The boxing club on Des Moines’ east side creating a safe place for students
The boxing club on Des Moines’ east side creating a safe place for students
HALF MILLION FANS. WELL, IT IS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, AND WE’RE HIGHLIGHTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN CENTRAL IOWA THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. KCCI ALYSSA GOMEZ TAKES US TO DES MOINES, EAST SIDE, WHERE A PRO FIGHTER IS PROMOTING HIS MENTALITY OF BOXING FOR A PURPOSE. FOR EVERY FIGHTER THAT WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR AT EMU AZTECA BOXING CLUB, COACH ENRIQUE SEES HIMSELF IN THEM. WHEN I SEE THEM HERE, LIKE I THINK SOME OF THEM GO THROUGH THE SAME THING THAT I WENT THROUGH. AND THIS IS THEIR SECOND HOME, IS A PROFESSIONAL BOXER, A TWO TIME GOLDEN GLOVE CHAMPION AND THE FOUNDER OF THIS GYM. BUT HIS STORY STARTS A LOT DIFFERENTLY. SO I GREW UP IN LAREDO, TEXAS, A HEART LIKE IT WAS HARD BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WAS BULLIED A LOT. EVERYBODY HANDS UP. I GOT █A LITTLEBIT TIRED OFIT, AND I JUST STOOD UP FOR MYSELF. DID NOT KNOW I HAD IT IN ME, BUT I GAVE HIM MY RIGHT HAND AND I PUT HIM TO SLEEP. I LOOK AT MY HAND THAT DAY AND I WAS LIKE, I HAVE POWER. POWER TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF HIS LIFE. I TOOK A BOXING, EVENTUALLY MOVING TO THE DES MOINES AREA. IF I WAS HAVING A BAD DAY, LIKE I WOULD JUST GO TO THE GYM AND I WOULD PUT THAT IN THE PAST. HIS NEWFOUND PASSION DIDN’T COME WITHOUT CHALLENGES. WHETHER IT WAS BULLIES, FINANCIAL STRUGGLES, OR FINDING A GYM THAT SUITED HIM. EVERY OBSTACLE THAT KNOCKED HIM DOWN, HE GOT BACK UP AND GOT BACK IN THE RING. WHEN YOU THROW THAT JAB, MAKE SURE YOU THROW THE HIP WITH IT. WANTING TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, I EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO OPEN HIS OWN GYM. I WAS NERVOUS TO GIVE THAT NEXT STEP, BUT I. I JUST GOT ON MY KNEES AND I PRAYED TO HIM THAT IF IT’S SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY GOOD FOR US AND FOR EVERYBODY AROUND US, THAT YOU KNOW, WHY NOT? LOCATED ON DES MOINES EAST SIDE. DON’T BE A WHAT? EASY TARGET. DUVAL WELCOMES FIGHTERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS, AND FOR MANY OF THEM, IT’S A SECOND HOME. ANYBODY THAT WALKS THROUGH THAT DOOR IS FAMILY MEMBER. NOW. HIS FIGHTERS FEEL THE SAME WAY. EVERYONE’S FRIENDLY. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FIRST COME, YOU KNOW, LIKE, EVEN IF I DON’T KNOW YOU, I ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO SAY HI TO YOU, LIKE, GIVE YOU A FIST BUMP OR SOMETHING. EVERYBODY’S. EVERYBODY’S FAMILY HERE. EVERYBODY HANGS OUT OUTSIDE OF THE GYM WHEN THERE’S FAMILY EVENTS. WE GO OVER THERE AND WE ALL HANG OUT TOGETHER, HANG TOGETHER, TRAIN TOGETHER, GROW TOGETHER, HELPING EACH OTHER GET BETTER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. THE GRIT THAT YOU PUT IN HERE IS THE SAME GRIT THAT’S GOING TO HELP YOU OUT THERE, OUT OF THESE WALLS. SO WHILE THEY MIGHT ASPIRE TO ALSO HAVE A GOLDEN BELT HANGING ON THE WALL IN THE GYM, BUSHVILLE IS PREPARING THEM FOR SO MUCH MORE. WE LOSE HERE, BUT YOU LOSE IN LIFE MORE THAN YOU LOSE IN HERE. AND WHEN YOU LOSE, YOU LEARN. BUT WHEN YOU WIN, WELL, IT’S THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. YOU KNOW, IN DES MOINES, ALYSSA GOMEZ, KCCI EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. AND THE CLUB TRAINS MEMBERS SIX YEARS OLD AND UP. THEY HOLD CLASSES SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND ENCOURAGE FIGHTERS OF
The boxing club on Des Moines’ east side creating a safe place for students
The boxing club on Des Moines’ east side creating a safe place for students
Updated: 12:00 PM CDT Sep 29, 2025
Enrique Uvalle, a professional boxer and two-time Golden Glove champion, founded EMU Azteca Boxing Club on Des Moines’ East Side to offer fighters a supportive environment, drawing from his own experiences of overcoming bullying and adversity. From the outside, you can see the words “Boxing For a Purpose” on the exterior windows. Uvalle says his purpose is to make sure every student who walks through the doors knows they belong there. “This is their second home,” Uvalle said. Growing up in Laredo, Texas, Uvalle says he dealt with his fair share of bullies. He discovered his strength in defending himself. Uvalle realized he had power not just to stand up for himself, but to make a change. This realization led him to pursue boxing.”If I was having a bad day, like, I would just go to the gym and I would put that in the past,” Uvalle said.Despite facing challenges such as bullies, financial struggles and finding a suitable gym in Central Iowa, Uvalle persevered. He made the decision to eventually open his own gym, taking a leap of faith. “I was nervous to give that next step, but I got on my knees and I prayed to him that if it was something that was really good for us and for everybody around us … then why not,” Uvalle said. The gym welcomes fighters of all skill levels. “Anybody that walks through that door is a family member now,” Uvalle said.Fighters, like Krayton Hansen, share the same sentiment. Krayton added, “Everybody’s family here. Everybody hangs out outside of the gym when there’s family events. We go over there and we all hang out together.” It’s a place that fosters a sense of community where members train, grow and support each other. While inspiring young fighters to achieve success in boxing, Uvalle also emphasizes the importance of life lessons. “The grit that we put in here is the same grit that’s going to help you out there, out of these walls,” Uvalle said.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Enrique Uvalle, a professional boxer and two-time Golden Glove champion, founded EMU Azteca Boxing Club on Des Moines’ East Side to offer fighters a supportive environment, drawing from his own experiences of overcoming bullying and adversity.
From the outside, you can see the words “Boxing For a Purpose” on the exterior windows. Uvalle says his purpose is to make sure every student who walks through the doors knows they belong there.
“This is their second home,” Uvalle said.
Growing up in Laredo, Texas, Uvalle says he dealt with his fair share of bullies. He discovered his strength in defending himself. Uvalle realized he had power not just to stand up for himself, but to make a change. This realization led him to pursue boxing.
“If I was having a bad day, like, I would just go to the gym and I would put that in the past,” Uvalle said.
Despite facing challenges such as bullies, financial struggles and finding a suitable gym in Central Iowa, Uvalle persevered. He made the decision to eventually open his own gym, taking a leap of faith.
“I was nervous to give that next step, but I got on my knees and I prayed to him that if it was something that was really good for us and for everybody around us … then why not,” Uvalle said.
The gym welcomes fighters of all skill levels.
“Anybody that walks through that door is a family member now,” Uvalle said.
Fighters, like Krayton Hansen, share the same sentiment.
Krayton added, “Everybody’s family here. Everybody hangs out outside of the gym when there’s family events. We go over there and we all hang out together.”
It’s a place that fosters a sense of community where members train, grow and support each other. While inspiring young fighters to achieve success in boxing, Uvalle also emphasizes the importance of life lessons.
“The grit that we put in here is the same grit that’s going to help you out there, out of these walls,” Uvalle said.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play