King’s Gym is a boxing training facility tucked away in Fruitvale, Oakland. I had the pleasure of covering it with my camera over the past week and a half, and I met some great people and learned much about the history of boxing as well as how the sport is conducted on a professional and amateur level. King’s is more than just a boxing gym, it is a community pillar and a safe space for children from neighborhoods where their prospects and stifled and bad choices are easy to make.
I was first made known of the gym’s presence by my friend Xavier as he used to train here during high school. The gym is ran by Ms. King, a vibrant owner who stays engaged with the boxers, taking on a sort of motherly/life coach role.She told me her favorite part of running the gym is the people, and often these kids come from circumstances where they are not taught how to carry themselves with poise and professionalism, something that she emphasizes and teaches to the young boxers.
The gym produced some great boxers, with the most revered being Andre Ward. He retired with an undefeated record of 32-0, with unified titles in 2 divisions. He is also a gold medal winning Olympian in boxing. Over time, the output of great boxers from King’s has slowed down due to other gyms popping up with more advanced methods of training, and more money to out into resources for boxers. This has garnered King’s the title of the last traditional boxing gym in the Bay Area. It emphasizes grit and grind over optimized performance, embracing the values the sport was built on rather than turning it into a science.
Jaycauri is the gym’s crown jewel right now, almost like a last hope for them. He is a 1x Golden Glove State Champion, 1x Regional Champion, and 2024 PAL International Champion. He started his boxing journey at King’s and still trains there to this day. His potential and accomplishments are a light for King’s Gym, showing how a traditional, community-focused gym can still produce great talent.
During my time at the gym I met George, a 17 year old from Pittsburgh who is going into his senior year in college. He both works and trains at the gym, so he has a lot of time there under his belt. When he was younger, he experienced bullying and that lead to him getting into a fight in 6th grade. After finding boxing, he has been able to channel his strong emotions into the sport, and he is a super mellow individual. He has begun sparring and is showing promise as another bright young boxer at the gym.
- Zendo Rouson
6/29-7/2/25 - Oakland, California
