Bethany Boxing Gym: A Community's Safe Haven And Path To Empowerment

In 2020, boxer Maurice Williams opened Oklahoma Boxing & Combat Sports Gym, a nonprofit youth foundation in Bethany, and even though he had great aspirations, the impact it has had on this community has been unmeasurable.

His professional record is 7-2, and after his last fight in Vegas, his prize money was put into his passion.

“My whole life is in this boxing gym; I invested everything into this boxing gym,” said boxing gym owner Maurice Williams.

A gym that is having a huge impact on the community.

“Everybody in the community comes in, whether they can afford it or not, you know, we’ll never close our doors to anybody and we’ll never say no,” said Williams.

More than boxing, the gym teaches the kids discipline and how to control their emotions.

“Showing me more like how to calm my nerves and not to let people push me over the edge,” said 13-year-old boxer Keegan Thompson.

“You can get your madness out, like when you’re mad? You can get it out,” said 8-year-old boxer Luis Arvizu.

13-year-old Demian had a lot of anger issues

“I used to bring kids to my house to fight me and I would beat them up,” said Demian Campos.

Two years later, he’s calm, a straight-A student, and even boxed in the junior Olympics.

“They may have that built-in aggression, but now they know how to control it, they know how to think through it,” said Williams.

The gym has even become a haven where kids know they can get help.

“It was one of our little young girls, she brought in her neighbor, you know, abuse issues, problems at home and she felt safe enough to come to the boxing gym,” said Williams.

The boxer turned coach, turned counselor.

“Every single day, every single kid, every single parent, we’re all dealing with issues, we’re all dealing with something,” said Williams.

Maurice discovered long ago that a good place to help deal with problems is on a punching bag.

It is a huge expense to keep this gym open and with a lot of the kids unable to pay, community support is desperately needed. For information about the gym or to support, visit them on social media @Oklahoma Boxing & Combat Sports Foundation or through their website www.okcboxing.com