Sudbury's Top Glove Boxing trades gloves for running shoes
For the first time, Top Glove Boxing Academy in Sudbury is stepping out of the ring and onto the trail for a fundraising run.
“It’s all about just having a lot of fun,” said head coach Gord Apolloni. “That’s what Top Glove is all about. We’re like a family.”
After more than 30 years in the city, the non-profit boxing group took a hit on the chin during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Before COVID we had 120 members, we have 40 now. So it’s … a lot of damage,” said Apolloni.
“It’s really impacted us and you know, it’s just difficult to keep the doors open. The rents are now back up to their normal rates and it’s difficult to make that and so we’re basically having little fundraisers here and there to make ends meet.”
In an effort to keep the space open for everyone who needs it, Top Glove is holding a 5K fundraising run at Kivi Park on Aug. 13.
Over the years, Top Glove has focused on getting kids off the street and into the gym, giving them a positive space to spend their time and energy.
“A lot of the stories that we have at Top Glove are never heard of because it’s fallen behind the scenes,” Apolloni said.
He cited one example of a young boxer whose grades began to slide. So his mother considered pulling him from boxing.
“So I had to have a chat with him … well low and behold, fast forward 20 years and he now has his masters in sports psych, he’s working out west," said Apolloni.
"That’s just one of the stories. There’s many, many more.”
The entry fee for the fundraising run is $40, which includes a T-shirt. Proceeds will go to the boxing academy. So far, 44 people have signed up.
“Sudbury’s been an incredible town to support Top Glove Boxing Academy and we’re very, very lucky to have that,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
BREAKING Hosting Vancouver's FIFA World Cup games could cost half a billion dollars
Hosting seven games in Vancouver during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could cost more than half a billion dollars, according to an updated estimate provided Tuesday.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.
London Drugs stores remain closed, 'cybersecurity incident' may have breached personal data
London Drugs says it is working with third-party security experts as the company tries to reopen dozens of stores across Western Canada that were shuttered by a cybersecurity incident Sunday.