Pressure Mounts on Government to ‘Save Lives’ as US & UK’s Prominent Voices Rally for Boxing Clubs

Boxing fans continue to lament the recent decline in the popularity of sweet science but fail to address what exactly lies at the heart of the issue. But Eddie Hearn has already tapped a critical nerve—a collapse of local boxing clubs. A place where you go and spar and try to inculcate many values. He is leading the campaign to give local clubs a boost and a much-needed shot in the arm. And the British boxer also has an example to show how community clubs change lives—Richardson Hitchins.
Hearn, 45, turned to his Instagram handle and shared a clip of him engaged in an engrossing conversation with the newly crowned IBF super lightweight champion. The agenda of the conversation was clear as the caption read, “Whilst we push for more government support for community boxing clubs in the U.K., the positive effects of boxing for the younger generation are felt Worldwide!”
While walking around the Brooklyn neighborhood with Hitchins, the Matchroom lynchpin started the conversation by pointing out the values one gained through boxing. He said, “And that’s all the things that boxing and clubs can give to young kids— discipline, respect, manners, hope.”
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eddie Hearn (@eddiehearn)
Hearn has rallied behind the revival of local clubs for a while now. He believes a boost to the clubs on the verge of shutting down could help the community, especially youth, by keeping them away from harmful activities and steering them toward positivity. The Matchroom Boxing head honcho had even contributed 10,000 GBP to an amateur club in Camberwell, South London, to prevent its closure.
Hitchins, 27, also then chimed in and pointed out how boxing saves lives. He declared, “Yeah, a lot of people see the negativity in boxing, but they don’t see the positivity. As far as like, it’s an outlet to change your life. You know, boxing does a lot of things and keep kids out of street. It saves lives. It gives people, like you said, discipline, a certain perspective on life, and how to just be better as a person.”
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The Brooklyn native went through the same, and that’s why this cause feels personal to him. He also detailed his life events and how joining a boxing club affected them.
Richardson Hitchins: how stepping into a boxing club altered his life
Hitchins, at 19-0, admitted he didn’t get into boxing with the image of becoming an Olympian or a world champion. But it led it to the moment of standing alongside Hearn while boasting his unblemished resume. He then continued, “Like I said, walking to that gym at 12-13 years old, it wasn’t a decision that I made knowing that it would get me. It was just something that [came] just along the way. I just see how it changed my life.”
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The Brooklyn native added, “I like, literally, think myself, that 13-year-old version of me that literally made the decision every day just to come to the boxing gym. Like I said, I didn’t know I would be an Olympian. I didn’t know I would be standing with Eddie Hearn as an undefeated professional. It just happened, and it was just a young kid wanting to find that love.” While Hearn is pushing for a revival of the boxing clubs, fighters like Hitchins could serve as a role model for young people to take up boxing.
What do you make of these comments by Eddie Hearn and Richardson Hitchins about boxing changing people’s lives? Do you agree with them? Let us know in the comments below.