BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) – Frontline Warriors has been in Bradenton for years–but the demand keeps rising, and now, the coaches are getting recognition.
All three coaches have competed before, but Coach Jigg is aiming for a national title now, currently boasting an undefeated record. Check out his latest knockout:
In fact it was Jigg, born and raised as Fred Johnson right here on the Suncoast, who found himself with a whole litter of students to teach. The coaches tell ABC7 that Johnson was training at a different local gym and had about 40 students all to himself before Coach Ash discovered him.
That’s when the two decided to join forces, combining with Jason Freeman to set up shop on one of the busiest streets in Bradenton.
Freeman himself had quite a career, with an amateur record of 87-5 as well as numerous professional fights. If you watched ESPN in the 2010s, you may have seen him win a few of the victories and prize belts now commemorated on just one of the walls of Freeman’s gym, which he named Frontline Warriors.
The coaches are working to make their new facilities all that they can be. It isn’t all big-ticket items like brand-new exercise equipment, though. Even spare tractor tires have a home at Frontline Warriors.
The gym has a little bit of everything, which the students say is part of why they like it so much.
If you want to be a professional boxer, then you have three coaches who can help you get into the game, or even help you find your first matches.
For many of the kids, though, professional boxing isn’t the goal. They just like have a place to hang out after school that isn’t only entertaining, but emotionally engaging.
The students say working their anger out in the ring makes them better off overall. One child described discipline issues at school…at least until he joined Frontline Warriors. Now when he body-slams people, he gets a gold medal, not a trip to the principal’s office.
If you want to give Frontline Warriors a chance, you can find them just off Manatee Ave. in Bradenton, at 715 5th St E. They’re Unit E in the back, and if you don’t have any gear ahead of time, don’t worry. You can buy mouthpieces, handwraps, and anything else you might need right from the coaches.
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