LANSING, Mich. – Thirteen-year-old Zach Valdez is preparing for his upcoming boxing match, marking his fourth bout at the prestigious Milwaukee Athletic Club. Despite starting his boxing journey less than two years ago, Valdez has already gained experience competing in notable venues.
“It’s really nice doing the fights, especially if I win,” Valdez, a Grand Ledge native, said. “My first fight was here at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, which is a good stadium.”
Valdez’s journey began at Crown Boxing Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing competitive boxers. The club hosts local contests and sends its team across the Midwest for various competitions. His father discovered the program through a Facebook post, prompting Valdez to express interest in pursuing boxing professionally.
“It’s really nice because it’s something you can lean back on, like working out helps with the motions,” he shared. “I came here to be a pro boxer, of course.”
Under the guidance of head trainer Ali Easley, who also teaches at Michigan State University, Crown Boxing Club attracts local youth and university students interested in the sport. Easley emphasizes a mentorship approach, pairing young boxers with MSU students who can offer positive influences.
“Some things are foreign or not spoken about in the households of our younger kids, so we want the influence of people making positive choices in life to rub off on them,” Easley said.
As the team prepares for a match scheduled for October 16 in Milwaukee, Easley describes the camaraderie that forms during travel, with the team often staying in college dormitories and eating at cafeterias. “Anytime we stay on the road, we try to provide that experience for the kids that there’s more out there than just a hotel,” he said.
Crown Boxing offers a month-long trial for new participants, which Valdez utilized when he first joined. “Three or four times a year, we allow kids to sign up for a free month of youth boxing,” Easley explained. Those who show promise may receive an invitation to join the competitive team.
Finn Hillier, a junior at Michigan State studying zoology and marine biology, chose to get involved with Crown Boxing after discovering it as a class option. He has progressed through the program to become a teaching assistant and hopes to compete in Milwaukee as a light heavyweight.
“It would be great because all my family and friends are from Wisconsin,” Hillier expressed. “It’d be cool to fight in front of a home crowd.”
With training sessions ongoing, the anticipation builds as the Crown Boxing team prepares for their next competition, continuing to foster a supportive and competitive environment for young athletes.
