NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Boxing Club is looking to develop a new project with a proposed boxing fitness studio.
The studio, to be named the New Orleans Boxing Studio, is being proposed by Alex Ackel, the co-owner of the New Orleans Boxing Club, which is currently located on the corner of Conti and North Dupre streets in Mid-City. He says the boxing fitness studio, proposed for 2126 Constance Street, will not be like the existing club. Rather, it will be a class-only set-up.
The current club in Mid-City is a full-service boxing gym that serves as a space for training and as a venue for boxing matches and events. It’s housed in a white 4,000 square-foot building nestled among houses in the neighborhood and opened in March 2015.
The club is home to several boxers, trainers and former boxers, both amateur and pro. Last week, 29-year-old Regis ‘Rougarou’ Prograis, a New Orleans native boxer who trains at the club, took home the world title of WBC interim super lightweight champion. Cuba Gooding Jr, has even stopped by on occasion.
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Sean Hemphill, another New Orleans native, who is currently an amateur on the USA National Team with aspirations of being a world champion, also trains at the gym.
New Orleans has been a stage for historic boxing in the past, with matches going back to the 1970’s when Muhammad Ali fought Leon Spinks, and in the 1980’s when Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Roberto Duran.
Ackel said he believes New Orleans Boxing Studio is the next step in the club’s mission of helping to make New Orleans a hub for the sport again and believes it is an “act of progression.”
“It’s something where we want to create a local business that ties in to our mission to bring boxing back to New Orleans,” Ackel said.
He says that the New Orleans Boxing Studio will be a “posh boutique version” of the current gym. The classes that will be offered at the studio are designed to teach the elements of boxing to those who are aren’t necessarily looking to pursue a career in the sport and wouldn’t normally go to a traditional boxing gym.
“We’re going to have them teach courses to a lot of people who maybe are intimidated and maybe don’t want to come to the boxing club because they think, “I don’t know how to box. I don’t want to fight, but hey let me try this class,'” Ackel said.
The New Orleans Boxing Club also has a non-profit that helps the community’s youth along with aspiring boxers by teaching them discipline and guidance while also keeping them out of trouble.
“It keeps them off the streets,” Ackel said.
He said the proposed studio would also compliment that concept.
“We’re trying to also be able to use some of the kids as instructors and really bridge the gap between different socioeconomic classes. Something that they don’t traditionally see and show them a better side of life and something they can look forward to.”
Professional boxers, amateur boxers and trainers would primarily teach the classes and the signature “12-round” style class to be offered at the studio will consist of interval training similar to matches; both amateur and pro.
Ackel noted that boxing as a workout at the current club has helped him personally by losing 100 pounds.
“I have never been in better shape in my life,” he said. “It’s going to be one of the greatest workouts you can get and you’re also going to learn all the fundamentals of boxing; how to really properly use your mechanics.”
The classes would also offer a way for people to learn how to “protect themselves in a way where they don’t feel scared walking home.”
“They are going to be able to show a middle-aged woman or a younger girl or just anybody who doesn’t know how to protect themselves, to throw a proper punch. Take 120 pounds and turn that to 200 pounds of force.”
The proposed location, 2126 Constance Street, is a one-story 1,080 square foot home, that was previously owned by The Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and operated as a day care in 1997.
The location was chosen since the area already has fitness businesses such as Franco’s Athletic Club, a Pilates and yoga studio, and Aikio, a martial arts group, one block away on Magazine Street.
The proposal for the studio went before the City Planning Commission on Tuesday and was recommended for preliminary denial by staff for not meeting all “the use standards of the Neighborhood Commercial Establishment designation.”
“They were originally constructed and used to serve neighborhood purposes such as corner store type structures,” a City Planning Commission staff member said at the meeting.
However, the Commission unanimously approved the project after Commissioner Eugene Green noted that despite the structure’s original use as a residence, it was operated as day care for years and already has structures inside that are suitable for a commercial space.
No one present at the meeting spoke in opposition of the proposal, however Ackel did mention there was some initial concern with neighbors about it being a full boxing gym, similar to the club in Mid-City which has more than 300 members.
“That’s not at all what it is. This is just a class-only studio.”
He says the studio would be more “intimate” than the gym and would be limited to about 15 people maximum per class.
Green and Commissioner Kyle Wedberg both thanked Ackel for meeting with neighbors to address past concerns.
“I think that this is a great development and high and best use of this property and look forward to seeing it moving forward,” Green said.
Wedberg said that even though Ackel’s proposal for the New Orleans Boxing Studio was deferred three times by the City Planning Commission previously, he made good use of moving the project forward.
“When we see something for deferral, a lot of times we see it and no work has been done. The applicant did a good job of making progress each of the times,” Wedberg said.
Ackel said the class package prices at the studio would range from $10 to $15. He says he wants to keep the prices lower than a typical gym membership to add the sense of community, which is the same mentality of the current New Orleans Boxing Club.
“It’s not about making money,” he said. “This is really about a much broader, grander vision to bring boxing back.”
The proposed boxing fitness studio is now set to go before the City Council for final approval.
