Another round as boxing club opens new gym
A BOXING club in Grangetown has officially opened its new gym after more than two years without a premises.
The Prince of Wales Boxing Club, founded in 1969, re-opened its doors to boxers and the wider community at a ceremony on Saturday at the new gym on Virgil Street, Sevenoaks Park.
The club had been without a permanent home since the 1990s, due to the crumbling state of the previous premises. Coaches had then trained boxers in leisure centres, other gyms, and at the Grange Boys Club, before that building turned back to a youth centre in 2017.
Now after months of renovation work, the club’s new gym was officially opened by Cardiff Council Leader Huw Thomas, at a socially-distanced ceremony outside the building.
Carl Pesticcio, the chairman of the Prince of Wales, said: “I’ve been with this gym since day one, back in 1969 as an eight-year-old. So I’ve seen all the ups and downs - more ups I might add, than downs.
“As a boxer, a coach, and now the chairman, I have never been more proud than I am today of being part of this gym.
“Not just the fact we have this facility and the fact local businesses and volunteers have come together. For me, it’s our ability to move forwards with the times. This facility is not just for boxing but for the whole community. It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve got there.”
The club has kept links with Prince Charles, and was named after his investiture as the Prince of Wales in 1969.
Prince Charles recently wrote to the boxing club, to “pass on his warmest congratulations on your achievement on opening your new gym. After many years of dedicated work, the fact you have now been able to provide these new facilities for the club members, and also for the wider community, is a great tribute to your determination and commitment.”
Attending the opening ceremony were some of the club’s former champions, as well as TV presenter Matt Johnson who trained at the gym for a televised fight on an episode of Blue Peter, and Nicky Piper, a past commonwealth light champion and twice world champion contender.
Mr Pesticcio said: “Nicky is a tremendous fundraiser and does a lot of charity work. He goes back a long way with the club.”
Derek McAndrew, chairman of the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association, praised the support from Cardiff council in finding the club’s new home.
Mr McAndrew said: “This is a long term dream of Welsh boxing in trying to get clubs of this nature. Not only for boxers, but for the community this is a fantastic facility.
“It’s great from our point of view to see the local government and Welsh Government supporting us. We’re now creating the sort of clubs which our young boxers deserve.
“It’s about the young kids who we bring in off the streets: sometimes they’re not the nicest kids you’ll ever meet, but we manage to turn them into real good citizens. That’s what it’s all about. It’s terrific, and I’m really proud.”
Council Leader Cllr Thomas said: “Cardiff has got a fantastic boxing pedigree. It’s churned out champions and legends like Jim Driscoll and Joe Erskine, and a new generation of people like Joe Cordina coming through.
“I’m sure there are champions of the future in this boxing club today.
“We have all had a tough year, and it’s been really difficult, particularly for young people and particularly for communities like Grangetown.
“So it lifts my heart when I see this facility, where the community is coming in, working with the council, helping upgrade what was a pretty dire building and making it an amazing resource for the whole community.”