John Kubler walks into the cold dark gym wearing a smile and hits the lights. The fluorescent bulbs flicker to life and illuminate the boxing ring with a soft light. On his way to the office/dressing room, he passes trophies and belts won fighters of old, a sketch drawing of Rocky, and a small stack of boxing gloves. As fighters arrive, the radio starts to play Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal, a classic. Fighters begin to wrap their fists, and the buzzer signals the start of the first sparing round. Quickly the gym becomes full of the sounds of fists hitting leather bags.
Kubler smiles, as another day of retirement begins.
Nestled between the alley behind Gray’s Keg Saloon and an auto repair shop sits the Southside boxing gym. A small, cold concrete building about the size of a studio apartment. It is home to about 25 fighters varying from beginners to the pros like Haris Talundzic who will be competing in his second MMA fight in April.
For Kubler, the owner and trainer at the gym, he does it for the love of the sport, not the money.
“We are a non-profit organization, he said. “I only charge enough to keep the lights on.”
After retirement, Kubler decided to work full time in the gym. He did it to work with his kids and stay active. But eventually, he became the only boxing gym in Lincoln.
It’s been that way for the past 15 years.
“Boxing gives kids something to do when team sports may not be for them,” pro fighter Aaron Quintana said. Quintana is not only a pro fighter but also helps train some of the younger fighters.
Many fighters are paying for a chance to compete. Even the coaches who volunteer their time pay to help keep the place running. Boxing has been an escape for a lot of the pros and what had kept them in the game since they were kids.
“Boxing is a family,” boxing coach Tim Montgomery said. “A lot of guys go to the Southside Gym. Some go to get rid of stress and life problems in general, it is a good outlet.”
As the day draws to a close, the coaches remind the fighters about the amateur fights in Crete on Saturday. Another chance to prove themselves and work toward their ultimate goal of going professional. Another chance to hang a belt on that wall, another chance to prove themselves.
Riverside Rumble is the first boxing show of the calendar year in the state. For in-state amateur fighters, it is their first chance to show their skills.
Shahab Salahladin, an amateur fighter who won his bout by technical knock out (TKO), explained how fighting is more than just the thoughtless punching.
“It went the way I expected it to go,” Shahab said. “He made a lot of mistakes and I took that to my advantage and used that against him.”
At the fight, Kubler sounded confident.
“If you lose you just have to work harder in the gym, figure out why you lost,” Kubler said. “We plan on winning every one of our fights tonight.”
