Inside Stoke-on-Trent's newest community boxing club - United Kingdom News Beep

Kudz loves his boxing!

KGS Boxing & Fitness CIC, a new community-focused boxing and fitness club founded by local coach Kudzanai Disney Huni(Image: Pete Stonier)

A new community boxing club has opened giving young people a safe outlet where they can get into sport. KGS Boxing and Fitness CIC has opened in Smallthorne with the intention of being ‘more than an ordinary boxing gym’.

The club, which has been launched in collaboration with AFC Norton, is aiming to give local children and young people a safe and positive place to spend their time.

Spearheaded by local boxer Kudzanai Disney Huni, the club is also branching out to girls and young women, encouraging them to get involved. After initially picking up boxing whilst at Staffordshire University in 2008, the pro-boxer explained how transformative the sport has been for him and the hundreds of people he has trained.

Kudzanai, also known as Kudz, said: “I used to get into trouble as a kid. I never knew how to process my emotions and my anger but when I turned 18 I walked in a boxing gym and from the first training session I felt I belonged there, doing a sport I could do where I didn’t feel out of place. I felt like it was something I could enjoy doing.”

Kudz first began boxing in 2008(Image: Pete Stonier)

Kudzamai has lived in Meir since university, working in numerous boxing clubs over the years. Since he began training others in 2016, he says he has helped around 500 people with boxing, and hopes to be affliliated with England Boxing in the future.

“I want to create career pathways,” he said. “I’m a professional myself and I’ve had a 12-year hiatus, just to motivate people and show it can be done. It’s not easy but it can be done.

“It’s great for kids to find ways of keeping fit, staying healthy and I think it’s beneficial for their mental health to have an outlet.

“With cases in domestic abuse, it would be ideal for us to be a flagship space where women can workout as well, female boxing is growing and we want to have a safe environment where we can share our skills and be in an environment where we can feel safe.”

The father-of-six has also been training his children since they were young, and believes it can really help young people.

He added: “They’ve been training since they were young children. I think it has helped with discipline, it has helped with direction for them to really channel out their emotions and anger and I think it has helped get some stability.”

The club is encouraging young people to express their emotions in a positive way(Image: Pete Stonier)

The project is also being assisted by Beaumonts Chartered Accountants in Stoke-on-Trent.

Lawrence Soleimani, accountant for Beaumonts, said: “I wanted my boys to increase their confidence a bit and I heard that dancing and boxing were the two best things but my son isn’t interested in dancing. I got this chance call off Kudz saying he was starting this community project. I took my sons and they absolutely loved it, especially my eldest and it’s usually hard to get him off devices.

“If you look at that area, there’s nothing around that area for kids to go to, the nearest clubs are in the other side of the city. My children aren’t into football for example so it’s about trying to create this friendly environment and encourage girls as well. It’s quite positive, I don’t think its violent, it gives people discipline, an outlet and a sense of belonging. Even as an adult if you wanted to just hit some pads you won’t believe how good you feel afterwards, it makes you feel much better for yourself.”

KGS can be found at AFC Norton, on Community Drive, with classes taking place Monday to Friday.

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Inside Stoke-on-Trent’s newest community boxing club

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