The Vista Featured: Donnybrook Boxing Club

University of Central Oklahoma Alumni owned business, the Donnybrook Boxing Club, prides itself on building a better Edmond community through generosity and perseverance.

According to Joe Garcia, UCO Alumni and owner of the Edmond Donnybrook Boxing Club, newcomers from all different backgrounds and skill levels are welcomed to join the club.

“We have a really varied group of people, both in age and in what they want to get out of boxing…A lot of people see boxing as brutish or disordered, but I think boxing is an art,” said Garcia.

The Community

On two occasions, Garcia mentioned that DB Club Members have gone as far as gifting each other vehicles without a second thought because they did not have one. Garcia says this generosity embodies the community that has been fostered by the DB Club, highlighting the positive impact boxing can have on someone’s life and how the benefits of training extend beyond the ring. 

“Boxing gives you something to work at and improve on… you also become part of a community as you train with the same people, work together, and hopefully make some friends along the way.”

According to Garcia, boxing gives you the opportunity to learn an actual skill while doing something that’s fun and keeps you in shape. He mentioned that some members gain confidence from getting in better shape and feeling better about their appearance, while others gain the confidence of knowing they’ve developed skills that enable them to better protect themselves. 

“Boxing and the gym environment just aren’t for everyone, but we do our best to give people a chance to get comfortable and see if it’s something they enjoy…some are here for fitness, some just enjoy learning the sport, and others want to compete.”

How the Donnybrook Boxing Club Started

Garcia started boxing at a mixed martial arts gym at 17 years old after acknowledging he wasn’t big enough to keep playing football. “Just working out on my own wasn’t scratching that competitive itch,” said Garcia. “I still wanted something that challenged me physically and gave me an outlet to compete, so I decided to give boxing a shot.”

The DB Club is the realization of a goal Garcia set for himself while majoring in kinesiology at the University of Central Oklahoma and working at Title Boxing Club. When the TBC was closing, many of the members wanted to keep training together, so he started coaching at other gyms and building a strong clientele before eventually starting a gym of his own. 

“It gave me the opportunity to build the kind of boxing gym and community I had envisioned,” said Garcia. 

It’s More Than Just Boxing

Problem-solving is a huge lesson to be learned from the art of boxing. “If something isn’t working, you have to figure out why, make an adjustment, and try something different,” said Garcia. “I think that translates really well to college and life in general.”

Aside from confidence and problem-solving, Garcia says perseverance is also a big lesson to be learned from boxing. “Sometimes things just suck… you’re tired, frustrated, or something isn’t going the way you want it to,” said Garcia. “Boxing teaches you to stick with it, push through, and keep working.” 

He continues to say that boxing gives people the opportunity to gain confidence that extends beyond the gym, become better problem solvers, and learn how to persevere through any tough situation.

Interested in a free class? The Donnybrook Boxing Club schedule can be found here.