New York City’s famed Morris Park Boxing Club along with two second floor apartments went up in flames just shortly after 7:00 o’clock, Tuesday morning. The building which is located at 644 Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx has been a staple in the community since 1977. The fire started on the first floor where the gym is situated; according to the gym’s owner Joe DeGuardia FDNY officials have deemed the cause of the fire to be electrical. Possibly an electrical heating unit could have been the culprit. “The gym is completely destroyed and its something that has hit all of us here very hard it is not only a great place to cultivate fighters but we are a part of the community. It means many things to a lot of people,” stated DeGuardia.

Morris Park Boxing Club has been a part of the DeGuardia family since its inception. Joe DeGuardia Jr., is the chief operating officer of Star Boxing Promotions, and began his own career at the gym. His father (Joe) first opened it, 30 years ago and however it had a different address 4 blocks away from where its present local. During this time, the younger DeGuardia won a Golden Gloves Championship prior to graduating from law school. DeGuardia is a Bronx native and a former District Attorney, whose law offices are about 10 blocks away from the gym. Former welterweight champion Aaron Davis and Bronx resident and retired prize fighter Dex  Pejcinovic run the day to day operations of the gym.
“I have many memories in the gym from the time when I fought in the gloves and my Junior Olympic years when I fought with the US team Morris Park was my home for me personally those memories are priceless when u go to a place every single day since you were a kid things you cant put a price tag on things like that,” DeGuardia. 

There are many people like DeGuardia who share similar stories and today feel like they lost a piece of themselves. Thankfully there were no injuries reported as a result of the fire as residents of the apartments which shared the building were successfully evacuated. DeGuardia said that he is fully insured and that he plans on rebuilding the gym as soon possible. He also reminded Boxingtalk.com that there are people who have lost their homes and during this Holiday season, it is devastating. Tenants have been relocated some have moved in with family members while others have been place in temporary city housing shelters. The Red Cross has been a big help says DeGuardia in assisting the victims of this unfortunate occurrence.

The gym has turned out world champions like welterweight Aaron Davis and light heavyweight Lou DelValle. Other Big Apple notables that honed their skills at Morris Park Boxing Club are Elvir Muriqui, Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa, Monte Barrett, Brian Adams, Giovanni Lorenzo, and yours truly at one point called the quaint gym his own.

Many aspiring future champions are left without a training base. The New York City Golden Gloves tournament starts in January and for now they have to find a new place to workout. One longtime gym member Carlos Becerril, who himself was a former Golden Glove champion was dumbfounded. “I feel really hurt to be honest with you. I am speechless when I was younger it was a big part of my life.”

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