Video Report: Gleason’s Gym

Address: 75 Front St., Brooklyn, New York

The fabled New York City boxing gym opened in the Bronx, in 1937, and then moved to Manhattan in 1974. Now it resides Brooklyn. It is not just a gym, but an institution.

When Zab Judah won the IBF junior welterweight title in 2000, he became the 115th world champion to train at Gleason's.

“It’s such a great feeling to come back here as a world champion,” he said. “I’ve been coming to Gleason’s since I was six years old. When I was young, I never saw this side of it. I couldn’t imagine this part of boxing. I just dedicated myself to the sport and this is what comes with dedication. I’m at home here. These are my people. This is my support system. This is where I grew up.”

Among the other champions to have trained at Gleason's are Muhammad Ali, Floyd Patterson, Riddick Bowe, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Michael Spinks, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, Tommy Hearns, Vito Antuofermo, Julio Cesar Green, Kevin Kelley and Junior Jones.

Numerous contenders have also trained at the gym, among them, Edwin Viruet, who also trained fighters at Gleason's: “I’ve been going to Gleason’s for 40 years. I started when I was 10 years old when Gleason’s was in the Bronx. I go all the way back with Bobby Gleason. All of my life I’ve been here. Gleason’s Gym has the name and the history behind it. They talk about the Kronk Gym, but Gleason’s is the number one gym. So many good fighters and good trainers have come from Gleason’s. I saw Bob Foster training at Gleason’s when it was in the Bronx and he was knocking out guys with headgear on. He was some fighter. What a hook he had. That’s the kind of fighters I’m talking about.”