, who dreams of going pro, said the free training gives him a chance to pursue his passion again.
“I hope I get on a stage and collect all the belts, become undisputed,” he said. “You know, I want to make a name for myself.”
His mother said the sport has already had a positive impact.
“I think he’s lost maybe 20 pounds since he started boxing,” she said. “He’s eating healthy, he’s working out and he’s like, video games, what? No, I’m boxing.”
In addition to boxing instruction, the gym offers mentorship from NYPD officers, many of whom have gone through the program themselves. One of those mentors is Nisa Rodriguez, a professional boxer and NYPD officer, who started boxing through the program’s Brooklyn location as a teen.
“It was the only free program that was out there for me to box,” Rodriguez said. “Years later, I became a police officer through the program, and now I’m helping coordinate it.”
Rodriguez said she sees herself in many of the kids she now helps mentor.
“If they have a little more guidance and somewhere safe to go, they can really excel,” she said. “This is a program that I really feel the Bronx needs.”
Organizers said dozens of students signed up during the grand opening, and based on the initial turnout, they hope to expand and open additional gyms across the city.
