Powerful punch: How a boxing gym in an old Akron church changes lives

Tears trickled down Reggie McGuire’s face as he described the impact Popeye’s Boxing Gym and Fitness Center has had on his life.

“This place, to me, is everything,” McGuire told the Beacon Journal before a recent workout in an old church resurrected as a boxing facility at 845 Crouse Street in Akron .

McGuire’s introduction to Popeye’s occurred about two years ago. His fiancée’s grandson had anger management issues, so the couple sought a boxing gym where he could improve his self-control and discipline.