Local young boxers learning to be as great as Muhammad Ali
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Muhammad Ali’s death is being felt across the world, and especially in boxing gyms.
Patrick Hutchinson has been training kids for over 20 years. He’s the owner and head trainer at Badd Boyz Boxing Inc. The gym operates on the second floor of Barnes Methodist Church.
“Hit and not get hit. That’s the science of boxing,” said Hutchinson.
It’s a science perfected by Muhammad Ali, and one that Hutchinson is teaching to these kids.
On most days Hutchinson says he has 25 kids train to be as good as Ali.
“The biggest loss of Ali’s passing is all the greatness that he gave to all the kids,” Hutchinson said.
Many of these kids never even saw Ali fight.
“His foot style, because everybody thinks that Floyd Mayweather and a couple other boxers created that. No, Ali was the creator of the foot movement and the idea of making people miss,” Hutchinson explained.
“He taught me everything,” said Cesar Felix, a young boxer at the gym speaking of watching Muhammad Ali videos. “He taught me how to do foot moving and jabs.”
As much Ali taught them about fighting in the ring, he also provided lessons about life outside of it.
“Life is about growing, not pulling back. Ali showed us how to come up, how to bring ourselves out, make us believe in ourselves more. And that’s what we do for these kids, make them believe in themselves.”