As we reach the middle of summer, I am enjoying the last quarter of my first year keeping an office in Element Gym, 655 N. Fairview Avenue in St. Paul. I’m here Monday through Saturday with weekday hours of 11 to 8, but often here earlier and later. It’s great having…
On Saturday, November 4, I drove to Hawley, MN to be a guest coach for a day at The Gold Room Boxing Club. The club was started a few years ago by Minnesota boxing writer Ben Tighe. Frustrated with the need to drive his sons excessive miles three days a…
On Saturday, December 3, 2016, Emmett Joseph Yanez died. He taught me to box when I was 10 years old and was a presence in my life for 37 years. I knew that when he died it would hit me hard, but it hurt a lot more than I expected.…
This page is named for the last man to train me as a boxer, Dennis Presley. He also trained my contemporary, Will Grigsby, who eventually became International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Junior Flyweight Champion twice, and World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Junior Flyweight Champion once. That’s quite an accomplishment, considering…
In early March I visited Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, NY to speak with James ‘Country’ Thornwell and Delen ‘Blimp’ Parsley, the world class professional boxing trainers featured in the Esquire Channel’s White Collar Brawlers series. Every episode of the series chronicles two white collar professionals in a friendly office rivalry,…
Literary Pugilist no longer at rest (An additional explanation for a writer’s return to the ring) It’s time to publish another update on my return to the ring with further elaboration on why I choose to fight at this time. As I prepare to compete after a 19 year layoff…
John Pavlik, left, with former IBO Junior Welterweight Champion Mike Evgen, World Class trainer Dennis Presley, and Mark Connor at the Pavlik family’s Ol Mexico restaurant in Roseville, MN. Copyright 2012, Mark Connor. John Pavlik, left, with former IBO Junior Welterweight Champion Mike Evgen, World Class trainer Dennis Presley, and…
David Lawrence relaxes in his office at Gleason’s Gym, Brooklyn, NY. Copyright Mark Connor, 2007 Last June I sat down at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York to talk with David “Awesome” Lawrence, the poet, boxing coach and ex-professional boxer who helped start the White Collar Boxing movement, about his…
[Image. Hover tag: Caleb Truax is currently training in Las Vegas for his May 27 fight with Andy Kolle at the St. Paul Armory Copyright 2011, Mark Connor] Last night’s fight between Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao and “Sugar” Shane Mosley produced few surprises, aside from the unreasonable astonishment experienced by those…
Jim Glancey, beloved Minnesota Boxing Mentor, Photographer, Coach dies at 83 On Thursday, August 19, I attended the funeral of Jim Glancey, a St. Paul boxing photographer and mentor to youth for over thirty years. Born James Ronald Glancey on February 26, 1927, he died on Saturday, August 7, 2010.…
