It's been a long road with plenty of potholes and a pandemic to deal with, but Salford's newest boxing club is finally open for business.
Maverick Stars Trust founder Charlotte Gilley, Danny Wright and Jamie Moore
Walkden ABC, in partnership with Maverick Stars Trust and located at Walkden town centre, has been a hive of activity since COVID restrictions were eased. Salford Youth services have been bringing young people to the gym to try out boxing taster sessions, under the guidance of former professional fighter-turned-coach Danny Wright.
In the evenings, the amateur boxing club has opened up to the local community with sessions at full capacity. Head coach Chris Ogden said: "This is a really good facility for the area. It'll bring back a bit of community boxing that me and Jamie [Moore] enjoyed twenty odd years ago. Walkden's not had that since. Everyone's talking about it. There's a big buzz about it."
It's all a dream come true for former British and European champion Jamie, who's been working with Maverick Stars for more than two years to get the project off the ground.
"Just knowing the impact a boxing gym has on somebody's life, you never see the true success stories," Jamie said. "The discipline it teaches, the self-awareness, work ethic and mentality. These kids are going to carry that through with them for the rest of their lives in whatever area they decide to go down.
"It just makes me proud that we can makes that little change and help somebody in their life in a little way."
