Kronk Will Never Be Forgotten

Music: Cinematic Inspiration Without Main Melody by amaksi https://rebekahbrown.com/kronk-will-never-be-forgotten/ (Detroit, Michigan) Journalist Rebekah Brown covered Kronk Recreation Center & Boxing Gym and other Detroit Gyms from 1987 to 2004. Kronk was an amazing boxing gym where more than 30 world boxing champions trained. From Hilmer Kenty, Thomas Hearns, Michael Moorer, Gerald McClellan and more than 20 other world champions, the great Kronk Gym will remain in the memories of fight fans. Rebekah visited Kronk and shot this footage September 28, 2017. Sadly, less than 2 weeks later, the great Kronk Gym burned down October 7, 2017. Brown watched amateurs come into the gym for the first time and train with trainers including Floyd Logan, Bill Miller, Sammy Poe, Taylor Smith, Walter Smith. World champions came from around the world in many weight classes to Kronk to be trained by Emanuel Steward. During that timeframe, Brown sat in the gym watching workouts and doing interviews. Few people were allowed inside the gym and Brown as a member of the media was able to chronicle the fighters battles inside and outside the ring. The footage that you just watched was something that I shot in September 2017. Less than two weeks later, the great Kronk Gym burned to the ground. The gym may be gone but it’s not forgotten; its history remains. I’m a native Detroiter and I’m glad to see that the City of Detroit rebounded, but angered to see so many Detroit Recreation Centers have closed: Detroit Brewer Rec Center Detroit Brewster-Wheeler Rec Center Detroit Cannon Rec Center Detroit Herman Gardens Rec Center Detroit Johnson Rec Center Detroit Kronk Rec Center Detroit O’Shea Rec Center Because through the red and gold doors of Kronk Gym and others like it, many great fighters were made. Detroit gyms are a part of Detroit history. Here’s a list of some of the fighters I interviewed during that timeframe. They shared their stories, I watched them train like warriors, and they all fought like champions. So here’s a thank you from me, Rebekah Brown, to you fighters, letting you know that those great boxing memories will be preserved and that you will never be forgotten. Thank you for your stories. I will do all I can to preserve them. So here’s a thank you from me to you letting you know that those great boxing memories will be preserved and you will never be forgotten. Hilmer Kenty Thomas Hearns Steve McCrory Milton McCrory Duane Thomas Jimmy Paul Stanley Longstreet Sugar Ray Leonard Muhammad Ali Michael Moorer Dennis Andries Gerald McClellan James Toney Tom Johnson Anthony Jones John David Jackson Leeonzer Barber Ole Klemetsen Mark Breland Hector Camacho Meldrick Taylor Julio Cesar Chavez Oliver McCall Donny LaLonde Gerry Cooney Leon Spinks Mike Tyson Lennox Lewis Oscar De La Hoya Tony Tucker Julian Jackson Ray Mancini Evander Holyfield Hasim Rahman Marvin Hagler George Foreman Reggie Johnson Nigel Benn Roy Jones, Jr. Mike Weaver Ken Norton Ricky Womack Jemal Hinton Oba Carr Tarick Salmaci Bobby Czyz Bernard Harris Chris Eubank, Sr. Michael Carbajal Livingstone Bramble Pinklon Thomas Dwight Davison Bert Cooper Iran Barkley Tommy Morrison John Mugabi Donovan Ruddock Riddick Bowe Floyd Mayweather Ray Mercer Arthel Lawtorn Bill Lee Mike McCallum Anthony Hembrick Jesse Benavides Vinny Pazienza Bronco McCart Pernell Whitaker Greg Haugen Bernard Hopkins Gaby Canizalez Tony Ayala, Jr. Shane Mosley Perscell Davis Damian Fuller Ray Beltran Talal Salmaci David Palac Arthur Palac Darrell Chambers Everett Martin Mickey Goodwin Bobby Hitz Billy Hearns Booker T. Word Theotrice Chambers III Waxxem Fikes Warren Jackson Frankie Liles Fabian Williams Brett Lally Danell Nicholson Willie Smith Marlon Thomas Corey Johnson Kady King Tyrone Trice Lonny Beasley Chris Byrd Patrick Byrd Pepe Reilly Montell Griffin Jeremy Williams Jamar Nolan Ferdell Pitts Graciano Rocchigiani Rydell Booker Kenny Gould Philippa Martin Lindell Holmes Warren Kilgore Leo Nolan Mashood Stanley Demetrius Jenkins Kevin Whaley-El John Walker Ron Morgan Todd Riggs Robert Bailey Donald Stokes Octavio Lara Jon Lepak Darnell Knox Stevie Darnell Hurley Snead Fadi Faraj Craig Payne Frank Tate Scotty Buck Terry Pitts Darius Purtese And, of course… Emanuel Steward Walter Smith Luther Burgess Floyd Logan Bill Miller Sammy Poe Taylor Smith Eddie Futch Angelo Dundee Joe Byrd Eddie Carr Ted Palac Brad Lally Alex Sherer Keith Lee, Sr. Anthony Nolan, Sr. Tony Ayala, Sr. Al Dunmore Freddie Guinyard Dr. Stuart Kirschenbaum Jackie Kallen Bill Kozerski Chief Dave Shoulders Glenn Wilson Chuck Arnold Jerry Hauser Lane Combs Peter Goldfield Ismael Vargas Ron Gentry Frank Garza Bobby Watson Sam Williams Dale Grable Tom Briscoe Tom Vacca Don King Bob Arum Ferdie Pacheco Harold Smith Lou Duva Shelley Finkel Rock Newman Dan Goosen Thomas Hauser Butch Lewis Ralph Cintron

Added 9 Apr 2026