GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) — Lee Gladden has spent 52 years in and out of the boxing ring. Now, the owner of Gladden Boxing Club says he is returning to the Olympics — this time as a coach for Team USA at the 2028 Games.
Gladden said he received the call after competing on national and international stages, including helping coach 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medalist Omari Jones.
Gladden, a New Jersey native, said his introduction to boxing came through watching ABC’s Wide World of Sports, where Sugar Ray Leonard became his inspiration.
“I was mesmerized. I felt like I wanted to be there somehow through life. It led me to it,” Gladden said.
Before opening his club, Gladden enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after watching a Marine compete in the Olympics. He went on to compete for the Marine Corps boxing team, which led to a spot as an alternate for Team USA at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
“Within four years, I had 125 fights. So, I was burnt out. I was boxing with Team USA with this hand, and on the other hand, I was boxing with the Marine Corps, so it was fight after fight,” Gladden said.
Twenty years ago, after seeing the success of the University of Florida Men’s Basketball and Football programs, Gladden moved to Gainesville and opened the Gladden Boxing Club. He coaches discipline and technique to people ranging in age from 7 to 72.
“I was the little kid that didn’t have much. I didn’t have much money. I didn’t have a whole lot of things, and I decided I wanted to give back to little me,” he said.
Gladden said his goal was to fill a gap in the region’s athletic landscape.
“I wanted to extend my reach into the boxing area because it’s something that Gainesville and Florida didn’t have in general,” Gladden said.
Among his athletes is Jordan Bennett, 25, a Marine Staff Sergeant on active duty and a full-time University of Florida student.
“Hard times create tough people, and we get tough together. So, it’s a lot of fun,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the accountability and structure Gladden provides keep him coming back to the gym.
“My goal is to utilize that aggression while also staying focused, maintaining my energy in the ring,” Bennett said.
Gladden is scheduled to travel to Colorado next week to help train coaches for the 2028 Games and develop the game plan for Team USA. He said he will also be coaching international coaches during that trip.
“I hold only one of the distinctions of being only one of the people who has fought for my country and have fought for my country,” Gladden said.
He said the opportunity to coach at the Olympics is meaningful, but that he already experiences a version of that reward daily.
“That’s more of a gold medal than an actual physical gold medal in the Olympics. When I see these kids beating the odds, defying all the things that, the negative influence that has come their way,” Gladden said.
Gladden is also looking for sponsorships or community partners to help fund the training and other expenses, including competitions.
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