Gladiators Boxing Gym in Redwood City has been Antonio Renteria’s home away from home for nearly his entire life. Renteria — owner, operation and trainer for the gym — first started going to Gladiators as a teenager in the mid-1990s. Since taking over the gym six years ago, Renteria has been trying to give back to the community the lessons he learned in the gym.
But now, Renteria and Gladiators Boxing Gym need the community’s help. Renteria knew he would have to move soon, but was initially told he had a year. But when his lease ran out at the end of July, he was told he needed to be out by February. Renteria said the building and lot the gym occupies — which is the back room and shipping dock of an old distribution building off Arguello Street in Redwood City — was sold and is being torn down.
“It sucks,” Renteria said. “I was born and raised here (in Redwood City). I grew up in that gym. I don’t want to lose the culture. I’m sure anywhere we go here in Redwood City, I’m sure people will follow. I’m trying to figure out a way to get it done in Redwood City, but it’s so expensive.”
Gladiators Boxing Gym is not your traditional health club. While there are classes available for kids and adults, it is a real boxing gym. There are no spinning, Zumba or yoga classes. These are body-busting, boxing-inspired workouts.
And for those who want more, you can train to actually climb into the ring.
But for a lot of users of Gladiators, the boxing is only a means of instilling values into those kids who may be headed down the wrong path. Renteria said he will be sent kids from the San Mateo County corrections system and he said he’s gotten reports back from county administrators about the positive changes among their wards participating in Renteria’s program.
“To sit back and think about the impact (Gladiators) created, I didn’t even think about it,” Renteria said. “I just wanted to help people.”
As such, Renteria does not use a blanket, across-the-board pricing system. Some members pay the full monthly price. Others, especially those kids from low-income households, may not pay anything.
Recommended for you
“Adult classes are what we focus on the help pay for the kids’ classes,” Renteria said.
And although Renteria is a small-business owner, he never looked at himself as a businessman — until now. Now, he’s looking at all his options in trying not only to save Gladiators Boxing Gym, but to keep it in Redwood City.
“I’m understanding it now because of the situation we’re in,” Renteria said. “With the rent and everything being so expensive, it puts me in a tough spot. We’re not a business. I can make it business, but it wouldn’t be the same. [Gym members] can just go anywhere for that.”
At the same time, Renteria is coaching seven, eight fighters who are actively competing. Mariana Gonzalez is one of two amateurs he is preparing for the United States Boxing Olympic trials in December for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Dealing with a pending move is not making things any easier.
“The timing of this, for me, blows,” Renteria said.
Boxing and other combat sports may not be the best way for people to make a living, but the lessons of dedication, discipline and hard work learned in a boxing gym can be used outside the ring as well. In a day and age where sports are increasingly being priced out for all but the wealthy, Renteria’s dedication to those athletes who have been marginalized deserve to be recognized by the greater Redwood City community.
Basically, there has to be someone in Redwood City that can work with a local small business owner to get something done and retain a business that does so much for the community.
“Anywhere from 2,000 to 2,500 (square feet) would be great. And affordable,” Renteria said. “There should be a lot of people who can help us, since we help so many.”
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.