MISSION
Making Champions and Good Citizens
MISSION
Making Champions and Good Citizens
Portland Boxing CLUB
The Gym is open to everyone: competitors and non-competitors, male or female, young and not-so-young. We do prefer a minimum age of 12 years. Boxers in training for a bout are the coaches' top priority.
We have all necessary equipment. Members are required to purchase handwraps and a mouthpiece . Gym equipment includes a variety of boxing equipment such as an 18X18 ring; heavy bags; speedbags; double end bags; uppercut bags; a weight room and treadmills.
All individuals are different and progress at their own pace. All members will start at Beginner Level Workout (no contact until coaches agree that the individual is ready and competent for light contact). New members need to take the Saturday 2:00 pm walk-in circuit training classes ($10 - no appointment necessary) to become acclimated to the gym and to learn a beginner's workout before becoming a regular member. After that, they may come in as many times during the week as they wish.
OUR FOCUS
The mission is simple:
OUR FOCUS
The mission is simple:
CHAMPIONS ARE MADE
CHAMPIONS ARE MADE
STAFF
All Coaches are certified by USA Boxing
STAFF
All Coaches are certified by USA Boxing
Bob Russo
PRESIDENT AND HEAD COACH
Completed the Elite Level coaches Clinic at the Olympic Training Center Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1997 -- Certified Level 3
Selected 14 times as coach for Team New England
Selected twice as coach of Regional Team #1, Lake Placid, New York (which includes N.E., N.Y., and NJ. for National Championships)
Selected as Coach of the Year for 1995, 2003, 2005 & 2010 For Northern New England Golden Gloves which encompasses ME, NH, VT, & upstate NY and for 2008 USA Boxing New England
Selected as coach for US Boxing Team (USA vs. England), London, England in 2000
Executive Director New England Golden Gloves
Executive Board Secretary Golden Gloves of America
2013 Inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame
National level experience includes:
National P.A.L. Championships in Dallas, Texas
7 U.S. Boxing Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado;
1996 Olympic Trials in Oakland, CA;
1996 Olympic Box-Off in Augusta, Georgia;
22 National Golden Gloves Championships in Lowell, MA, Denver, CO, Detroit ,MI, Reno,NV, Kansas City, MO, Chattanooga, TN , Hollywood, FL ,Salt Lake City, Utah,
Little Rock, Ark, Indianapolis, IN, Port Charlotte, FL, Mesquite, NV and Las Vegas, NV.
2000 Eastern Olympic Trials, Scranton, PA; 2007 Eastern Olympic Trial, Cocoa Beach, FL
2 Ringside World Championships, Kansas City, Missouri
Promoted over 100 boxing shows
Created and directed 15 Northeastern Regional Boxing Championships
Tournament Director 5 USA Boxing New England Championships
Tournament Director 6 New England Golden Gloves Championships
Bob Russo - President and Head Coach
assistant coaches AND ADMINISTRATIon
Skip Neales
Durward Ferland
Marty Higgins
Ivan Papkee
Julie Powers-Candelmo
Jeff Quirk
Steve Rosacha
Jean Russo
Mike Russo
Skip Neales - Long-Time Assistant Coach
Video
Video
Maine Life host Erin Ovalle throws some punches at the Portland Boxing Club with Lindsay Kyajohnian Francois, a past New England Golden Gloves Champion.
In her talk, Liz Leddy describes her journey as a young woman: a high school dropout and aggressive street punk who found illumination of her life's purpose and healing through the sport of boxing. She attests to her strength to walk on through the personal destruction left in the wake of substance abuse, violence and trauma, along with the boxing techniques that led her to two national championships. Through a coach and a community, her life skills and self-knowledge were groomed, resulting in a miraculous victory over the dark life of addiction, homelessness, crime, and violence.