B2T Boxing Gym opened on April 1st at the corner of East Burnside Street and NE 80th Avenue, providing a new fitness resource to a neighborhood that recently lost 24 Hour Fitness and Cascade Athletic Clubs. Owners Bryan Sanchez and JC Wade are rebuilding the community scattered by an August 2019 fire that closed the Grand Avenue Boxing Club. Now, around 30 members work out in this new location from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, training for matches or meeting their personal fitness goals.
For 19 years, the Grand Avenue Boxing Club stood behind the building now housing The People’s Courts facility on NE 82nd Avenue. A brush fire that started in the fields now owned by Bird Alliance of Oregon spread to a car lot and a decommissioned poolhouse structure around the gym, causing damage that later prompted the demolition of the boxing club’s building. The gym – with roots dating back to 1949 – closed, leaving a void for the adults and youth who gravitated to the space for physical activity and camaraderie. “We had nowhere to train, so we were setting up boxing bags at the park and doing it old school. A lot of us spread out, but a couple of us stayed together and merged into MMA (mixed martial arts) gyms,” recalled Sanchez. However, he wanted to recreate the pure boxing gym experience that his community built within the Grand Avenue Boxing Club.
JC Wade was a coach at the boxing club and brings a sense of continuity to the new B2T (Bottom-2-Top) Boxing Gym. Members pay $150 a month for access to an assortment of punching bags, double end bags, speed bags, and a sparring ring. They also have some standard workout equipment, including jump ropes, a classic training tool for boxing that improves footwork and rhythm. Members also receive guidance and direction from staff. “There’s always a coach here to work you out if you want it, or you can do your own thing. But we’re always here to show you how to use all the equipment,” said Sanchez. They are also building a lounge area with a kitchenette space and tables away from the main training room. “If you come in early and want to do some homework, this is the area,” explained Sanchez, who envisions people spending significant time in this place and bringing their family.
Bryan Sanchez, now 33, says he has boxed since age 16, winning Oregon Golden Gloves three years in a row and competing in 50 fights. He sees it as an excellent sport for people of all ages, working with kids 5 years old up to older adults. “Nothing beats a good boxing workout. It’s not just physical, but mentally and spiritually [engaging],” explained Sanchez. He wants to make the space welcoming to all people, regardless of their goals, skills, or background; “people wanting to lose weight or people wanting to compete, even if you just want to come hang out to be around the environment and get out of your house, it’s a little bit of everything.”
People using the gym do not need to focus only on training for matches but can instead hone their capabilities and build confidence by knowing how to use their bodies in the sport. “Mentally, I like the discipline that martial arts gives you, especially boxing. You make better choices. It gives you confidence to walk away from conflicts,” said Sanchez. He says for a young person facing bullying, it helped him know his strength without the need to show off to others. It also taught him respect for the outcomes of his actions. “Boxing will teach you to be humble and that you don’t always have to be the aggressor.” He thinks that is why it is so important to teach young people early, giving them a channel for their energy and an understanding of what their actions can do to others. The gym’s mixed-age environment helps all members see examples of what they can build towards. Kids will start with shadow boxing, hitting mitts, jump ropes, and ladder drills where they can perfect foot movement.
People interested in seeing B2T Boxing Gym in operation are welcome to stop by. Sanchez explained that adjusting to people watching you while working out is critical to a boxer’s performance. “You’re supposed to get used to spectators; it’s not just all physical in the gym; you gotta get used to being around people and still being able to perform.” One of his favorite features of the metal-clad building is the two rollup garage doors looking onto the 70s Neighborhood Greenway running along 80th Avenue. He anticipates members running around the block or up Mt Tabor between sessions on the heavy bag, connecting the fitness location with the Montavilla neighborhood.
Sanchez is excited to open in this location, having grown up in the neighborhood and still living in the East Portland area. He hopes the gym at 7935 E Burnside Street will become part of the community, serving people of all ages and drawing in all those who lost the camaraderie of the Grand Avenue Boxing Club. B2T Boxing Gym has space for new members, and they are continually adding to the location’s amenities to meet the growing needs of gym users. They encourage people to follow the company’s Instagram account for information about activities planned at the gym and opportunities to connect with this fitness resource.
